Badly Designed Websites: Why They’re Like a Teapot with No Tea

Ever land on a website so bad it feels like a ‘90s horror flick?

Yep, we’ve all been there.
Scroll, cringe, click away.

But here’s the thing:

Badly designed websites aren’t just ugly.
They’re customer repellents.

The Top 7 Sins of Bad Web Design

Let’s break down why some sites feel like navigating a maze in the dark, and how to avoid these design crimes.

1. Walls of Text So Dense, They’d Make War and Peace Look Like a Tweet

You click on a page, and boom – hit with a wall of words.

No headers. No spacing. Just a giant gray block.

That’s like asking your readers to scale Mount Boring.

Here’s a hint: people scan, they don’t read.

Quick Fix:

• Chop it up! Bullet points, bolded bits, headers galore.
• Break those paragraphs like your site’s life depends on it (because it does).

2. Colours That Would Make Van Gogh Squint

Some sites are out here looking like a neon disco party from 1985.

Yellow text on a white background? Fluorescent pink headers?
It’s a no from all of us.

Quick Fix:

• Stick to two or three colours max.
• Dark text on a light background works every time.
• Throw in some whitespaces, too – let those words breathe!

3. Navigation That Feels Like Guesswork

If I need a map to find the “About Us” page, you’ve got a problem.
Your navigation should be as simple as pie.

Visitors shouldn’t feel like they’re solving riddles just to contact you.

Quick Fix:

• Clear labels: Home, About, Services, Contact.
• No hidden dropdowns or endless menus. Keep it simple and clickable.

4. Pop-Ups – The Digital Equivalent of a Sneeze in the Face

Pop-ups that cover the whole screen and scream at you the moment you land?
Hard pass.

These scream, “Buy now!” and “Sign up!” before you even know what you’re looking at.

Quick Fix:

• Delay the pop-up – let people scroll for a bit first.
• Or, better yet, make it a subtle sidebar. No one likes to be ambushed.

5. Loading Time That’s Slower Than a Sloth on a Sunday

Ever sat there, waiting for a page to load, questioning your life choices?
Most people won’t.

They’ll just click away if it’s taking longer than 3 seconds.

Quick Fix:

• Compress images – no one needs a 5MB picture of a coffee cup.
• Minimize animations and crazy effects – it’s not a magic show.

6. Fonts That Look Like They’re from an Ancient Manuscript

Cursive fonts. Or the font so tiny you need a magnifying glass to read it.
Let’s leave the fancy fonts for wedding invites.

Quick Fix:

• Stick to basic, readable fonts. Arial, Verdana, Helvetica – the classics.
• Keep it at a size that doesn’t make visitors squint like they’re reading fine print.

7. Mobile Experience So Bad, It’s Practically Unusable

In 2024, if your site doesn’t work on mobile, we’ve got a problem.
Like, “Houston, your site is losing visitors faster than you can say ‘bounce rate.’”

Quick Fix:

• Test every page on mobile.
• Make sure buttons are clickable and text doesn’t overflow the screen.

Why Bad Design is a Deal-Breaker (And It’s Costing You)

A badly designed website is more than just an eyesore.
It’s like putting up a “Closed” sign to potential clients.

Visitors will:

• Bounce before they even read a word.
• Question your credibility (harsh, but true).
• Look for a competitor whose site doesn’t feel like a treasure hunt.

Ready to Kick Your Site into Shape?

If any of these red flags sound familiar, it’s time to act.
A few tweaks can take your site from “Oh no” to “Oh, wow.”

Because remember:
A well-designed site isn’t just nice – it’s necessary.

FAQs

Q: How can I check my website’s speed?
A: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. Faster load times = happier visitors.

Q: What’s the best colour scheme for my website?
A: Stick to neutral colours for the background, darker for the text, and limit bright colours to calls to action.

Q: How do I know if my fonts are readable?
A: Test it out – if you wouldn’t read an entire page in that font, choose a different one. Go for basic, clean fonts.

Q: How important is mobile-friendliness, really?
A: Extremely! Over half of web traffic comes from mobile devices, so don’t miss out by ignoring mobile users.

Q: Are pop-ups really that bad?
A: Pop-ups can work if used right. Delay them, keep them small, and don’t spam.

In the end, a website that’s easy on the eyes and quick to load is a website people will come back to.

So, if your website’s been a mess of design fails…
It’s time to fix it up and get your visitors to stay!