We’ve been designing and coding websites for more than 20 years. We start every project with an initial project review, and sometimes design choices (or should we say lack of choices) come up that make us cringe. We’re sharing our biggest website “icks” so you don’t repeat the mistakes. If you spot yourself in any of the examples below, it’s time to hire a web agency to refine it.
Common Web Design Mistakes That Make Us Cringe (and How to Fix Them)
“Home” is in your title tag.
Let’s be real—no one is Googling “Home.” Instead, use a smart structure like: [City Name] [Main Practice Area] Attorneys | [Firm Name]. In practice, this looks like: Atlanta Personal Injury Attorneys | Firm & Name LLP. It’s clear, SEO-friendly, and much more professional.
Your Zoom face doesn't match your website headshot.
AI has made professional-looking headshots easier (and more affordable) than ever. Whether you DIY it with a headshot generator or book a quick session with your design agency, there’s no excuse for a 15-year-old photo. People want to hire you—make sure you actually look like you.
You still say “Welcome” on your homepage or firm overview pages.
We get it, you’re polite. But this isn’t a guest book—it’s a law firm website. Use that prime real estate to communicate your value, not a generic greeting.
Your dropdown menu is broken, janky, or inconsistent.
Poor navigation = poor user experience. Menus should be clean, responsive, and consistent in styling. Bonus points for using sentence or title case consistently across all items.
You have blog posts labeled “Uncategorized.”
One word: why? It takes two seconds to add a category. Leaving posts as "Uncategorized" makes your site look abandoned and disorganized.
Your homepage takes forever to load.
We don’t want to admit it, but we have no patience. We can’t wait five seconds for your website to load. It needs to be quick both on desktop and mobile. Slow speed tells us your dev team didn’t optimize for performance. It's not just annoying, it's bad for business.
Your design is cluttered.
We know design can be subjective, but there are universal red flags:
- Inconsistent font styles and sizes
- No clear hierarchy or visual directionCropped or stretched images
- Busy layouts that overwhelm instead of guiding
A well-designed site should lead the eye, not fight it. When there is too much on the page competing for your attention, it becomes hard to focus, and your message gets lost.
Your font is hard to read.
Love a serif? So do we—but not when it’s microscopic or overly stylized. Your typeface should be readable across devices. If your audience has to squint or guess whether it’s a “C” or “G,” it’s time for a font intervention.
Final Verdict: If You Cringed, It’s Time for a Cleanup
Your website is your firm’s digital front door. If it’s clunky, outdated, or confusing, potential clients won’t stick around. The good news? Every issue on this list is fixable—with the right partner. Whether you need a quick refresh or a complete overhaul, we’re here to help you put your best (digital) foot forward.
About Peter Boyd
Peter Boyd is an attorney and the Founder of PaperStreet. He has helped 2,000 law firms with their websites and marketing.