5 Website Annoyances That Need To Go Away

It’s 2015, and the World Wide Web is all grown up. Or has it?

Over the past 20+ years, companies and people have spent and are still spending a lot of time and money designing and developing websites, and one would think that by now there is enough information and research available on how to do it right, what to do and – even more important – what not to do.
(Bonus points if you remember the ‹marquee› tag)

Still, there are annoyances that simply won’t go away. People are still using and implementing them.
Maybe because they don’t know how to change or fix them, or maybe because they firmly believe in them. Whichever it is, here’s my list of “technologies” and other things on the WWW that simply deserve to die. Now.

1) Flash

Flash has been dead for years now (or, in my opinion, it never really was alive). Accept it.
Flash does not work on mobile devices.
Flash does not add to, but decrease (or nullify) the “user experience”.
Surprisingly enough there are way too many websites out there with either Flash splash pages, Flash sliders or any other kind of Flash integration on them.

2) Auto-Play Videos Or Sound Files

That includes background sound on websites.
Whoever thought (or thinks) this is a good idea, should be forced to use the internet in a public place with speaker volume turned all the way up and via a 28.8K modem connection.

3) PopUp Windows On Entry

I don’t even know what your site is about yet and you already want me to sign up for your super-special or your newsletter?
Now I will never find out and I will never come back.

4) PopUp Windows When Leaving

Including PopUp Windows on hover, when accessing a different tab, or generally any mouse movement within and on the page.
If I had wanted to stay, I would have stayed.

5) (PopUp) Forced Sign Up To View/Access The Site (Without Warning)

A sure way to not gain customers but turn them away immediately.
If your offer(s) and products are that great, I will make the conscious decision to sign up for your newsletter. Or buy something.
And if I make a purchase, you get my email address anyways.
But no matter how great your TV commercials are (you know who you are!), I will not ever give you my email address right away – without even knowing if your product selection, your prices or your whole website appeal to me.

Note: This does not apply to “paywall” sites like the New York Times. They give you ample warning and – very important – a choice.