We are Christina and Peter Pilarski, founders and leaders of CIPR Communications.
In the second episode in our series on web design, we look at the two broad categories of websites – conversion-focused and creative-focused – and explain the differences between them.
“The Colour of the Button”
Whenever Christina is asked about the difference between creative focus and conversion focus in web development, she always says it’s, “the colour and location of the button.” In both approaches to web design, you are concerned with the location of various elements on the page, the difference comes down to where you put these elements and the thinking behind that decision. For a conversion-focused website, you place a button where it is best located to help visitors move through to the next level of the buyer’s journey. When you look at your website with a creative focus, your decisions about where to put that button and what colour it should be, would be based on considerations about the look and feel of the site.
Of course, these two approaches are not mutually exclusive, and the best websites are designed with a good balance between the two.
The button question is a great way to boil down the difference between aesthetic and sales-oriented web design, but obviously, there are several more factors at play. When it comes to optimizing a site for conversions, there are three main things to consider:
The user’s intent, i.e. it’s about your customers, not about you! Before you design your site, you need to understand what your customers want from it.
The user experience. With user intention in mind, consider whether your website allows them to achieve that intent, and how easily it does so.
Your company’s goals. The user’s intent and experience, as facilitated by your website, must obviously align with your business goals, or else your web design won’t be of much use.
Find out more about CIPR Communications’ web design services by listening to the seventh series of our podcast. For more information about web development, content marketing, SEO and our other services, read our blog, listen to other podcast episodes, or contact us.
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Christina Pilarski
Christina Pilarski is CEO and co-founder of CIPR Communications, a digital PR, marketing, and AI consulting agency serving hospitality, tourism, and luxury lifestyle brands across North America. Before starting CIPR in 2010 with her life partner and business partner, Peter Pilarski, Christina led campaigns in a series of corporate roles and served as Special Advisor to the Minister at Alberta's Department of Tourism, Parks and Recreation. She now leads a team of 20+ staff and contractors across CIPR and its AI-focused division, the Tourism AI Network. Christina holds a BA with Honours and an MA in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary. Outside the office, she's a mom of twins and two dogs, based in Calgary.
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Peter Pilarski
Peter Pilarski is the Founder of Tourism AI Network and President of CIPR Communications. He helps tourism and hospitality organizations adopt AI strategically — from AI search visibility and custom tool development to team training and executive advisory. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and AI advisor whose sessions blend practical frameworks with real-world results.
