Guest Post – Written by a Contributor
Like everything in life, web design goes through trends. Elements of design that would once have been considered to be cutting edge become passé, and new trends emerge to replace the outgoing old favorites.
If you want to ensure that your business website always looks up-to-date and modern, then removing outdated trends from your website is incredibly important. The last thing you want is for your customers to arrive on your site and get the impression that your brand is somehow behind the times, so frequent consultation with professional web designers is particularly important. The next time you sit down to discuss updates with your pros, you’re definitely going to want to ensure that you avoid requesting the following trends…
#1 – Hamburger icons on desktop sites
Hamburger icons are great for mobile, but they simply aren’t necessary for the desktop version of your site. Many users actually find hamburger icons frustrating on desktop sites, especially if the ‘hamburger’ isn’t particularly obvious in the design. To avoid this, ensure that you’re using all of the space you have available when presenting the desktop navigation for your site— your customers will thank you for it.
#2 – Too many fonts
Ever since Google Fonts became a design feature, web designers and their clients have been seizing the chance to make use of them. However, fonts only really matter to you; your customers are going to be far more interested in what the text actually says rather than the font it says it in. Stick to simple, easy-to-read fonts throughout your site for a clean, minimalist look.
#3 – Too much information
With the plethora of widgets available, it’s all too easy to overload your site. Even if you believe the widgets to be genuinely useful, using too many on a single page is a surefire way to create digital clutter and irritate your users. Opt for a more streamlined approach, potentially even removing sidebars on certain pages to help create a simpler look that is easier on the eye.
#4 – Huge images
Large images — particularly at the top of a page, so that the user is required to scroll before they even see any meaningful text — are a definite no-no in the modern web design world. Users don’t like these huge images; they’re unwieldy, and they add nothing to the actual content of your site. Instead, keep the overall look far cleaner to appeal to modern preferences for web design. If there is a reason for you to use large images on your site — for example, if your site includes a portfolio element — then ask your designers to create specific galleries rather than trying to squash the images into the overall site design.
In conclusion
For a modern, up-to-date business like yours, a modern, up-to-date website is an absolute must. By steering clear of design trends that have become outdated, or are known to irritate users, you can be sure that your customers will glean nothing but positive opinions of your brand when they visit your site.
0
