It is important to follow the latest trends in web design today. What seemed advanced a few years ago might now be outdated and even limit your site’s performance. For small businesses, it’s important to recognize old web design habits and swap them out for smarter, modern solutions. 

This article covers five outdated web design practices and shares useful tips on how to refresh your strategy the right way.

1. Cluttered and Complex Layouts

It’s no longer seen as good practice to load every bit of information onto a web page. Nowadays, people prefer websites that are simple and straightforward. A cluttered page can feel confusing, which usually means visitors won’t stick around for long.

Tips to improve your layout:

• Simplify Your Content: Simplify your design by deleting unnecessary elements and emphasizing key text. Use white space to create a feeling of balance and highlight important features.

• Make It Mobile-Friendly: Most people visit sites on their phones now. Having a mobile-friendly design attracts visitors, makes it simpler for them to use your website and encourages them to stay.

• Use Straightforward Navigation: Visitors should be able to find what they need without thinking twice. Keep your main menu short and organized. If you have a lot of pages, use folders or drop-down menus to keep things tidy at the top of the page.

2. Flash Introductions and Autoplaying Media

Remember when websites used to greet you with flashy animations or videos that started playing automatically? While that might have seemed cool once, these days they often annoy visitors and disrupt their experience.

Tips to improve your layout:

• Focus on Page Load Speed: People expect pages to open quickly. Boost website performance by reducing down on big files, use caching where you can, and pick a good hosting service. As a result, your website will feel better for users and encourage them to spend more time there.

• Use Video Thoughtfully: Instead of automatically playing videos, allow people control over what content they consume. Use videos wisely to enrich information and engage visitors, but don’t overload them with too many or unnecessary videos.

• Try Other Ways To Engage Visitors: Small animations or interactive graphics can catch people’s attention without being distracting. When used carefully, these touches can make your site more interesting without overwhelming anyone.

3. Non-Responsive Designs

We’ve said it before, and it still holds true: in a world where most people browse on their phones, having a website that doesn’t adjust properly just isn’t acceptable. Not only can it hurt how people see your business, but it’s also likely costing you customers. With so many different devices out there, it’s important your site works well everywhere.

Tips to improve your layout:

• Use Responsive Design: Build your site with tools like Squarespace, WordPress, or Shopify that automatically change the layout depending on the device. This way, your site looks and works great no matter what screen visitors use.

• Check Your Site On Different Devices: Check your site on several devices and use various screen sizes to spot responsiveness problems. Ensure you always update your site when necessary to improve the way your visitors view it. You can test your site by looking at it on your mobile phone.

• Make Sure Text Is Easy To Read: Use font sizes and spacing that work well on small screens. Avoid tiny or hard-to-read fonts that make visitors want to click away.

4. Stock Photography Overload

Relying too much on generic stock photos can make your website feel bland and forgettable. Nowadays, people want to see something real and authentic. Using lots of stock images can make it harder for visitors to connect with your brand.

Tips to improve your layout:

• Use Original Visuals: Invest in real photos or custom illustrations that truly show what your brand is about. Genuine images help create a stronger connection with your audience.

• Show Real People And Moments: Sharing pictures of your team, customers, or actual products adds a personal touch. It makes your site feel trustworthy and relatable.

• Add illustrations And Graphics. Custom icons or drawings can give your website character and help explain things in a clear, creative way. This makes your brand stand out from the crowd.

5. Lack of Accessibility Considerations

Designing websites without addressing accessibility may exclude a substantial portion of your target audience. Making your site easy for everyone to use should be a key part of your design process.

Tips to improve your layout:

• Follow Accessibility Guidelines: The WCAG guidelines should be studied to make sure your website is not a barrier to those with disabilities. Ensure you provide alt text for your images, make your headings easy to follow and consider colour contrast when designing your website.

• Add Text For Media: Include captions, transcripts, or descriptions for videos, audio, and images so people with vision or hearing challenges can still understand your content.

• Test With Assistive Tools: Try out screen readers or keyboard-only navigation to see how well your site works for everyone. This hands-on testing helps you find and fix any problems. We at VareWeb use advanced tools on our site to make sure it’s easy for all visitors.

Conclusion

If you design websites, own a business or build websites on your own, it is important to follow new design trends. Switching from outdated web design techniques can help your website become easier to use.

At VareWeb, we believe in keeping things simple, fast, responsive, and authentic. When you focus on clean layouts, strong performance, real visuals, and accessibility, your website becomes easier to use and more enjoyable for everyone.