The worst web design advice we have ever heard

Every industry has its zombie advice — dead ideas that keep shambling through meetings. Web design has a whole horde, and they cost real money every time someone obeys them.

Consider this a field guide to the worst of it: where each myth came from, why it persists, and what to do instead.

‘Everything must be above the fold’

This newspaper-era anxiety survived decades after users learned to scroll — which studies show they do, happily, when the page earns it. Cramming everything ‘above’ produces the cluttered headers nobody reads.

Better rule: put the best thing first, not everything first. A compelling opening buys you the whole page.

‘Make it pop’ and friends

Make it pop. Jazz it up. Add some wow. These are not feedback; they are symptoms of feedback — usually ‘I’m not confident this will work’ wearing a costume.

Translate before you obey: ask what should draw the eye and why. Then use contrast, scale and whitespace like a professional instead of glitter like a magpie.

If everything pops, nothing does — and the visitor leaves with a headache and no memory of you.— Said gently, to a client, last spring

‘Nobody scrolls / reads / clicks’

Nobody scrolls (false), nobody reads (they do, when it matters), nobody clicks carousels (true — kill the carousel). Blanket cynicism about users is usually projection from a bad analytics setup.

Replace folklore with measurement: watch five real sessions of someone using your site and half the myths evaporate by lunch.

Bad advice persists because it sounds decisive. Good advice usually starts with ‘it depends’ — and then does the work.

Next time a zombie shambles into your review, hand it this essay. Then go measure something real.