Click, click, click

There are things that you wish you don't come across online. Sure, it has happened to all of us. One click here, another click here, and before you know it there you are... stuck in a site that offers nothing but bad design. It's just you, some ugly colors, hard to read text, and over used flash.

Sure, you want them to have something to say or tell you why their design is so horrible, yet in many cases it is left up to the imagination. Take one, two, three, or even ALL of our past examples. We try over and over to figure out why, but sometimes there is not always an answer to every question.

If you are like me you can sometimes feel drawn to these poorly designed sites just to laugh and wonder what the owner are thinking. That is one side of the spectrum. The other side is that the common visitor does not even think a poorly designed site is ugly at all. And, somewhere in between are still other visitors that wonder why the site is ugly, but feel comfortable spending time there anyways. I guess sometimes you start and stop at the question.

Big What?

And, just went you thought you were done with this, you find a link that leads you to this. First and foremost the all black background is a little strange. The yellow box draws your attention to some information below, but what the information is I am not sure.

My computer told me I needed a Java plug-in to run this site, yet I really don’t want to take the time or energy to update my software at this point. I am assuming that updated software is not going to make this page look better than it looks right now.

If you want, there are apparently a variety of links that lead to reports, but then again I am still too lazy to click those too. I have a feeling you might be too. It is really hard to figure out what the music selection is here and if I want to listen to it. Today, we are so used to professional graphics that we see something like this it makes it almost impossible to take the site seriously. Do you agree?

What are you getting from this site and do you think it is worth your time?

I Heart Friends

It’s good to have friends. They support you during important life decisions, they pick you up when you land at the airport, and they send you links to some of the ugliest sites known to man. Yep, friends are the best. The greatest ones are friends that send you multiple links. :) All I can say is I am not sure how my friend stumbled upon this gem, but I am thankful he did. May I formally welcome you to this.

Yes, I called it “this” because to be completely honest I am not 100% what it is. Sure, someone is very proud of this page and minimal bizarre content, but can you really tell me why this page exists. Stop and think about that for a while. Your brain might explode.

Apparently, the page is under construction and there is more for us to expect. Can I suggest that we come back to this page frequently and look for more things gone wrong? Then again, one look and you may never want to come back. More ugliness to come so stay tuned. I might even have to come up with my own home page one of these days.

He Loves Ugly Sites?!

The minute I hit post on my last blog I received a call from a friend telling me he loves ugly sites. Nuts, right?! He finds ugly design more interesting than all of the other sites he visits on a regular basis. Sure, his bank and email offer normal sites, but visiting random sites actually entertains him and makes him laugh. By random I mean sites that were purposely designed with odd colors, random layouts, and insane flash techniques.

Yes folks, I have actually had contact with an individual that prefers to visit the sites with poor design versus the well-planned out pages. One can only assume that entertainment is a HUGE factor when visiting anything that is less that eye-appealing. Why else would you bother?

Alright, let's take a second to focus back on the fact that this is the weekend and it is time to relax. Do you find yourself spending more time online during the weekend versus the work week? Or, does your schedule differ from the standard 9-5 Monday thru Friday job and the weekend is your only time to explore content online? In either case, I look forward to hearing from you.

You and Only You

And, it's all about you. Thankfully, I have a lot of friends that like to share ugly sites they have come across. Although I like to thank these friends from the very beginning I think some of them simply Google "bad design" and send me everything they come across.

Bad design is bad sign, but in some cases these designs are uploaded on purpose. What do I mean by that? Well, bad design can be uploaded by well-practiced designer to show how they can fix ugly websites. In short, some designers choose to upload the most ugly design practices in order to show how they can fix these issues. These designers want you to hire them. Sure, this may seem odd to the casual searcher, but many ugly sites are actually designed by some of the most experienced designers. Weird, right?!?

When you come across an ugly site take the time to explore why this site was posted. I LOVE hearing about and exploring your suggestions, but lets only try to determine why legitimate sites opt for ugly design. Understanding how horrible design can impact your brand will help you determine what website options you should explore. Finding a niche for your brand will help in your overall profitability.

Make That Money Man!

These days, why are there so many websites? The answer can be rather simple. People create sites to make money. Advertising can be a very lucrative business for some site owners and those owners are well aware of the amount of money they can generate. So, next time you visit an ugly site ask yourself why that site is so ugly. Was it poor design or very effective marketing?

I think understanding marketing can help a bit. You can't succeed without an angle and some choose to have a very ugly and horrific looking angle. These days people will discuss poor design just as much as they discuss good design. Honestly, you can't set the bar for good design without taking poor design into account. The bad makes the good look even better and the good helps enforce why the bad is just that ugly.

At the end of the day we all need to make money if you are doing so on a poorly designed site... well, good for you. You probably save tons in website start up costs. Well done. On the other hand, if your site is that unfriendly how many people do you think will spend time there?

I Do!

Receiving an invite for a wedding prompted me to return to this site and relive the experience all over again. It makes you glad that you are not a bridesmaid or a friend of a bride that would actually submit you to this torture. To be honest, I have always wondered what it would feel like to be trapped in a dress with enormous shoulder "poofs" and a long neon train. Alright, maybe not that curious.

It is hard for me to determine what is worse. The design or these dresses. I think that might be a conversation that could go round and round for decades. In any case, revisiting this site was just as much fun and just as interesting at it was the first time.

If you are a bride would you visit this shop or frequent these online images? Again, it all comes down to taste and if this is working for this bridal boutique, I think we should not question why or how. That again could cause a intense discussion that might not have a definitive answer.

Have a good day all and continue to look for those ugly sites in and outside of your search for the perfect wedding day attire.