Does your business website suffer from a high bounce rate? Could you have outdated features that annoy your visitors and send them elsewhere?

We share 21 features you should consider removing in this infographic.

Here’s what makes the list:

• Flash Intros
• Not Visible on Mobile or Tablet
• Slow Web Pages
• Outdated text
• Spelling Mistakes & Poor Grammar
• Outdated Fonts
• Lorem Ipsum
• Cluttered Design
• Poor Navigation
• Stock Images
• Animated Gifs
• Under Construction
• Visitor Counters
• Pop up Boxes
• Too Much Text
• Scrolling Text
• Free Email Service
• Repeating Background Images
• Auto Play Media
• Sideways Scrolling
• Sideways Alignment

Check out the infographic for more detail.

 

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. But if it’s packed with outdated features, visitors might bounce before they’ve even had a chance to learn what you offer.

Web trends evolve fast—and clinging to old habits can make your site feel clunky, untrustworthy, or even broken. Here are 21 features that are seriously annoying your visitors and holding your website back.

Flash Intros

Flash intros were once a flashy way to impress visitors, but now they’re nothing more than a digital relic. Most devices and browsers no longer support Flash, making these intros not just annoying, but inaccessible. They delay access to real content and frustrate users looking for fast answers. If your site still opens with a Flash animation, it’s time for a redesign.

• Replace Flash with modern HTML5 animations or clean visuals.
• Focus on fast-loading landing pages over fancy intros.
• Make your homepage instantly useful and scannable.
• Test your site on all devices to ensure compatibility.

Not Visible on Mobiles or Tablets

Mobile traffic has overtaken desktop—if your site doesn’t work well on phones or tablets, you’re in trouble. A site that can’t adapt to different screen sizes creates a poor user experience and drives people away. It also damages your SEO and conversion rates. Responsive design isn’t optional anymore; it’s essential.

• Use responsive design that adapts to any screen.
• Test on multiple devices and browsers regularly.
• Avoid large files and fixed-width elements.
• Optimise buttons and text for touchscreens.

Poor Navigation

Clunky or confusing navigation is one of the biggest reasons visitors abandon websites. If people can’t find what they need quickly, they won’t stick around. Modern users expect a streamlined experience with clear, intuitive menus. The goal is to make browsing effortless, not frustrating.

• Stick to simple, clear menu labels.
• Group related pages logically under dropdowns.
• Use sticky navigation for easy access on scroll.
• Include a search function for added convenience.

Spelling Mistakes & Poor Grammar

Nothing kills trust faster than bad grammar and typos. Whether it’s a misspelled heading or a confusing sentence, these errors make you look careless. For professional credibility, every word on your site should be checked. Great design means nothing if the copy is sloppy.

• Use spellcheck tools and proofread manually.
• Hire a copy editor if needed for key pages.
• Avoid jargon or overly complex wording.
• Read your content aloud to catch awkward phrasing.

Slow Load Time

Speed is everything online. If your site takes too long to load, users won’t wait—they’ll leave. Google also penalises slow sites in search rankings, so you’re losing visibility too. It’s not just about convenience—it directly affects your bottom line.

• Compress images and videos for faster loading.
• Remove unnecessary scripts and plugins.
• Use fast, reliable hosting.
• Enable browser caching and content delivery networks (CDNs).

Animated GIFs

Animated GIFs might seem like a fun touch, but they often make websites look amateurish. Unless used carefully, they distract from your message and overwhelm the user. They also add unnecessary weight to your site. When it comes to visuals, subtlety wins.

• Replace GIFs with high-quality static images or SVGs.
• Use animation sparingly and only with purpose.
• Keep branding consistent and professional.
• Make sure visuals don’t compete with your calls to action.

Visitor Counters

Visitor counters were popular in the early days of the web, but they’re now considered tacky and pointless. They provide no real value to users and make your site look outdated. Today’s analytics tools are invisible, powerful, and more informative. It’s time to take that counter down.

• Use Google Analytics or similar for tracking.
• Focus on meaningful KPIs like bounce rate and conversion.
• Avoid displaying vanity metrics on your site.
• Prioritise user experience over showing off numbers.

Under Construction Pages

There’s nothing more frustrating than landing on a page marked “Under Construction.” It tells users you’re not ready for them and wastes their time. If a page isn’t ready to go live, it shouldn’t be visible. Your website should always feel complete and reliable.

• Hide incomplete pages until they’re ready.
• Redirect users to similar live content.
• Use a professional “Coming Soon” page if necessary.
• Keep your site updated with fresh, working links.

Cluttered Design

Trying to cram everything into one page only leads to confusion. A cluttered layout overwhelms users and hides your most important content. Modern websites embrace white space and clear structure. Simplicity and clarity always beat chaos.

• Use grids and spacing to organise content.
• Limit your colour palette and font choices.
• Guide users with visual hierarchy (headings, buttons).
• Don’t be afraid of white space—it improves focus.

