Examples of Bad Websites

Remember keyword stuffing? From Google's own Webmaster Tools page, these are practices that you should NOT do, because it can harm your site's ranking:

Lists of phone numbers without substantial added value - CHECK

Blocks of text listing cities and states a webpage is trying to rank for  - CHECK

Repeating the same words or phrases so often that it sounds unnatural, for example:

"Put your trust in a Fort Worth Home Inspector performing your Home Inspection that has a proven record of knowledge and experience in not only the Home Inspection business but the construction of your potential new home. Home Inspection is my passion in life. Partner with me to enjoy a Professional and enjoyable home Inspecting experience."

CHECK.

This company may have done "Multiple thousands of Home Inspections", but they sure took some bad advice from a web developer.  

Once in a while we come across a website that seems, at first look, to be comically bad on purpose.  Sometimes, that is indeed the case.  In this example, tragically - it is not.

The Atlanta Restaurant Guide is actually trying to be a resource for where to dine out when visiting Atlanta.  Here's the problem:  you'll quickly lose whatever appetite you had while viewing this mess.  There's too much wrong with the design of this website to list it all - but (lack of) navigation, colors, font, style, layout, and an utter disregard for mobile device users all amount to a 'why bother' rating.

Here's one major flaw - La Parilla is NOT listed on this website.  It is a favorite of at least one staff member here, so leaving it off a website meant to include the "best restaurants" is an egregious oversight.

Let's pretend, for a moment, that you actually wanted to buy shoes made out of exotic animals.  More exotic than cow, anyway.  Some of the keywords in this site are interesting: "Slick Exotica", "shoes with eyes", and "shark shoes."  You could try searching for 'pony shoes'.  We kid you not:  "The stylish slip-on is handmade from a pony."  At $499.00, a pair of these trotters is less than the cost of a real live pony...

Personal feelings notwithstanding, you might come across this monstrosity.  There is no design to speak of, and this website is hard on the eyes.  There are too many neon colors in use, some of which are nearly unreadable on the chosen background. 

As for who's responsible, site credit is claimed by STELS DG, but clicking on it brings up an error - so maybe even the creators were embarrassed.  At approximately $1000 per pair of these exotic shoes, a better website shouldn't be out of reach.

Here's the thing:  Even if you do GREAT work, have GREAT service and a stellar reputation...you cannot leave your online face in a condition that causes website visitors to cringe and cover their eyes.

A flashing neon green company name is NOT the best way to start out.  A 'Matrix'-style design from 1998 or so just dates you.

The June specials might be really good deals on machines still running Windows 7 - but it's JULY.  There's also not much use for having a navigation choice of For Sale, if all that page is going to do is direct you to 'See Specials'. 

Sigh.

If you click on our thumbnail image to the left, as you would to visit any of the boogersites we review - please be careful.  Any page other than the landing page is going to hurt.  Your eyes may NOT be able to recover.  You are going to do it anyway, aren't you?  Dangit. 

This entire website is in a font and style that can only be called Eyestrain®.  A good design doesn't ignore font choices. It wouldn't matter if you were Bill Gates and had a website that gives away all of the secrets to founding a company such as Microsoft.  If people can't read what you offer, they're not going to stay on your website much less buy anything from you.

Hey wait...maybe all we need is 3-D glasses...