S.M. Ali
UI/UX Designer for SaaS Startups & High-Converting Websites
- 1
- Followers
Almost every cybersecurity website looks the same. Blue gradients, padlock icons, and a stock photo of a hacker in a hoodie.
For my AFTRDRK concept, a threat intelligence company that operates in the hidden corners of the internet, I went the other way.
Their whole value is access to places others can’t reach. So instead of looking “safe,” the site leans into the dark:
1) Pure black and white, no accent colour. The restraint makes it feel serious and exclusive
2) Glitch textures, scan lines and a particle wave, so the page feels like it’s picking up signals from somewhere hidden
3) A headline with attitude: “Have friends in DRK places...” It tells you exactly what they do in five words
4) Three services, each with its own action: DRKCACHE, Protect Now, When Crisis Hits. The button tells you which situation you’re in
Dark, but never messy. Every section stays clean enough for a security team to trust.
Designers, honest question:
Should a cybersecurity brand look safe and reassuring, or a little dangerous?
1
145
Most trading websites look like one of two things: a scam or a bank.
Lambos and "get rich fast" on one side. Grey, cold and forgettable on the other. Neither makes a smart person want to learn from you.
For my Simple FX System concept, a forex trading education brand, I aimed for the space in between: ambitious, but credible.
1) A bold, staggered headline across the full width, so the first impression is confidence.
2) A subline that speaks to the real fear every trader has: knowing when to get in and when to get out
3) One strong red action, with "Watch Our Story" as the softer second option.
4) Key numbers right under the hero, so proof shows up before any pitch.
5) A deep red, purple and blue gradient that feels like a trading screen at night, without the gimmicks
Designers, honest question:
In finance, does a bold, energetic design build trust, or does it make people more suspicious?
1
142
A marketplace homepage has two jobs at once: sell to buyers and recruit sellers. Most only do one well.
That was the challenge in my BOLD concept, a platform that connects Shopify merchants with vetted agencies and developers.
Merchants arrive wanting someone they can trust with their store. Experts arrive wanting good clients. If the page talks to only one of them, the marketplace never fills up.
So the hero speaks to both, without splitting into two websites:
1) For merchants: a clear "Get Matched Now" action, with Shopify, Shopify Plus and Amazon logos up top so they know this is built for their world.
2) For experts: a real profile card with skills like React.js, Hydrogen and Liquid, plus "Apply to be an Expert" right beside it
3) Real faces instead of abstract icons, because hiring is about people
4) Stats on every agency card (projects completed, hours worked, customer since) so trust is built through numbers, not promises
Bold red for action, soft blue for calm, and an italic serif accent so it feels human, not corporate.
Designers, honest question:
On a two-sided marketplace, should the homepage serve both audiences, or pick one and send the other to a separate page?
2
142
A company called "Full Fat Things" builds serious websites for global brands. How do you design a site that carries both?
That was the puzzle behind my Full Fat Things website concept.
They're a London Drupal agency with over 12 years behind them, certified partnerships, and work for some very big names. But the name is playful, almost cheeky. Go too corporate and you lose the personality. Go too fun and enterprise clients stop trusting you.
So I split the job:
1) Personality lives in the brand: the retro script logo, bold condensed headlines, warm orange and yellow on a dark grid.
2) Credibility lives in the proof: a "Recent Projects" wall showing real client work, and a row of certifications like Drupal Platinum Partner, Crown Commercial Service and Cyber Essentials.
3) The headline says what they do in four words, so the fun never gets in the way of the message.
Loud on the outside, solid underneath.
Designers, honest question:
Should an agency's own website look like the serious work it does for clients, or should it show off who they really are?
1
127