Awful websites remain a hazard for businesses and customers. Fifteen years have elapsed since the Web reached the mainstream, but the bad old days of web design never seem too far away. It is one thing for a teenager to create a headache-inducing introduction to her band on MySpace, quite another for your company’s front door to the world to look like an explosion at the font factory. Despite the success of Google, which rode to dominance on one of the cleanest page designs imaginable, and other models of efficiency and user-friendly flow, an alarming percentage of Web sites continue to be plagued by eye-straining, illogical, and otherwise displeasing and dysfunctional layouts. Let’s face it: this really should not be so difficult. Below are Ten Egregious Web Site Offenses that any site taking itself seriously should be careful to avoid.

1. Shouting: Scrolling text, automatic launches of video and audio, and screen-grabbing ads are all turnoffs.

2. Clutter: An over-abundance of links, boxes, and and menus paralyzes visitors with uncertainty, not to mention eye-strain.

3. Unfriendliness: Prescription-label-sized text, ill-used white space, links represented by obscure, unfamiliar icons … these are helping your visitors how?

4. Navigation Hazards: Broken or misdirected links, poorly worded links, an inability to go directly back to the home page—all will drive your visitors batty, if they even stick around.

5. Catastrophic Colors: We’re already on your site. Why the gaudy display of plumage to get our attention?

6. Lack of Contrast: Some color is good. Keeping a visitor’s interest requires balance.

7. Runaway Text: Hiding text off to the side or below the screen without easy scrolling tells users you just don’t care if they read it.

8. Drop-Down Debacles: Drop-down menus that disappear below the visible page and prevent visitors from getting at those unseen links are site-killers.

9. Devilish Details: Grammar gaffes and errors in spelling or fact-checking leave a lasting impression, and not a good one.

10. Printing Problems: Print-configured pages should actually print easily and in a usable fashion.

Responza’s team includes seasoned web design pros, so never hesitate to consult us if your site could use refreshing! For some samples, check out responza.com/webdev.