Why do websites keep changing little things about their layout and features when no one asks for it

Web Design and UX/UI
1

I’ve noticed a lot of changes growing up, especially with how much YouTube has evolved over the years. YouTube once had features like profiles, adding friends, and commenting on profiles. But as we got into the 2010s, those features faded away to what we see today. I can’t remember if people were upset back then. Recently, though, there are things like the dislike count removal that have really frustrated users.

You could excuse YouTube by saying that some of the anger is due to how they treat their creators, like issues with monetization and perceived bias, not just random updates.

It’s not just YouTube, either. Twitch made a small change in their UI, moving the location of a streamer’s profile and name during streams. It might not seem like much, but many users are asking, “Why change it?”

And there are sites like X/Twitter that also make changes that annoy users. I remember when they changed the font suddenly. Not sure if that’s still the case or if it was reverted.

So my question is, why do they do this? Is it some sort of strategy to keep things feeling fresh, or do decision-makers really believe these changes will improve things?

2

Most of these changes are business decisions rather than developer choices. They look at analytics to see how users engage with features. If they want users to notice something, they may just move it around.

Sometimes it’s just an illusion of freshness.

3

@Vince

Some of it is the illusion of keeping it fresh.

I don’t think it’s just an illusion. Design trends do change, and if a site hasn’t evolved in years, some users will complain about it looking outdated, even if it works fine.

4

@Jamie
Look at Craigslist. They’ve stuck with their outdated UI and still draw high traffic with a small team. Not following trends has its perks, but they might be the exception.

5

Eli said:
@Jamie
Look at Craigslist. They’ve stuck with their outdated UI and still draw high traffic with a small team. Not following trends has its perks, but they might be the exception.

I wonder if their simple UI is effective for them. It’s like a yard sale, not a store.

In a way, it’s reminiscent of ‘Sir, this is a Wendy’s.’

6

@Sky
Great point—it stays true to what ‘Craigslist’ was originally meant to be without chasing constant growth.

7

Eli said:
@Jamie
Look at Craigslist. They’ve stuck with their outdated UI and still draw high traffic with a small team. Not following trends has its perks, but they might be the exception.

But keep in mind, FB Marketplace has started replacing Craigslist for many. Their traffic and revenue have both dropped over the last 6-7 years. Staying stagnant has pros and cons. A strong example is: https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/

8

Eli said:
@Jamie
Look at Craigslist. They’ve stuck with their outdated UI and still draw high traffic with a small team. Not following trends has its perks, but they might be the exception.

Old reddit

9

@Vince
There are full teams of designers, analysts, and developers focusing on the smallest aspects of major websites. There might be thousands of hours spent just on the ‘Buy now’ button on Amazon. Every part of the UI on major sites usually goes through similar reviews and adjustments.

10

@Kirby
I used to work with a large health insurance company and spent a month in meetings discussing a button color. It got so intense that even the CMO got involved; it felt like a scene from Planes, Trains and Automobiles.