Several web designs came into being. While some are still used today, others failed to withstand time’s test.
Professional Web designs weren’t a big deal back then. Nobody questioned their usability or impacts considering very few online businesses.
User Interface plays a vital role in establishing a website’s distinct identity. In the past, UI relied heavily on flashy objects and elements used as “eye-candy” of sorts.
This blog will walk you through some of the popular web design trends used back then.
BUTTONS AS IMAGES
Back then, Persuasive or powerful CTAs didn’t matter. Instead, Corporate Web designers incorporated images to accomplish the tasks CTAs would have done.
For a long time, they were considered a go-to method to provide navigation through different pages on a website. They were irreplaceable at that time.
But that didn’t last long. The text couldn’t be edited since they were literally carved in these buttons.
The responsiveness was highly deplorable.
IFRAMES
There was a time when designers relied heavily on using I frames.
Iframes are allowed to break their page into multiple frames. This would help them access different URLs on a single page.
They were the go-to method for different loading sites on a web browser. But it ended up costing the browser’s history and ability to copy and paste URLs.
Enter JavaScript. It enhanced business web designing by improving the responsiveness of the website.
And that’s when Iframes became obsolete…
TABLE BASED LAYOUTS
Back then, the majority of the websites on the internet had a table-based layout.
The table-based layout was a mandatory element in every website.
But they lacked responsiveness. So if you wanted to change the device, you would have a tough time using the table-based websites.
Once the <div> tag was introduced, tables’ monopoly in web design swiftly ended tables.
Today, they are nothing more than a relic of past web design trends.
MARQUEE
Marquee and image sliders were a popular website trend two decades ago.
The images and text appearing from left to right in a continuous motion were used to distract visitors from the website’s core purpose.
The visitors disliked this feature; they couldn’t read the text due to the continuous movement.
Designers, alongside users, eventually grew tired of it. Better options ultimately replaced it, and today, it is nowhere to be seen.
FLASH
Flash was once the most recognizable web designing trend. They were all over the internet.
Web Developers (formerly known as Webmasters) used it extensively in designing websites. The website responsiveness, animations, sound, and everything else depended on it.
Constant updating of plugins, security issues, wrong SEO, and loading time were common issues that led to the extinction of this trend.
After the introduction of smartphones, Flash immediately became obsolete.
It lacked support on handheld devices, making it impossible for users to access these sites.
CONCLUSION
The designs mentioned above were once considered the trendiest in their prime. But like all other things, they too aged enough to be forgotten.
While these designs became obsolete with time, they were helpful enough for designers to learn and innovate while coming up with intriguing web designs for future websites.
