Design Taboos: Elements To Avoid On Your Website

Having a website for your business or personal use is like having a tailored weapon. So whether you are designing your own or getting a professional to do it, make sure to have it in the most effective way possible. From the moment they land on your page to the time they navigate around it, get your audience hooked through impressive visuals. Don’t be one of those sites that visitors automatically exit from because of poor design. Here are some easy-to-remember don’ts to have a more effective website.

1.Don’t Use Unoriginal Images

This is mostly applicable on your banner and we are not only talking about copyright infringement here. How would you feel if you come across a random blog post that uses the same image that’s seen on your banner? And it’s not because the blogger is using your image, but because you are both grabbing free online photos. Avoid this awkward and embarrassing situation by using images that are truly yours. If you need to use actual photos and not other forms of graphics, have a photo shoot that’s intended for website purposes. The materials you’ll get will also be useful for other marketing collaterals.

2.Don’t Stretch and Flatten

When it comes to images, it’s simply an immortal sin to stretch or/and flatten them. Distorting images by not adjusting them properly reflects a poor judgement on your design skill. After all, who would want to see a round basketball ball turned into a football ball on your online sports gear shop? That’s simply not pleasing to the eye. This does not only apply to images but to buttons as well.

3.Don’t Destroy the Logo

If you are designing a website that involves a company logo, take extra precaution on how to handle it. Place the logo in the most strategic spot possible; the upper left corner of the page is an ideal position. It should not camouflage with its background color. Instead, place it against a color that complements with it well. The logo is also your basis on what colors to use on your header and titles. Don’t use four different shades of green if you don’t see all those kinds of green in the logo.

4.Don’t Compromise the Content

Not too short, not too long. It has to appear right. Just as important as the visual design is the content. The images, colors, and layout are what draw your audience to your site. But what keeps them engrossed is an effective content. Keep the content short and sweet and useful. Dragging on and on with meaningless text is like giving your visitors a chance to exit from your website.

5.Don’t Neglect the Fonts

What’s the use of your powerful content when you don’t have a font that makes them readable enough? Make sure to never fix the size of your font and give the readers the option to resize it. The worst decision you can make however is not only failing to consider the font size, but to also use too many different fonts. Be consistent. If your title is using Arial on one page, use it on all the other pages. This also goes to having uniform fonts for header and content. Experimenting different looks is good, but realize that too many different looks of the letters in a website is never pleasing to the eyes.

6.Don’t Annoy Audience with Ads

Connect with your audience better and create good public relations by not making it all about the ads. This doesn’t mean that you are never to place ads on site. But if you must, make sure that you don’t overdo it. You need to earn money from advertisements, that’s understandable. But having a crowded page of too many promotions is a turn off; visitors will most likely be just closing your page. A good layout is vital here. Make sure to blend the advertisements well without overshadowing the content.

Author Bio

Amanda Smith is a blogger based in San Diego, California. She loves writing about technology and gadgets, travel and arts, health and wellness, and just about anything that tickles her fancy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy catching up on her favorite sitcoms with her yellow Labrador, Chandler Tribbiani. You can catch more of her works at her gang’s hangout, wordbaristas.com.