Web Design Trends That Have Failed

Peter A. Liefer II | Posted: August 7th, 2017 | Updated: July 26th, 2022

Web design does not go the way you expect it to, one hundred percent of the time. There are such things as web design trends that have failed. Here are a few of them that you may still see these days.

Who can predict whether a design trend will pass or fail? Only time will tell whether a trend online will make it through the years or not. On the other hand, perhaps studying past trends that simply did not make it is the key to being able to predict which ones will make it in the future.

It’s true, the web is a truly fickle place. Web services that are super popular today may simply not going to be around tomorrow. There really is no 100% accurate method of finding out which trends are going to stay and which are not. Here are a few trends that failed that simply did not make it:

  1. The Hit Counters Button

Remember the hit counters button? Some were even programmed to make you think that you were the first one. You won’t see a lot of hit counter buttons these days. However, others believe that Google analytics that counts your hits for you have replaced this unpopular button and design fail.

For some, the hit counters button is great for tracking the competition. For most, however, it was just an annoying button that really didn’t seem accurate at all.

Plus, those starting out would have nearly zero on their hit counters. This simply did not paint a very credible picture of your website or your business. Other people that visited your site would see just 100 people who visited your site, and this is a total turn-off.

The new Like button of Facebook has since replaced the hit-counters button. Actual visitors are now hidden in the analytics provided by Google.

  1. Streaming Music on Your Website

One trend that simply failed is music on your website. This is music that played just when your website opened. Many people were simply not appreciative of this particularly when they were at work and music suddenly streamed out of their work pc. Not everyone appreciates the blast of music that comes when you open a website, especially when there is no warning.

Sonific was a widget that streamed music on your social network profile pages and your blog. It enabled users to embed licensed music for free. Due to music industry imposed constraints with its expensive, limited licenses and demand for free Sonific company equity, the company was simply not able to sustain itself. Prior to the shutdown of Sonific, the CEO said that the company did not want to take the rout of copyright infringement in order to stay afloat.

  1. Customizable Mouse Cursors

Remember the good old days when you were able to switch your cursor into a glittery heart? Or any other choice available under ‘customize cursor.’ This trend seems to not have lasted the years, unfortunately. People seem to be happy with just the regular cursor we all see.

  1. A Separate Introduction Page

Along with a separate introduction page, there were pop-up windows, midi background music and a frameset that were trends in days of old. These days, there are no longer separate introduction pages. Rather, drop downs and everything on one page is the norm.

  1. RSSCalendar

RSSCalendar makes it easy to subscribe to websites and blogs through Google or Yahoo. The RSSCalendar was created to enable similar functionalities including sharing your Outlook calendar with others. Calendars have already been built into Mac Os and Windows. The calendar of Google is just a keystroke away. It’s not hard to see why you would need another one.  RSSCalendar called it quits in 2007 and sold itself on eBay for $50,000.

  1. QR Codes

If you paid attention to your local grocery codes or television, there were QR codes everywhere. These were created to help direct consumers quickly to a website just by using their smartphone to scan the codes. The biggest issue with QR codes was that most consumers did not have the ability to use their devices to scan codes. Most folks had to get the app downloaded just to scan each code. This caused people to view QR Codes as stumbling blocks rather than wanting to embrace this trend.

What other web design trends can you think of that have failed? Let us know in the comments!

Keep up with proven and tested web design trends

A poorly built site will have a hard time generating traffic. If you are in need of a web design overhaul, PrimeView can help you map out a plan and create a website that best represents your brand. Get a free quote by calling us at 480-970-4688 or by filling out our online form.

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