When it comes to public health organizations, web design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s a tool for saving lives. Whether you’re promoting vaccination campaigns, sharing resources, or guiding users to free testing services—your website is often the first (and sometimes only) touchpoint for people seeking trustworthy, timely help.
But here’s the challenge: If your web design confuses, overwhelms, or alienates users, your message might never reach the people who need it most. In fact, according to research from Adobe, 38% of users will stop engaging with a website if the layout or content is unattractive or difficult to navigate.
How can you make sure your public health website is truly effective? In this post, we’ll explore the key do’s and don’ts of public health web design to help you create a site that is engaging, accessible, and impactful.
Let’s dive in!
Why Web Design Matters in Public Health
Public health websites aren’t like your typical commercial site—they serve a deeper purpose. They’re built to inform, empower, and protect. That means your design choices carry real weight.
When someone visits your site, they may be in a vulnerable state. Perhaps they’re seeking urgent care, looking for answers during a health scare, or trying to support a loved one. A cluttered layout or slow load time could mean the difference between someone getting the help they need… or giving up and walking away.
That’s why your web presence must do more than function. It needs to be intuitive and focused on reducing barriers, not creating them.
The Do’s of Public Health Web Design
So, how do you design with clarity and impact? Let’s start with what to do right:
1. Do: Prioritize Accessibility for All
Accessibility isn’t a checkbox—it’s a commitment. If your public health site doesn’t work for people with disabilities, older adults, or those with limited digital literacy, it’s not doing its job. The good news? Small, thoughtful design choices can make a big difference.
Follow core WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) practices, including:
- Writing clear alt text for images so screen readers can describe them
- Using strong color contrast to keep text easy to read
- Skipping flashy visuals that could trigger seizures
- Making sure users can navigate everything by keyboard or screen reader
When your site is accessible, it opens the door to vital information for everyone. That’s how you build trust, close equity gaps, and show your community they truly matter.
2. Do: Make Navigation Simple and Intuitive
When someone visits your site in the middle of a health crisis, they don’t have time to play hide-and-seek with your menu. They need answers—fast. That means: no buried pages, no confusing jargon, and no broken search bars.
Design your navigation to guide, not frustrate.
- Use clear, simple menus with logical categories
- Highlight high-demand info like hours, locations, and alerts right on the homepage
- Include a search bar that actually helps people find what they need
Pro tip: Say it like people think it. “Find a Vaccine” is far more effective than “Immunization Resource Hub.” The faster people understand where to go, the faster they get the assistance they need.
3. Do: Use Clear, Compassionate Messaging
Talking about health can be overwhelming, especially when someone is facing a challenging diagnosis or trying to make an informed decision for their family. That’s why your tone matters. Speak like a trusted guide, not a textbook. Use plain language, short sentences, and an empathetic voice that makes people feel seen and supported.
Break your content into digestible chunks instead of dense paragraphs in your health promotions. Guide readers with clear headings. Add visuals when it makes sense.
The goal is simple: make every visitor feel like they’re in the right place—and that they’ll leave with the answers they came for.
4. Do: Keep Content Updated and Trustworthy
In public health, credibility is everything. If your website is sharing outdated details about a service location or a current infectious disease outbreak, visitors will lose trust quickly. That’s why every page, especially those with time-sensitive information, should clearly show a “last reviewed” date.
Make regular content checks part of your workflow and anchor your updates in trusted sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments. It’s a simple but powerful way to show your audience they can count on you.
Here’s a bonus: Search engines love fresh content. Regularly updating your website with accurate and relevant information can improve your search engine rankings and attract more visitors.
5. Do: Design for Mobile First
More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices—and for many underserved or low-income communities, a smartphone may be their only way to access the internet. If your public health site doesn’t load well on mobile, you’re shutting the digital door on the very people who may need your services most.
The mobile-first design doesn’t just mean shrinking a desktop layout. It means rethinking your content structure from the ground up:
- Keep buttons large and easy to tap
- Use layouts that scroll smoothly without forcing pinch-to-zoom
- Prioritize quick load times—even on slower connections
- Display the most critical information upfront (no one wants to dig through ten screens to find clinic hours)
A mobile-optimized site makes your services more accessible and proves you care about reaching people wherever they are.
The Don’ts of Public Health Web Design
Now that we’ve covered what to do, let’s look at what to avoid—because even a few small missteps can cause users to lose trust, get frustrated, or abandon your site altogether.
1. Don’t: Overwhelm with Walls of Text
When visitors land on your site, they’re often searching for quick answers about vaccines, testing, or disease prevention and programs. Dense paragraphs full of medical jargon can make them bounce fast.
Keep things skimmable. Break up text with clear subheadings, short paragraphs, and visual aids that support your message. Speak plainly and compassionately—you’re helping real people, not presenting a research paper.
2. Don’t: Bury Vital Information
Want someone to book a vaccine or find a local testing site? Don’t make them dig through a maze of menus or download a PDF to get there.
Instead, bring your most important actions front and center. Clear calls to action should live in the top navigation, right on the homepage, and wherever people expect to find help. Make it easy to act—and easier to trust your site.
3. Don’t: Use Generic or Non-Inclusive Imagery
If your site only shows smiling models in spotless clinics, you risk alienating the very people you’re trying to reach. Public health is personal, and your visuals should reflect that.
Representation matters. Use photos that feel real and relatable—people from different walks of life, everyday settings, and genuine moments. Skip the overly polished stock images. When your audience sees familiar faces and environments, it builds trust and reinforces that your services are meant for them.
4. Don’t: Flatten Your Visual Hierarchy
When everything shouts, nothing gets heard. If your headlines blend together or your page lacks structure, users won’t know where to focus—and they might miss the most important messages entirely.
Effective web design leads the eye. Use bold, clear headings, thoughtful font sizing, and generous white space to create a natural flow. Make it easy for visitors to scan and absorb key takeaways—especially when the stakes are high, like during a disease outbreak or sudden clinic closure. In public health, urgency isn’t optional, and your layout needs to reflect that.
5. Don’t: Skip User Testing and Analytics
Just because a design looks good on paper doesn’t mean it works in real life. If you’re not testing your site with your target audience, you could be overlooking major usability issues.
Leverage tools like heatmaps and accessibility audits to see how people actually interact with your site. Where are they clicking? Where do they get stuck? This isn’t a one-and-done approach—let real data guide ongoing improvements so your site remains helpful and easy to use.
Let’s Build Something That Makes a Difference
At Ayokay, we specialize in designing mission-driven websites that inform, empower, and inspire action. Whether you’re leading a nationwide health campaign or managing a local clinic, we’ll help you create a digital presence that reaches the right people and truly serves your community.
Ready to elevate your public health website? Let’s talk.
Jack Shepler is a Marketing and Search Engine Optimization expert. He founded Ayokay, award-winning marketing, and web design firm in Indianapolis, Indiana that has built brands, increased sales for businesses, and helped nonprofit organizations fulfill their missions since 2011. He uses his decades of experience to educate through the Ayokay blog and through public speaking. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
