How do you know if your site design is outdated? According to this article from Business2Community.com, there are 7 signs to look for.
7 Signs Your Site Design is Outdated
Paraphrasing slightly, this is the list of the top 7 signs that your site design is outdated.
- Slideshow at top of home page
- Dated fonts like Times New Roman or Arial
- Everything is jammed in “above the fold”
- No white space
- Skeuomorphism
- Stock photos
- Glossy buttons, icons and navigation elements
We find the topic of skeuomorphism to be one of the most interesting aspects of site design. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, skeuomorphism is using images of real world elements as the basis for the digital counterparts. The article uses an example of making a calendar look like a piece of paper. As users have become more savvy, the need to dress up functional elements in their real world costumes has become unnecessary. Users know how to use websites now. They don’t need those sorts of visual cues anymore.
Stock photos are another hot topic these days. Let’s face it. Nobody believes that the stunningly beautiful woman with perfect hair and makeup in the headset sitting at the desk in the call center is the person who answers the phone when we call your office. We don’t believe it because we’ve seen her on 10 different websites. Custom photography drives up the cost of a website project so it is a trade off, but we think one that is well worth it.
Source: http://www.business2community.com/online-marketing/7-signs-your-web-design-is-over-the-hill-01333564
If you want to discuss updating your website design, please contact Luke Schulze or Allen Jezouit today at 413-458-1721.