Examples of Bad Websites

Bad websites can be found all over the world, and here's one from the UK.  The person who submitted it said: "so much text all over the site, too much to take it all in. Cluttered. And awful design and colours."   We agree - and even though WE'RE fond of boogersite yellow, a website selling something as serious as fire protection may want to go with something less glaring.

This is indeed a cluttered website, and there's no reason for it.  If you sell and service fire extinguishers, that can be easily presented and described.  The use of images (rather than text) to outline services is not going to be searchable or readable, and when you take a small image and make it larger, what happens?  That's right - it gets blurry.

We're not ones to point fingers - whoops, actually, yes we are - and in this case, clicking on the link for the person/company taking 'credit' for this monstrosity will show you all you need to know.

When you come across a website that has an actual assertion that it was created and is managed with FrontPage 2000, you've got to stop and take a look - which is exactly what happened with this recently submitted bad website.  "Does FrontPage still work?" we were asked.  Apparently, there are some dusty and wheezing servers out there still chugging along which can still host FrontPage.

The use of script fonts especially in the navigation is odd, but what's bad is that the navigation menu choices actually change when you hover over them.  If you click - are you going to get a page about what it did say, or a page about what it now says.  

It really doesn't matter what you click on, there's nothing useful here.  

Keywords are important - right?  What would you guess a website was about which included the terms: plugs, knives, spears, forceps, scissors and hooks?   That's right - EYES!

Actually, although the landing page leads you to believe this may be an eye doctor, it's really a surgical instrument supplier.  Using something like EasySiteWizard is no way to convey an impression of quality and professionalism. 

Another flaw is that the landing page has no indication of where this company is.  There's a toll-free number, and a Canadian flag - but no street or email address.  The fonts are all over the place, and the navigation is neatly hidden on the 'wrong' side of the page, and in light gray.   In short, the application of some professional web design would work wonders for this eyesore.

When you come across a website called serialkillers.net, you're afraid to look - right?   Not us!  This is gonna be great!

Well...not so much.  Rather than a rogue's gallery of faces, all with reward amounts posted under them - we have a website that appears to be a collection of blog posts, most of them promoting personal - ahem - 'enhancements', shall we say?  What a ripoff!  Why waste a quality domain name on advertisements for products that a self-respecting serial killer would not admit to needing?

Seriously - when planning your business website, seek out a domain that actually indicates what you do, if not the actual name of your company.  Your customers, and the internet, will thank you.

When you see dancing jugs of cleaning fluid, does that make you want to buy some?  Whoever created this website seems to think so.  This recently submitted bad website advises that an eyedropper's worth in a pint bottle will make the best window cleaner, yet the current offer is 'buy 10 cases get 4 free' for $1200.00  That's FIFTY SIX gallons.  That quantity must be several lifetimes' worth at the advised dilution proportion...

The Cleaning Tips are fairly amusing, there's a section on Using Simple Clean on your Cat, and (believe it or not) Cleaning Pee Poo Bile & Blood.  Your average household issues, right?  Humorous uses aside, it's the design - or lack of it - that's the issue.  

At least the 'Buy Now' buttons lead users to a secure PayPal interface, which is the only sensible feature we've found.