Outdated Web Design You Should Leave Behind
Penny Dower Hunt, 30 December 2022.
Your website connects the business with online customers. As such, it must make a very good first impression. That can make or break your business and seriously affect customer experience. Knowing that, what can you do to ensure your website delivers 100% to every customer?
One of the essential parts of any website is web design. It includes more than just visual appeal, website functionality, marketing, and more. Many different web design trends will make your website pop. However, there are also outdated web design practices you should leave behind.
If you have ever wondered what web design trends have become a thing of the past, we are here to shine some light on that topic and give you an answer!
How to recognize outdated website design trends
Even though we will talk about specific web design trends that should not be used anymore, there is an excellent way to determine if some web design trend is outdated. All you need to do is logically look at your website. Ask yourself these questions about the web design approach you want to use:
● Does it make my website load slower?
● Does it contribute to user experience?
● How much value does it add to customers?
● Is my website functional and easy to navigate?
● Are the visitors able to focus on the right things?
Try to answer honestly to these questions. If your website design negatively affects the website's functionality, you should change it. The importance of web design grows every year, so ensure you are up to date with the latest trends. Now, let us look at some examples of outdated web design practices. Here is everything you should avoid.
1. Too many sliders with a CTA button
Have you ever visited a website and the moment you land on the home page, a slider pops up and asks you to either subscribe, make a purchase, or take some other action? Then, you click on a link and go to another page, and the same slider pops up.
Don't bombard visitors with repeated slider pop-ups and CTA buttons.
When new users visit your website, they do not want to get bombarded with purchase offers right from the start. Also, that forceful and spammy advertising might seem needy. If your website is good and your products add value, a visitor will eventually become a customer.
A carefully placed CTA button can make a difference if the visitor sees it correctly. However, if you just start placing CTA buttons everywhere, that might only annoy the visitors.
2. Using fullscreen, large images
Images play a crucial role in web design. We all know a saying that an image is worth a thousand words. However, it is also possible to use images in the wrong way. There is an old trend where you can use a single image to cover your home page. Those websites usually load slower, and the entire design does not contribute to your website's functionality.
It is much better to utilize white space and use smaller images to convey a specific message. If you want to create a unique web design, you must be smart about how you use images.
3. Using video and audio that auto-play
Nothing is more annoying for a visitor than a video or audio that starts playing on its own as soon as the page loads. If the audio on the visitor's device is set to high, you might jump-scare them. Furthermore, it is not always obvious how to turn off the video or audio, if it is even possible.
Give your visitors the choice to play an audio or video with a play button.
You should give your customers a choice. They will click the button if they want to watch a video or listen to audio on your website. You do not have to do it for them.
4. Having a non-responsive website
It is challenging to find a non-responsive website today. However, that does not mean they do not exist. There are still website owners who are unaware of web responsiveness or cannot afford to hire a web designer to build a responsive website.
Even with that in mind, it is better to not have a website rather than to have one that is not optimized for mobile devices. This is a really bad practice for multiple reasons.
First, it will substantially affect your SEO in a negative way. Google simply makes mobile-friendliness a requirement for websites. Without this functionality, you will not be able to reach the first page of the search results.
Responsive web design is a Google website requirement.
Second, non-responsive websites push away potential customers. This is a very bad standard of quality, and it reduces the functionality of your website.
5. Using gradient colour transitions
Colour transitions may look nice. However, this is not the approach you want to take regarding web design. The colour game is crucial for web design. Colours may convey emotions, the website's purpose, and much more.
Gradient colours on a website are a thing of the past. A modern website should have clean, bright colours that will make your website pop. Gradients may seem a bit retro and even dull in a way. It would be best to be very careful when choosing your website palette.
If your website uses old web design trends, replace it ASAP!
Hopefully, you now understand how vital auditing your website really is. Once you know what to change, you can approach this process diligently and smartly. Still, even if you know what should be changed, you should also think about how you want to change it.
Every web design should have a goal. If you replaced an old web design trend with a modern one that does not contribute to your business goal, you didn't do a good job. You should have a solid reason for any update you make on your website.
Work with a professional website designer
If you want to eliminate outdated web design practices and give your website a complete overhaul, you should consult a professional website designer. They know the latest web design trends and how to make your website unique. Spare no expense when it comes to re-designing your website. It is your online identity and represents your brand’s face all around the globe.