Design trends come and go. Some look impressive but hurt usability, speed or conversions for business websites.
Trends to avoid or use carefully
| Trend | Problem | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Autoplay hero sliders | Messages ignored, slow loading | One strong hero message |
| Light grey text on white | Hard to read | Strong contrast; check with our contrast checker |
| Hidden hamburger menus on desktop | Navigation hard to find | Visible menu on desktop |
| Full-screen video backgrounds | Slow on mobile data | Optimised image, video below |
| Scroll-jacking effects | Confusing, inaccessible | Normal scrolling |
| Huge decorative images | Push content down, slow pages | Purposeful, compressed images via our image compressor |
| Clever but vague headlines | Visitors do not understand | Plain, specific headlines |
Timeless principles
Clarity, speed, readability and easy contact never go out of style.
Read UX basics.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Business websites: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
