A very informative YouTube Video by "The Website Architect" I watched recently lists 50 common web design mistakes. The video is easy to watch, each design mistake is discussed in one or two sentences.
Even our own site is guilty of some of these mistakes, but one never stops learning!
I highly recommend you watch it, but here is the list if you just want to scan through it quickly (I highlighted the ones I think are particularly relevant to Turbify Stores):
- Using sliders is often ineffective and ignored.
- Avoid auto-playing sliders as they disrupt user experience.
- Don't hide or customize the scroll bar.
- Avoid changing the background color while users scroll.
- Customizing the cursor can be distracting.
- Don't take control of scrolling; keep it consistent.
- Avoid using emojis as they appear unprofessional.
- Stick to web design standards.
- Avoid time-consuming opening messages.
- Long menu animations waste users' time.
- Ensure the hamburger icon is recognizable.
- Use clear and informative H1 headings.
- Vertical submenus are more user-friendly.
- Ensure call-to-action buttons stand out.
- Sticky menus should have a background color.
- Use arrows in menus with submenus.
- Combine first and last name fields in forms.
- Avoid horizontal scrolling websites.
- Make home pages informative.
- Left-align text in forms for better usability.
- Avoid icon-only menus.
- Use labels for input fields, not just placeholders.
- Avoid hero sections that falsely imply the end of the page.
- Ensure designs are intuitive for scrolling.
- Avoid websites that auto-play sound.
- Don't make users hover to see content.
- Logos should include the company name for clarity.
- Keep navigation at the top.
- Always include a home link in the navigation.
- Avoid content unloading and reloading animations.
- Limit the use of preloaders.
- Focus on optimizing website speed.
- Avoid home pages consisting solely of slideshows.
- Don't make websites like PowerPoint presentations.
- Avoid interrupting vertical scrolling with horizontal scrolling.
- Ensure overlays are opaque enough for readability.
- Place links in the footer for user convenience.
- Don't overuse visual effects; they add complexity.
- Avoid smooth scrolling, which can be unpredictable.
- Stop center-aligning text with more than three lines.
- Justified text alignment makes reading difficult.
- Avoid right alignment for readability.
- Splash pages are unnecessary and harm SEO.
- Slow-loading animations make content inaccessible.
- Don't make users work to access content.
- Avoid horizontal submenus.
- Make sure call-to-action buttons stand out.
- Don't waste time with loading animations.
- Avoid designs that give the illusion of completeness.
- Avoid websites that require instructions to scroll.