Pop-Up Boxes

Nobody enjoys surprise pop-ups. Whether it’s a newsletter sign-up or a special offer, if it interrupts the experience, it’s more annoying than effective. Pop-ups can work—but only if used sparingly and with purpose. Respect your visitors’ attention.

• Time your pop-ups (e.g. after 30 seconds or exit intent).
• Make closing them easy and obvious.
• Offer value (e.g. discount code) instead of demands.
• Test different versions to see what works best.

Scrolling Text

Scrolling or “ticker” text belongs in the 90s. It’s hard to read, distracting, and screams outdated. Users don’t want to chase moving content with their eyes. If something’s important, present it clearly and keep it still.

• Use static banners or cards to highlight news or updates.
• Create a blog or announcement section instead.
• Make text scannable with bolding and spacing.
• Avoid gimmicky effects that reduce readability.

Too Much Text

Walls of text are intimidating and hard to digest. Visitors want quick answers—not a novel. If your website is packed with dense paragraphs, you’ll quickly lose their interest. Concise, well-structured content is key.

• Break content into short, digestible chunks.
• Use bullet points and subheadings.
• Get to the point—avoid rambling.
• Add visuals to support and break up the text.

Outdated Text

Old content is a red flag for visitors. If your site still says “Copyright 2010” or features a blog post from three years ago, it looks abandoned. Even if your business is thriving, outdated text sends the opposite message.

• Update copyright dates automatically.
• Refresh blog content or remove old posts.
• Keep product/service info current.
• Review and revise copy at least once a year.

Stock Images

Stock photos can make your site look generic and impersonal. When visitors see the same images they’ve seen elsewhere, trust and connection drop. Original imagery helps build authenticity and engagement. Invest in visuals that reflect your brand.

• Use custom photography wherever possible.
• Choose stock photos that feel genuine and relevant.
• Avoid cliché images (e.g. handshake close-ups).
• Optimise images for fast loading and clarity.

Outdated Fonts

Fonts like Comic Sans or Times New Roman instantly age your site. Typography sets the tone for your brand, so using dated fonts can make you look out of touch. Clean, modern typefaces are now the standard. They improve both aesthetics and readability.

• Stick to web-safe, modern fonts (e.g. Open Sans, Roboto).
• Limit yourself to 2–3 font styles per site.
• Use bold, italic, and size changes for emphasis.
• Test font size on multiple devices for legibility.

Free Email Service

Using a Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail address for business creates a poor impression. It suggests a lack of professionalism or that you’re not fully established. A custom domain email builds credibility and trust with clients. It’s a small change with a big impact.

• Set up email using your website domain.
• Use services like Google Workspace or Outlook.
• Keep your email signature consistent and branded.
• Avoid using multiple free addresses for your business.

Repeating Background Images

Tiled, repeating background images make your site look like a throwback to early internet days. They’re visually distracting and often clash with content. Today’s design trends lean toward clean, full-width backgrounds that support rather than steal attention.

• Use high-resolution, single-image backgrounds.
• Choose subtle patterns or gradients if needed.
• Make sure text is legible over backgrounds.
• Ensure your design scales properly on all screen sizes.

Auto Play Music

Nothing causes a user to hit the back button faster than unexpected audio. Autoplay music or videos are disruptive, especially in quiet environments or workplaces. Let users choose when and how to engage with media on your site.

• Remove all autoplay features unless essential.
• Add visible play/pause controls to all media.
• Warn users before playing sound.
• Optimise video content for silent viewing with subtitles.

Sideways Scrolling

Horizontal scrolling is unintuitive for most users. Unless your site has a specific reason (like a design portfolio), stick to vertical scrolling. It’s more natural, user-friendly, and works better on all devices. Sideways sites just don’t perform well.

• Design layouts with a vertical scroll in mind.
• Avoid oversized elements that break layout.
• Test for responsiveness across screen widths.
• Prioritise simplicity and user expectation.

Sideways Alignment

Users are conditioned to look for content in the centre of their screen. Left- or right-aligned content feels unbalanced and harder to engage with. For a smooth and intuitive experience, central alignment is key. It creates visual harmony.

• Centre key content like headlines and CTAs.
• Use symmetrical layouts where possible.
• Keep navigation and buttons consistently placed.
• Avoid long lines of text that stretch edge-to-edge.

Using Lorem Ipsum

Placeholder text is useful during the design phase—but it should never make it to a live site. Seeing “Lorem Ipsum” tells visitors your site is unfinished or neglected. Always replace dummy text with real, purposeful content before launch.

• Finalise your copy before launching new pages.
• Work with a copywriter if needed.
• Proofread and test every page before going live.
• Set reminders to update any temporary content.

Final Thoughts

An outdated website isn’t just a cosmetic issue—it directly impacts user experience, credibility, and conversions.

By avoiding these 21 features, you’ll build a faster, cleaner, and more professional site that actually serves your visitors. If your website still includes any of these relics, consider this your sign to evolve.

Need help modernising your website? At Red Website Design, we specialise in building clean, modern, mobile-friendly websites that turn visitors into customers. Get in touch today.