14 January 2012
An Australian web domain company recently published a list of its top six web design clichés to avoid and it makes interesting reading… see what you think.

Australian web domain company KetMo.com has published a list of its top six web design clichés to avoid and it makes interesting reading… see what you think.

1. Flash pages
A Flash sequence can act as a delay, if not a total barrier, between customers and their intention (finding out information and/or making a purchase). Use Flash on a minimal scale for maximum impact.

2. Stock images
Stock images look cheap and tacky. Highlight the uniqueness of your company and business by using original images.

3. White background
Colours always attract attention and yet many websites have white backgrounds. While there is nothing wrong in having a white background in the web design, some use of creativity and colours can make a plain website look lively.

4. Wet floor/reflection/shadow effect
These should only be used if you really want your website to look as though it was designed in the early 1990s. Assuming that you want to appear more modern than that, avoid these so-called special effects at all costs.

5. Big fonts
While big fonts are eye-catching and bold, they should not be used too often and all over the website. Strategic use of big fonts can be effective in a website design.

6. ‘Click Here’
When you say ‘Click Here’ it creates ambiguity about the whole message. The visitor is unaware of the action that will be performed by clicking on the link. Instead of such a redundant and mysterious term, use phrases such as ‘Contact Us’ or ‘Read more about our services’.

Web designers beware!