In the ever-evolving international of design, social media has emerge as a double-edged sword. On one hand, platforms like TikTok are extraordinary for discovering new developments, tutorials, and creative thought. On the opposite hand, they’ve additionally grow to be breeding grounds for misleading or downright horrible layout recommendation.
We asked professional designers and scoured design communities to uncover the worst pieces of design advice currently floating around TikTok. Here’s what you should definitely avoid.
1. “Use Every Font You Like—It Shows Personality!”
This one’s a traditional case of excellent intentions long past incorrect. While expressing character is fundamental in design, the usage of too many fonts in a single task could make your paintings appearance chaotic and unprofessional. Most design experts recommend sticking to two (maybe three) complementary fonts. Anything more than that starts to confuse the viewer and dilute your message.
2. “Make Everything Bigger for More Impact”
TikTok’s fast-paced format often emphasizes bold, flashy visuals. But bigger isn’t always better. Scaling up every element—especially text and images—without balance can overwhelm your layout and destroy visual hierarchy. Design is about contrast, white space, and balance—not just making things huge.
3. “You Don’t Need Grids—Just Eyeball It”
Grids are a fundamental part of graphic and UI design for a reason. They provide structure, alignment, and consistency. Ignoring grids and relying purely on your eyes might work for some organic art styles, but in professional design—especially web or mobile layouts—this can lead to a disjointed and sloppy look.
4. “Trendy > Usable”
Many TikTok designers glorify the latest trends—neumorphism, glassmorphism, ultra-minimalism—without considering usability. But real-world design isn’t just about what looks cool on a phone screen. It needs to be functional, accessible, and intuitive. Prioritizing trends over usability can alienate users and create poor experiences.
5. “Use AI to Design Your Brand—It’s Faster”
While AI tools like Canva, DALL·E, and Midjourney can be great for brainstorming, they can’t replace the thoughtful, strategic process behind brand identity. Good branding isn’t just about slapping together a cool logo. It involves understanding your audience, values, and positioning. Relying entirely on AI-generated designs might save time, but often leads to generic or inconsistent results.
6. “Animations Make Everything Better”
Yes, animations can enhance user experience when used thoughtfully—but TikTok has made them seem like a requirement. Overusing motion or adding it without purpose can slow down your site or app and annoy users. The best animations are subtle, purposeful, and enhance the interface—not distract from it.
7. “Design Rules Are Meant to Be Broken”
While creativity thrives on pushing boundaries, new designers on TikTok often misunderstand this advice. Breaking design rules intentionally requires a deep understanding of why those rules exist. Randomly ignoring alignment, color theory, or typography fundamentals just because “rules are boring” typically results in poor outcomes.
Final Thoughts
TikTok has democratized access to design content, which is amazing—but it’s also flooded the space with questionable tips. The best thing any aspiring designer can do is to take viral advice with a grain of salt, cross-reference it with trusted design sources, and never stop learning the fundamentals.
When in doubt, remember: great design isn’t just what looks good—it’s what works.
