6 Web Trends We Definitely Don't Miss
6 Web Trends We Definitely Don't Miss
Fashion trends are cyclical— if you haven’t noticed, side ponytails, high-waisted jeans, and acid-wash have all made a comeback. Web trends, though, tend to be a lot more linear and, honestly, that’s for the best.
Looking back on the things that used to be popular in web design is a good reminder of how far we’ve come—or, if your site still boasts some of these outdated features or elements, a good reminder that it might be time for a refresher.
Background Music
There’s nothing quite like opening a website, only to be serenaded by pan flutes. Not only is auto-playing music incredibly irritating, it also slows down your site and makes your readers more likely to click away quickly. Don’t do this.
Introduction Pages
Remember when you used to click on a website...and then have to click again to “enter”? The bounce rates must have been sky-high. Unless your company sells alcohol or another age-prohibited product or service, there’s no reason to make people click twice.
Terrible Typography
Comic sans is obviously the worst offender, but boring, bulky, heavy typefaces have typically been the building block of type-heavy sites—and we’re happy to say all of that has changed. As websites become more design-savvy, legible, attractive typefaces are taking center stage.
Bad Stock Photography
Once something becomes a Halloween costume, it’s probably better to stop using it professionally. Stock photography has come a long way, thanks to sites like Death to Stock, which moved away from Women Laughing Alone with Salads and toward images that actually captured life in a beautiful, realistic way.
Scrolling/blinking/moving text
Readability clearly wasn’t a concern back in the day when every piece of text seemed to be flying around. Rotating, scrolling, and otherwise motion-based text was so hot in the early 2000s, it’s almost kind of made an ironic comeback among the Tumblr generation. But for your own website? It’s best to ensure that the words stand still.
Drop shadows, glossy buttons, and beveling
If you’ve ever looked at a site and thought “hmm, this looks kind of outdated, but I’m not sure why,” look for the effects around the words. Glossy buttons and drop shadows were huge with web 2.0, but the rise of flat design and more natural-looking elements have left them looking pretty out of touch. Beveling, embossing, and otherwise gussying up your text isn’t necessary to get the attention of readers, so don’t bother doing it.
Web trends move quickly—but not so quickly that it’s hard to keep up. Even a light refresh on a website (a few new images, a bold new typekit) can make it look much more current and modern. Unless, of course, you’re trying to look like a throwback, in which case...good luck with that.
Still got some bad web habits? The digital marketing experts at efelle creative can help.
The award-winning team at efelle creative in Seattle includes website designers, web developers, SEO copywriters, and digital marketing specialists that will help your business maintain an SEO content strategy that gets results. Call us at 206.384.4909 or use our online contact form for a free consultation.