Design basics that hold up

• Keep it simple: Clean layouts convert better than clever ones. Simple isn't boring, it's just not getting in its own way.
• Stay consistent: Colours, type and logo use should feel like one brand across every single page, not a different decision each time.
• Make navigation obvious: If a visitor has to think about where to click, that's a design problem, not a user problem.

None of this is exciting. It's also the difference between a site that works and one that just looks nice in a screenshot.