In today's world, everything changes super quickly, and web design is no exception. In this area, it's easy to become obsolete if you aren't following the latest news! Visitors quickly get used to innovations that look pleasing to the eye and improve the overall experience. At the same time, outdated trends look weird and may lead to lost clients.
So, what elements in web design should one definitely avoid? In this article, we are studying 9 of them, and perhaps our list will inspire you to explore web design at a deeper level. And once you decide to work in this field, you certainly need to write a cover letter for internship to take the first step in your career. Fortunately, there are many useful resources offering you amazing tips and help from experts!
Ultra-minimalism
If you are wondering why minimalism became popular, the answer is simple. Users were tired of too complicated web pages. It seems that some developers tried to fit all the available information on them.
However, when minimalism became too widespread, it led to boredom and similarity in design. Therefore, designers began to work with bright color schemes, asymmetries, and non-standard style solutions that attract users' attention.
In fact, you don't need to abandon minimalism completely. All the same time, neutral background and excellent structure always help to perceive information. No matter what you are reading - how to be confident in school or top 5 detective novels, you certainly want the website to be easy to perceive. Thus, remember to provide visitors with all the needed details, hints, and tips. After all, they reach out to you to get information, and if you can't offer it, they will find it somewhere else.
The Hamburger Menu
The hamburger menu is usually hidden under the standard icon of three horizontal lines. It doesn't look quite well on the desktop: you need to find it, open it and finally select the desired item. Too many steps in the modern user journey.
Still, on mobile devices, the use of "hamburgers" is justified by saving space and adaptability. Such a menu is a vital necessity for the phone version. But when websites on wide screens are equipped with three narrow stripes, it looks strange.
To follow the trend, some platforms have placed two such menus on the page. Luckily, more and more professionals return to the classic dropdown menus, which are more convenient for desktop sites.
Endless Scrolling
If you own an online store, an endless page with a list of products is certainly a positive thing. However, things are different with an informational or corporate project. Here, such a page means the inability to get to the footer, which contains important data and useful links for customers and partners. That is why it is so important to study user behavior: otherwise, how are you supposed to know what users are willing to get from you?
Flash Elements
Many mobile devices don't fully support flash technology. On the desktop version of the site, there may be a cool video or animation, but a mobile user may see a white square instead of it. Surely, it leaves a negative impression, so think twice before you turn to such elements.
Huge Blocks Of Text
Our attention span is quite short these days, which perfectly explains the popularity of video content. We tend to watch more and read less. Therefore, long texts have been replaced by bright images, infographics, videos, etc. In short, strive for interactivity over static content.
Stock Pictures
Stock photography was extremely popular some time ago, although it's not in high demand these days. Stock pictures don't evoke an emotional response in users, which is why they are less effective in sales.
If you are creating a product, you need authentic, high-quality photos. They help win over the audience, gaining their trust and telling who you are.
Template Icons
Details do matter, and icons can significantly spoil the impression of the site. If you go for monotonous and familiar ones, the user will be simply bored.
So, there are two ways to replace the template icons. The first is to draw them by hand. The second is to order unique ready-made ones, but this will take you time.
Gradient Buttons
Earlier, many web designers believed that a button with a colored transition could attract more attention, but, most likely, now, it will simply scare away the user. It doesn't look stylish or well thought-out. Better use monolithic, beautiful buttons to stay away from aggressive marketing, which is often associated with annoying colors.
Background Videos
Background video is a frustrating experience for all front-end and UX designers now. Why? Previously, almost any site had it, no matter what it was about, a new tablet or an Italian pizzeria. It was believed that such videos added dynamics.
However, videos in the background slow down the page load speed. Plus, if it is short and often repeated, it quickly gets irritating. And third, videos on mobile devices are often displayed incorrectly.
To Wrap It Up
Of course, design trends can't be considered dogmas, but it's better to keep them in mind anyway. Outdated features can cause a serious decrease in the number of visitors, a deterioration in behavioral factors, and fewer profits, of course. Therefore, it is recommended to redesign your platform from time to time to be closer to your audience and maintain the interest of target customers.
If your company wants to design a new website, work with KitelyTech to get it done. At KitelyTech, we work with companies to build and improve on company websites. Call us at (800) 274-2908 get started on your project today.
