How to Write a Web Design Case Study That Actually Wins Clients
Most web designers make the same mistake when writing case studies.
They focus on what they did instead of why it mattered.
A case study isn’t just a recap of your project. It’s proof that your work solves real business problems. Potential clients aren’t interested in the fact that you built a new homepage or improved site speed—they want to know how those changes made an impact.
They want to see a transformation.
So let’s talk about how to write a case study that doesn’t just fill your portfolio but actually gets you hired.
Start With the Problem
Every great case study starts with a clear, compelling problem.
Imagine a small boutique coffee roastery, Golden Bean Coffee. They’ve spent years perfecting their craft, sourcing beans from the best growers in the world, and building a loyal local following. But their website? It’s a mess.
Customers struggle to navigate it. The checkout process is frustrating. Their online sales are almost nonexistent.
And that’s the real problem—not that the website looks bad, but that it’s losing them money.
If your case study starts with a sentence like:
“Golden Bean Coffee needed a new website.”
You’ve already lost your reader. There’s no tension, no reason to care.
Instead, try something like:
“Golden Bean Coffee built a thriving local business, but their online store told a different story. Customers struggled to navigate the site, and abandoned carts were piling up. Their website was costing them sales—so they called us.”
Now, we’re invested. We understand why the project mattered.
Show Why the Old Site Wasn’t Working
Before you get into the redesign, paint a clear picture of what wasn’t working. Don’t just say the website was outdated—explain how it was failing the business.
Maybe it was slow. Maybe the navigation was confusing. Maybe it wasn’t mobile-friendly.
For Golden Bean Coffee, let’s say:
“Visitors would browse the shop but leave before purchasing. The site took too long to load, and product pages buried key details. Mobile users had an even harder time—half of them abandoned their carts before checkout. Every day, potential sales were slipping through the cracks.”
Now we can see the problem. We feel the frustration. And that means we’ll care about the solution.
Explain Your Approach (Without Jargon)
Once you’ve set up the problem, it’s time to introduce your solution.
This is where a lot of web designers go wrong. They start listing technical details:
“We updated the navigation, improved site speed, and optimized the checkout process.”
Technically true, but deeply uninteresting. It doesn’t tell us why those changes mattered.
Instead, explain your thought process. Why did you make those changes? How did they improve the experience for real users?
For Golden Bean Coffee:
“We streamlined the navigation so customers could find their favorite roasts faster. We restructured the product pages to highlight tasting notes, origin details, and brewing tips—turning casual browsers into confident buyers. And we rebuilt the checkout flow, making it mobile-friendly and frictionless.”
This is still simple and easy to understand, but now we can see the impact of your design choices.
Make the Transformation Undeniable
Your case study should have a clear before-and-after contrast. Don’t just say the new site looks better—prove that it works better.
This is where results matter. Maybe sales increased. Maybe bounce rates dropped. Maybe customer engagement went up.
For Golden Bean Coffee, the transformation might look like this:
“With a faster, clearer, more intuitive shopping experience, sales didn’t just improve—they skyrocketed. Online revenue doubled in the first three months. Mobile purchases jumped by 60%. Customers weren’t just browsing anymore—they were buying.”
See how concrete that is? Even if you don’t have precise metrics, you can still highlight changes in behavior. Maybe support requests about the website dropped. Maybe the business owner told you they finally feel proud sending people to their site. The goal is to make the transformation feel real.
Let the Client Have the Last Word
A strong case study ends with the client’s perspective. A testimonial is more than just social proof—it reinforces the impact of your work in their own words.
If your client says:
“We love our new website.”
That’s nice, but it doesn’t say much.
If they say:
“Our online sales have never been better. The checkout process is smooth, customers love the new design, and we’re finally seeing the growth we hoped for.”
Now that’s powerful. It shows that the project didn’t just change the website—it changed their business.
Tie It All Together
By now, your case study should feel like a transformation story, not just a list of deliverables.
Start with a compelling problem
Show why the old site wasn’t working
Explain your approach in a way that’s easy to understand
Make the before-and-after contrast undeniable
End with a strong client takeaway
And finally, close with an invitation.
Not a hard sell. Not “Hire me now.” Something subtle but effective, like:
“A website should be as seamless as the business it represents. If yours isn’t, let’s talk.”
Because at the end of the day, a great case study doesn’t just show off your skills.
It makes your next client think, That’s exactly what I need.
Your Next Steps
Use this framework for your next case study.
Focus on the transformation, not just the tasks.
Share it where potential clients will see it—your website, LinkedIn, email list.
And if you already have a case study, drop a link in the comments. I’d love to take a look and give you feedback.