For this week’s #ThrowbackThursday, we’re bringing you what was once cool in the world of web. Hopefully these never make a comeback, because they’re honestly horrible. (Picture custom cursors that lag all across your screen)
If you have to ask if your website is outdated, you probably already know the answer, but just in case, I’ll list some elements that scream 2000 or earlier.
- Copyright date: This is a dead giveaway. Usually these indicate the last time your website was given a major makeover. If it still says 2003, you have to get with the times and update it.
- Excessive amount of white space: There’s a difference between a clean design that happens to have a white background (see Good Reasons) and a site that has all its content squished to one side because your website doesn’t resize its content to fit high-resolution monitors.
- It doesn’t pass the 3-click test: If it takes a user more than 3 clicks to find what they’re looking for, your navigation needs a facelift. I can’t think of anything more frustrating than being knee-deep in clicks and still not finding the answer I’m looking for.
- It’s not smartphone friendly: If I can’t read it from the palm of my hand, I’m not wasting my time on your site. I’m not always at my computer when I want to browse a site so multiple gadget functionality is a must.
- You’re still using Flash: This is fine for videos and games, but most smartphones and tablets do not support Flash. You’re better off upgrading to “HTML5” technologies, which will also help your search engine optimization (SEO).
- Your pages lack SEO: Speaking of SEO, the purpose of being on the web is so people can FIND you! You could have a beautifully designed website, but if you’re not optimizing your pages for search terms that people are using, they’ll never find you. Unless your content is like Carmen Sandiego and does not want to be found, I suggest you look into this.
If your website commits any of the crimes listed above, it’s time to re-vamp your web presence. When redesigning, make sure it’s going to be responsive – as in it’s going to provide an optimal viewing experience on all devices. Typography is going to be a big factor- generic web fonts are out, there are several sites that offer beautifully designed, modern web safe fonts for purchase. You may have noticed that a lot of websites have shifted to a “one page-continuous scroll” – this will still be a trend in 2015 as it makes for a more enjoyable mobile experience. All of this is going to make your website and company look hip and up to date with the times, because that’s what we’re all after, right?
JetBlue is a perfect example of a company has mastered the redesign process – just look how much has changed in 14 years!
Here at Ashworth, web design is something we do very well – just check out our work! So give us a call before you start the overhaul process on a new website.