You’ve got to love roundup posts that feature the best in web design. It’s inspiring to see what great designers can create when they’re firing on all cylinders.
But sometimes the bad stuff is even better.
Sometimes the lamest design teaches us the most – about what not to do when designing a website.
Amazingly, we still see people using the worst elements. Apparently the memo hasn’t reached wide enough circulation. So we wanted to do our part.
Here are 7 of the cheesiest web design elements we know of.
1) Flash intro movies
Sure, nobody minds waiting for 30 seconds while your products and generic/empty promo words flash across the screen. Especially when users are in a hurry – they always appreciate having to watch an intro movie or search for the tiny “skip intro” text you tossed somewhere at the bottom of the page.
Flash is impressive, sure – but it isn’t a novelty. It can get in the way. And just because you think your logo looks gnarly zooming in towards the screen with 3D effects that doesn’t mean your users will appreciate it.
You’ve only got a few seconds to grab a user. Don’t waste them on your cheesy Flash intro movie.
2) Chrome
Chrome on the web is not like chrome on your car – it doesn’t make you look cool. (Actually, I’m not sure chrome on your car makes you look cool either).
Unless your company makes custom chrome motorcyle parts you probably shouldn’t have chrome on your website. No matter how cool and impressive you may think it is, it’s cheesy and looks amateur.
3) The jigsaw puzzle
Commonly found on B2B websites. This motif is usually a lame attempt to symbolize a “solution” in the most generic sense. “Our service is the missing component to your business success!”
There’s nothing compelling about standard imagery like this. Go ahead and use it if you’re OK with playing it “safe” and don’t want to make waves. Break the mold if you’re ready to be remarkable. Your choice.
4) Animated GIFs
Yes, stare into my spinning @ symbol. You are mesmerized.
Thankfully animated GIFs have become few and far between, but we still see them on small business websites and shake our heads.
Yes, you can add animated graphics to your website. But that doesn’t mean you should.
There are few things cheesier than the animated GIF – use it if you’re OK with prospective clients and customers laughing at you instead of engaging with your content.
5) The dude who lives in your website
I was in the market for a new bed a few months back. Not knowing better, I walked into a local Sleepy’s (the national bed and mattress chain) hoping to browse their inventory.
Not half a second after I walked through the door I was bombarded by an obviously-rehearsed sales pitch.
“Welcome to Sleepy’s, home of the mattress professionals!” In my face. Long story short: I didn’t buy a bed from that guy.
You might think it’s cool that Flash technology can have you walking right out onto your website. But you don’t belong there. Your users can read, and they certainly don’t want to watch you walk out of the white space every time they visit your home page.
“Hi there. I know you were trying to quickly visit our website and get a sense of what we’re all about at your own pace, but I’ve been lonely hanging out in the invisible margin of this page so I thought I’d walk RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU AND SAY HELLO.”
6) Lens flares
This is a sure sign of a Photoshop n00b.
May God have mercy on your web designer’s soul if she’s using this effect. Run screaming. Change your phone number. And the locks.
We still come across this one from time to time. It’s a bit like the old “Back Off!” spare tire cover featuring the cartoon Tazmanian Devil – it reminds us of the old days in a way that makes us giggle (but we’re not laughing with you).
7) The handshake
Three cheers for the most generic, “safe” business image theme ever created and grotesquely overused across the entire web. Almost as bad as [generic picture of pretty customer service girl wearing a headset].
Yes, in business people often do shake hands. It’s pretty much the standard sign of a professional greeting/agreement in Western culture.
And it’s probably the lamest category of stock photo you can add to your website. Nobody even notices these anymore. They’re bland and empty – the rice cakes of the design world.
If you or your designer have used or requested any of the above recently I am so sorry – not for this post, but sorry that your notion of web design is so shamefully outdated.
What are your most hated (or loved) cheesy web design elements?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know why (because I’m quite patriotic) but seeing an American flag on an e-commerce site rubs me the wrong way.
I guess it seems like a shameless attempt to drum up business by convincing everyone you looooove America.
Bonus points if it’s an animated gif of the American flag :)
Haha, I couldn’t agree more. :) How about a Flash “walk-on” figure dressed like Uncle Sam demanding users purchase widgets from said eCommerce site? Actually that might be funny and effective…
I think point 5 is deemed quite successful in helping conversion by some people, at least from what I have picked up in the forums. What they may be forgetting though is that conversion rate optimisation often helps convert the people from the lower end of the market. At least that’s what I’ve found. This may not be what is desired as a service provider. I think its best to decide what type of people you want to target and construct a site that appeals to them. Quite a simple premise, but a lot of sites are not getting it right in that area IMO.
Personally, I’d rather make up my own mind whether I wanted to use a company not because they have some 20-something blonde in a tight t-shirt spurting scripted marketing bilge.
The puzzle piece and hand-shake are good observations. I had not really noticed the prevalence of the former. Those two are definitely big subconscious turn-off for me. I’d prefer to use a company that gives the appearance of substance rather than one using imagery that doesn’t mean anything.
@David Thanks for your comment.
No doubt – I expect #5 aids conversion in some cases. So do really long sales pages with lots of bold text. Still, I find the approach a little cheesy. I also think you raise a good point about the “lower end of the market.”
Maybe the handshake and puzzle piece were unique at some point, but today they’re relegated to the world of pulp business images. I think I’m a bit more jaded than the average bear, but these have almost taken on negative connotations in my mind. If a company uses mediocre marketing what else about their business is mediocre?
Oh, i would add here jumping people. Every second “designer” uses it. Maybe there is some kind of fashion right now on it, but in my opinion it’s kinda cheesy.
True! “Jumping People” is a wildly-overused stock photo theme.