Top 7 New Year’s Resolutions for Webmasters, Designers, Developers and Visitors to the World Wide Web

It’s very difficult to write resolutions for the New Year that you can stick to past Mardi Gras. To make this process easier, we polled the Covalent Logic team and created a list of things no one should ever, ever do ever again, so that if you build websites or visit them, you can set some goals. Just grab one of these gems and we feel certain that you’ll be able to stick to it. And if you do… the Web will be a better place for all of us.

1) I will never, ever design, implement or buy a Page Take-Over ad.
These started in 1999. They were annoying then, they’re annoying now. People HATE them. And they interrupt the user experience. It’s time they should die. Don’t make your advertising destroy my experience, it makes me angry. And if we all stop going to publications that have page take-over ads, then they will die. (Also, with ad blocking technology becoming more popular, some users might never see them anyway.) We’re in this together, people…. Time to make a stand.

2) I do not need to put “copyright” in the footer of a website.
The word “copyright” is unnecessary, unless you are sending a work to the Library of Congress and you want to date it. It doesn’t need to be on your website. Everything that is written is AUTOMATICALLY protected by virtue of the writing of it. The word printed there officially means that “I have taken the appropriate procedures to notify the U.S. government that I wrote this document.” Really? You did? You printed out your website and mailed it to the Library of Congress to formally lay claim on your page. We didn’t think so.

3) I will not write, publish, post, share or ever click on click-bait.
We never want to read another article with a headline that says "You won't believe what happens next!" Those are awful. And always so unbelievably deceptive. We always feel tricked (and stupid for continuing to click on them).

4) I will not break my “Top 10” content into 10 pages to increase my traffic or ever click on the “next” button when I am sucked into such a page.
Just show us the 10 most affectionate dog breeds in a list, don't make us click “next” 15 times. If I open up a list article of any type and it's a slider of some sort I immediately close it. GIVE ME ALL THE INFO NOW! And if it is a slideshow and the next button moves around to where you end up accidentally clicking on an ad. Fury -- pure fury -- for that site at that point.

5) I will not create links that take anyone to a video without making it clear it’s a video.
Links that take users to a video when they were expecting a bulleted list of information are lame. Video should not be used to recite information that could have been better presented in list form. And don't show video of still images either. That is called a photo gallery.

6) I will not design or share anything with a cute cat in it.
It’s time for the end of cute cats falling off things, jumping at glass doors, appearing to smile at a fish, or just “hanging in there.” Think of the hours you’ve spent. Think of the future of the planet. Agree to dedicate all of your time previously spent on cute cats to learning a new language.

7) I will not post, or encourage the posting of things that tell me to "share it"
We get it. The best way to get someone to share something is to use the words "share this if you agree," but we are all tired of seeing things repeat and repeat. Sometimes we’re so obstinate we won't share it, even though we like it, just because you told us to.

Just think: if we can get the whole world (wide web) to participate, we'll make the world (wide web) a better place for everyone.

P.S. Share this if you like it.