In online marketing, not only is attracting traffic to a website your goal, you should also aim to have them come back. Every web browser has a bookmark icon. Bookmarking allows Internet users to keep tabs on the websites they really like which makes re-visiting the site easy. One of your goals should include your visitors to click that bookmark icon.

Just take for example your experience with your favorite websites. What made you bookmark them? Aside from the need to do it, other reasons can be the content, the entertainment value or how the website was beautifully made. Any website visitor who finds the website design appealing and easy to navigate will find himself going back to that website again. This means that if you really want your visitors to come back, you must have an awesome website design.

While you may want to catch your visitors’ attention, there are really bad website ideas that you should stay away from. Here they are:

Graphical Overload

Using images is an effective way to communicate with your visitors, but the problem is when you go overboard. Cluttering your web pages with graphics is not a good idea. For one, too many graphics can result in slow loading time which is just frustrating for visitors. Another reason is that visitors do not like to be confused on which one to click first. You must be able to capture your visitor’s attention within 30 seconds. After that, they will have no hesitance in moving to another page.

Poor Loading Time

As mentioned, you must be able to capture your visitor’s attention in just a few seconds. Do not even give your prospective online customers a time to sip coffee. What can contribute to your site’s slow loading time aside from having too many graphics? Audio, high resolution images, flash players and Java Scripts are all culprits of slow loading times. While these elements are great to use in a website, you should maintain a good balance of these elements to maintain your loading time. Chances are, visitors will not wait and they won’t ever come back too.

Ads, Ads and More Ads

If you plan to run a blog or content website, you might be thinking of making money from ads. Advertisers buy advertisement space from your site so your visitors can see what they have to offer. Unfortunately, many blog sites and content websites make the mistake of putting too many ads on their pages. One to two ads will suffice, but anything beyond that might be considered to be annoying for visitors. Also, customers who see too many ads are less likely to purchase from that company. Ads make your site confusing so keep them at a minimum.

Too Many Bright Colors

Colors are great for a website, but do not take it to extremes. Bright colors are not friendly on the eyes. Just by seeing a landing page that is so bright, a visitor might close that web page immediately. You can use bright colors the right way just keep it balanced. The rainbow may be nice to look at, but there is no reason why you should use every color for your website design. Look at your favor keep the website colors simple and light on the eyes.

Low Quality Images and Design

Have you been hiding under a rock all these years? Visitors are looking for modern websites that features high quality design elements, images and graphics. You may not have enough money to make your website very techy but please, do not upload any poorly edited photos on your web pages. Poorly edited photos are deal breakers. Visitors will have the impression that you are offering poor quality products and services. Moreover, do not use design elements that even children can do. Your design elements should not be made from Word Art or Paint. That is just horrendous. There is a huge difference between a simple and sleek website and a simple and cheap one. Do not have the latter.

Downright Confusing

Have you ever visited a website where you had no idea where to go? The landing page is loaded with different page links that it just leaves you confused and wanting to leave. In website design, it is not all about making the site pretty. Navigation is very important too. A visitor should have an easy time navigating the website and going where he wants to. Do not bombard your home page with dozens of page links. You want to be unique and interesting but by all means, do not make a website design that visitors cannot fathom. Your website should be understandable. It should not be a test for your visitors to comprehend it. Otherwise, your visitors will be out the door in less than two seconds.

Unreadable Text

Your visitors want to read something in your website but how can they? Your text color is bright and it contrasts with your neon background. Your font size is too small and you picked a scripted font type. How can you expect to convert these visits into revenue? Unreadable text is a huge mistake to do. Another thing that you should not do is load your web page with text. Visitors are not lazy readers but they will be if they see a page with 1,000 words on the topic of living room furniture. In addition, always avoid having grammar and typos in your text. This is very unprofessional.

Your website is your home on the World Wide Web. You really don’t want your online home to be a mess right? Look out for these horrible website design ideas and do your best to avoid them.