4 Web Design Trends That Need to GO

Something I experienced on good websites is bad design. You should make your marketing design efforts work for you. Most visitors will form an opinion of your site in less than a second. Your design should assist the user into the areas where he or she needs to go.

Here are 5 design trends marketers should just let go.

Separate Mobile Versions of a Website
Gone are the days of a site having duplicate content, different URLs and duplicate edits just to satisfy the different devices that are now available. More trendy web designers are now turning to responsive web design for mobile sites. This enables one site to respond to the width of the device the visitor is using. This is better for SEO, and it is more inexpensive than building and maintaining two different sites.

Stock Images
In the past, marketers have heavily relied on stock images for website design. As a result, companies are now using the same ones which makes it more difficult for your company to showcase its branding, team and overall personality. A better idea would be to have a professional photo shoot that can better communicate your company’s story. The sites I have done that have used this option definitely have more appeal and trust deriving from the real images that are displayed on their website.

Pop-Ups
They have been annoying ever since they came to fruition. No one likes having what they are looking at interrupted by a pop-up asking them to sign up for something. It’s more important to be aware of the message your website is sending and focus on the users experience.

Home Page Slideshow Banners
These have been a marketer’s friend for a few years now, but I am now in agreement that these need to go. Depending on people to stick around on the home page to view slide three to see a service is simply not the way to go. Most viewers are impatient by nature and to expect them to stay around to view your “story” is just not realistic.
So whatever web design marketing techniques you decide to go with, always put yourself in the eyes of your end user. The variety of websites out there is what makes this exciting. Just make sure your website keeps your viewer’s attention, or someone else will.
Article by Tom Jelneck
Owner of On Target Digital Marketing, an Orlando SEO & Digital marketing agency