There are many web design trends that have been popular in recent years. But just like trends in clothing design, they tend to become outdated and become anti-trends. In this article, we have collected a few of the worst, outdated and useless trends that you should forget about forever and not use them in your work.

Lack of call to action

The main goal of creating a website is to nudge your users to do something: read more, share content with your friends, or make purchases. It is imperative to provide visitors with the ability to register, subscribe, buy, follow or download. A site that lacks a call to action will fail to serve its purpose. Visitors can read the content and navigate through the pages, but will leave the site without interacting with it. A call button or link should be clearly visible on every page so that your customers understand what they can do. The point is not to nudge your visitors to buy, but to make sure they don’t get lost on the site, or that it doesn’t push them away for any reason.

Horizontal scrolling

Horizontal scrolling is usually very annoying for users. This is because they are used to vertical, which is almost always used. Horizontal scrolling is used when the content does not fit properly on the screen. But if your site content is configured correctly and compatible with all devices, then no matter the screen size, there will be no need for horizontal scrolling. It is very important that the site is compatible with all devices, functional and understandable. And by using horizontal scrolling, you only confuse your visitors.

Hidden or annoying links

Links are very useful on any site, they help your visitors navigate the pages they want. Also internal links are very useful for SEO. However, it is important that the links are visible and correctly positioned. If the links don’t work as expected, are misleading, or if there is a chance of unintentional clicking on the link, this will have a negative impact on the user experience. This can be avoided by following these rules:

• Internal links to other pages on the site should not open new windows or panels if they do not lead to the target page;
• External links to other sites should always open in new windows or tabs;
• Links should be highlighted in a different color, different from the main text, both when pressed and in a passive state;
• Links should be ranked according to their importance, most important at the top, least important at the bottom.

Excessive use of PDF files

PDF content can be very useful, especially when it comes to uploading documents. But it will backfire if you overuse PDFs. This complicates the process of obtaining information, as it forces visitors to download content in order to read it. And most likely, visitors will look for another, more convenient resource.

Incorrect placement of the search field

Placing the search box in an inconspicuous place is a bad decision. The main reason for this is that almost all people visiting your site will need to use the search box. After all, often visitors open a site and then use the search box to get the content they want. Therefore, placing the search field in a prominent place is necessary. Sites without a search field, or where it is incorrectly located, do not have the ability to serve their customers to the fullest.

Overloaded with audio / video content

Most sites today use audio and video files to convey information. This is especially effective because visitors do not need to read the content of the website. Multimedia content is also widely used on social media. However, it is important to follow some basic rules for posting audio and video:

• Audio and video files should not play automatically;
• All multimedia content should be short and specific;
• There should be controls that allow visitors to decide how to play audio and video files;
• There should be no more than three video or audio files on any page.

Excesses

Excessive creativity and design inconsistencies can negatively affect the perception of the site by its visitors. Flashy fonts and excessive brightness can be distracting, and the more elements (icons, images, gifs, etc.) are loaded, the whiter the slower and less functional the site will be. The effectiveness and uniqueness of the site does not lie in the number of elements. You need to focus on the functionality, consistency and usefulness of the content.

Lack of negative space

You should always provide sufficient space around the elements that visitors will click on. If links or buttons are very close, it can be inconvenient. Also, the lack of space can create a feeling of congestion and make visitors feel a little uncomfortable. This is especially true if the site contains ads.

Ultimately, it’s all up to you. I hope this information was useful to you and will help you create a website that meets all modern requirements.

Source: Line25