Compulsory Flash Intros
Have you ever tried to enter a shopping mall and had a big burly guy block your entry until you watched a cool promo video? That’d annoy the heck out of you, right? Okay then. Same principal applies to your site.
Hidden Contact Information
If a customer has to play a version of Where’s Waldo to find your relevant phone numbers and e-mail addresses, you’re doing it wrong.
Web Forms With No Timely Back-End Response
Customers often see automated web forms as the Internet’s black hole. If you prefer not to give out an e-mail address in favor of having customers fill out contact forms, you’d better have a speedy way of actually getting back to them.
Excessive Content Gating
Remember professors who took attendance in college? They were always the ones who had the least useful lectures. Similarly, tech companies who use content gates as a crutch probably aren’t creating compelling enough content to spur prospects further up the pipeline.
Cheesy Stock Photography
Nothing says ‘hip and happening technology firm’ like a picture of a chick with feathered bangs smiling at a clunky CRT monitor.
Automated Audio
Most people do not appreciate the "Hello and welcome to ABC Technology Website…" messages or Kenny G knock-off soundtracks blaring at them when they first stumble onto your home page. Yes, it gets their attention. No, it’s not in a good way.
Pointless FAQs
Q. My server won’t make me a turkey sandwich, now what? A. Your server is turned off. Try plugging it in and pressing the power button. If you can’t come up with honest-to-god frequently asked questions and truly useful answers, don’t even bother.
Blogs on Life Support
Your blog page doesn’t wear tumbleweed well. An infrequently updated blog communicates the same message that a ramshackle restaurant with broken signage does. I.e.: ‘Not open for business’ or ‘Going out of business soon.’