Choose a link layout by asking what a visitor needs to understand before tapping. A plain row works well for a familiar destination, an image card helps when appearance affects the choice, and a gallery lets a collection of work establish context.
A page can use all three without becoming inconsistent. The important part is giving each format a clear role rather than choosing a new style for every link.
Start with the decision, then choose the component
Imagine a fictional printmaker, Ada Finch, with three things to share: an upcoming workshop, a collection of available prints, and a portfolio of commissioned work.
The workshop needs a direct route to its details. The prints benefit from images because a shopper needs to see the artwork. The commissions portfolio needs a group of examples before an inquiry makes sense.
Using identical plain buttons for everything would hide useful visual context. Using large poster cards for everything would give a routine contact link the same visual weight as the print collection. A mixed layout can be more deliberate.
| Visitor needs to… | Start with… | Check before adding more |
|---|---|---|
| Recognize a known destination | A clear link row | Does an image add useful information? |
| Choose between visually different offers | Image-led rows or cards | Can each image distinguish its offer? |
| Understand a collection of work | A gallery | Is there an obvious next step after browsing? |
| Notice one current priority | A featured card | Are other sections competing with it? |
| Explore several secondary categories | A compact grid or carousel | Are important choices still discoverable? |
Use plain rows when recognition is enough
A row is a good starting point for actions such as reading workshop details, opening a booking calendar, or sending a particular kind of inquiry. The title and subtitle can do most of the explanation.
Linkdrop’s link stack supports rows with text alone, or with an image or icon. Add the visual when it helps identify the destination, not simply because the setting exists.
For Ada’s workshop, an icon may be enough to distinguish it from a download. If the workshop teaches a specific printmaking technique, a small example image could be more useful. The right choice depends on the information the visitor is missing.
Keep the row’s title meaningful even when an image is present. A thumbnail should support the explanation, not carry all of it.
Use image cards when seeing is part of choosing
Image-led cards work well for distinct collections, services with visible outcomes, or a featured offer that needs more context. Give the image a clear subject and use the text to explain the destination.
For Ada’s prints, “Coastal linocuts” paired with an image of that collection helps a shopper make a real choice. A decorative stock photo would add visual weight without explaining what is being sold.
Avoid presenting every offer as the largest possible card. Large cards require more scrolling, and multiple competing focal points can make the page harder to scan. Choose one current priority and give supporting paths a quieter treatment.
If you already have a strong cover image, consider whether another large photograph immediately underneath adds information or merely repeats the same mood.
Use a gallery to show a body of work
A gallery is useful when the relationship among images matters: a series, a range of completed projects, or several views of the same work. The visitor is browsing evidence rather than choosing a single labeled destination.
For Ada’s commissions, a short gallery could show different formats and settings. A contact action beneath it would then explain how to discuss a project.
Do not assume that the reason for the gallery is obvious. Add a heading and a brief introduction that identifies what the images represent. Then make the next step visible after someone has looked through them.
A gallery does not remove the need for selection. Six relevant examples can be more coherent than a larger set containing work that no longer matches the service. Our photographer and visual-artist guide explores that portfolio decision in more depth.
Treat grids and carousels as choices, not storage
A grid can help compare a small number of related categories. A carousel can present a sequence without giving every item its own full-width block. Neither format is a reason to keep adding destinations indefinitely.
Put an essential action somewhere it can be found without assuming every visitor will swipe through a horizontal collection. If the third carousel item is the only route to booking, consider moving that action into a normal visible row.
Preview long labels and varied image shapes before committing to a layout. A design that works for three short names may behave differently with real service titles.
Keep the visual language consistent across formats
Use shared colors, type styles, spacing, and corner treatments to make different components feel like parts of the same page. Consistency does not require identical sizes; it requires a recognizable relationship.
Choose images that remain informative at their displayed size. W3C’s images tutorial explains that meaningful text alternatives depend on the image’s purpose. Where an image describes an offer or work, its alternative text should help convey that information rather than recite a filename.
For a wider readability check, use our accessible page-design guide. Strong contrast and understandable labels still matter when the overall design is expressive.
Test the same offer in two formats
Before redesigning the entire page, compare two reasonable treatments of one section. Try Ada’s workshop as a clear row and as an image-led card. Keep the copy and destination the same so you can evaluate the presentation itself.
Ask what the larger treatment adds. If it shows the technique, date, and atmosphere more clearly, it may earn the space. If it simply takes longer to scroll past, the row may be the better choice.
Finish by reviewing the whole phone layout, not isolated component previews. The best format is the one that makes the next decision clearer in the context of everything around it.
