Reasons Why Your Web Design Is Lacking

Quite often, web designers will receive complaints about websites they have created, either from their clients or from the general public. Usually, these complaints offer little in the way of constructive criticism – the design is just ‘bad’. So, what are some of the main reasons that your web design can be a little bit lacking?

• Auto Playing Music Or Video
  This is one of the biggest pet peeves when it comes to bad web design. If users want to listen to your audio or watch your video, they will click on the play button themselves. It can also be highly annoying for users when they cannot locate the auto playing media or it doesn’t come with a pause or stop button.
• Disabled ‘Back’ Button
  If users are unable to use the ‘back’ button, they will immediately leave your website, labeling it as completely user unfriendly and impossible to navigate. Why people do this as a part of the design process is beyond us.
• Flash Overload
  Whilst Flash does have its uses in web design, there is such a thing as having too much. Not only can Flash make your website slow to load, it can really confuse users and cause accessibility issues across the board.
• Hidden Contact Details
  How on earth are potential customers or clients supposed to contact you if they cannot find your contact details? This is one of the most important features to include in your design, as, without them, you will severely damage your chances of garnering business.
• Poor Navigation
  Users visit websites in order to find out the information they require, therefore, your web design should be easy to find and to use. This includes placing the navigation tools in the same place on each page of your website. Don’t try and get creative with your navigational design – make it as obvious as possible.
• Site Introductions
  Users hate being forced to watch a 30 second advertisement or intro sequence before being able to read the article or information that they are after. This hate is deepened when the button to skip the ad is hard to find or missing entirely.
• Slow Load Times
  Another major pet peeve when it comes to bad or unfriendly web design, having a website that loads at snail pace is a surefire way to get users to get off your site and look elsewhere.

Including even one of these elements in your web design can hugely affect the functionality and user friendliness of your website. Include more than one of these elements and you are just asking for users to boycott your site.