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Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs
Blogged by:
Kitty on
Friday, January 20, 2012
Facebook comments: comments
We all use HTML tags, CSS and sometimes Javascript to improve the presentation of our blog. And I say there's nothing wrong with that. However, when we tend to abuse, or in a more lighter term, overuse them. It makes your website/blog look cluttered and heavy. Moreover, those scripts/code snippets are not necessary so why use them?
Here's a list of tags/codes that you need to stop using:
1. Disable right-click script
I've written an article dedicated entirely on this topic. Basically, this script does nothing but to increase the page load time of your blog and annoy visitors.
2. Blinks and marquees
Blinking texts are not only hard to read, especially those who have visual problems. Please remember that your blog is not solely for your eyes, but also others who happen to drop by your site. Consider their needs as well.
<marquee> tag is another outdated code and should stay in the 90's. But perhaps you'd like to see it yourself?
4. Custom cursors
Custom cursors can be used to make the blog look somewhat aesthetically pleasing. However, I feel that custom cursors should only be used to convey useful functions. More often than not when people use custom cursors on their websites, the cursors do not change its appearance when the page is busy (the default cursor here is the hourglass) or when hovering over links (default cursor: a hand). Changing cursors in a web page can be disorienting and/or annoying to some users and is generally considered bad practice.
5. Comic Sans font
This font is only suitable if you are designing posters slideshow presentations for kids; but on semi-professional professional websites and even blogs, they look as if it's been constructed as a piece of joke.
6. Background music
Unless your blog is a music-related website, this option should not be used. Not all visitors share your taste in music and telling them to turn off their speakers will not please your visitors at all. Here's an article I wrote about background music.
7. Using animated gifs
Splashing your website with animated gifs is soooo outdated. Animated gifs are a type of graphics that have .gif extension and they can be animated by combining a series of images.
8. Misleading or tricking your visitors
Often I see blogs with a "Click here" link or button. With no explanation whatsover, the blog owner invites the visitors to click on the link. Visitors eventually find themselves clicking on a referral link that leads them to a different website. To be frank, this is extremely annoying. When visitors come to your blog, they would expect this 'surprise link' to be something useful for them. However it comes to be the opposite.
9. Giving the wrong credits
It is highly annoying when I see people crediting Google for the images/resources they get from the internet. Google is not the source where those resources come from. It is a search engine and it only displays the links as to where you can get the resources from. Imagine someone was to take something from your blog and credit Google for it instead. Wouldn't it piss you off too?
10. Putting warnings in source code.
Putting warning notes in source code is a childish act. Threatening visitors with words like "I'll gorge your eyes out if you steal my codes" do not scare off the "stealers" but instead, make you sound as if you have an inferiority complex.
If you are interested in this article, there a second part to it. Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogsLabels: article, web design
Related Posts:
Comments to Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs:
oh dear, you speak my mind!!
can I link your article on AFF? everyone NEEDS to read this!
@Chazzie, yup you can dear! :D Go ahead.
I just read this and I was guilty of doing all of these at one point. I need to try something different.
@Lucia, yes you my link to this article.
Great great post!!!!! These are spot-on! I was considering disabling right-click on my blog and putting a custom (cute!) cursor, because of another blogger lol. Thankfully, I read your post just in time! Thanks!
Facebook comments to Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs:
Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs
Blogged by:
Kitty on
Friday, January 20, 2012
Facebook comments: comments
We all use HTML tags, CSS and sometimes Javascript to improve the presentation of our blog. And I say there's nothing wrong with that. However, when we tend to abuse, or in a more lighter term, overuse them. It makes your website/blog look cluttered and heavy. Moreover, those scripts/code snippets are not necessary so why use them?
Here's a list of tags/codes that you need to stop using:
1. Disable right-click script
I've written an article dedicated entirely on this topic. Basically, this script does nothing but to increase the page load time of your blog and annoy visitors.
2. Blinks and marquees
Blinking texts are not only hard to read, especially those who have visual problems. Please remember that your blog is not solely for your eyes, but also others who happen to drop by your site. Consider their needs as well.
<marquee> tag is another outdated code and should stay in the 90's. But perhaps you'd like to see it yourself?
4. Custom cursors
Custom cursors can be used to make the blog look somewhat aesthetically pleasing. However, I feel that custom cursors should only be used to convey useful functions. More often than not when people use custom cursors on their websites, the cursors do not change its appearance when the page is busy (the default cursor here is the hourglass) or when hovering over links (default cursor: a hand). Changing cursors in a web page can be disorienting and/or annoying to some users and is generally considered bad practice.
5. Comic Sans font
This font is only suitable if you are designing posters slideshow presentations for kids; but on semi-professional professional websites and even blogs, they look as if it's been constructed as a piece of joke.
6. Background music
Unless your blog is a music-related website, this option should not be used. Not all visitors share your taste in music and telling them to turn off their speakers will not please your visitors at all. Here's an article I wrote about background music.
7. Using animated gifs
Splashing your website with animated gifs is soooo outdated. Animated gifs are a type of graphics that have .gif extension and they can be animated by combining a series of images.
8. Misleading or tricking your visitors
Often I see blogs with a "Click here" link or button. With no explanation whatsover, the blog owner invites the visitors to click on the link. Visitors eventually find themselves clicking on a referral link that leads them to a different website. To be frank, this is extremely annoying. When visitors come to your blog, they would expect this 'surprise link' to be something useful for them. However it comes to be the opposite.
9. Giving the wrong credits
It is highly annoying when I see people crediting Google for the images/resources they get from the internet. Google is not the source where those resources come from. It is a search engine and it only displays the links as to where you can get the resources from. Imagine someone was to take something from your blog and credit Google for it instead. Wouldn't it piss you off too?
10. Putting warnings in source code.
Putting warning notes in source code is a childish act. Threatening visitors with words like "I'll gorge your eyes out if you steal my codes" do not scare off the "stealers" but instead, make you sound as if you have an inferiority complex.
If you are interested in this article, there a second part to it. Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogsLabels: article, web design
Related Posts:
Comments to Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs:
oh dear, you speak my mind!!
can I link your article on AFF? everyone NEEDS to read this!
@Chazzie, yup you can dear! :D Go ahead.
I just read this and I was guilty of doing all of these at one point. I need to try something different.
@Lucia, yes you my link to this article.
Great great post!!!!! These are spot-on! I was considering disabling right-click on my blog and putting a custom (cute!) cursor, because of another blogger lol. Thankfully, I read your post just in time! Thanks!
Facebook comments to Article: Things you need to stop adding/doing to your blogs:
Hire me to design your blog!
I offer designing and re-designing of Classic Blogger templates. Examples of my design can be found on my portfolio website.
The basic rate for a design starts from $25 USD. The rate is based on the complexity of the design. The more elaborate the design is, the higher the price is.
How to place your order
Send me an email via the contact form and state clearly how you want your design to be. This includes colour scheme, layout (with or without sidebar, number of columns, etc), any extra features, etc.
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The designer
Kitty. 29. Blogger, web design hobbyist, compulsive shopper and bibliophile based in Brunei. Enjoys creating and designing websites, dabbling with HTML, CSS and PHP.
I've been blogging since 2005 (or earlier) though my experience with the internet started back in 2000. My main interest is in web design and development. Other times you can see me wrapped around a book or glued to Astronomy and web design magazines.
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