| If you're doing business on the Internet, one of the | | | | Design your site to be easily navigated. Place your |
| most important aspects of your success is your web | | | | navigation links together at the top, bottom, left or |
| site. If your web site doesn't look professional, no | | | | right side of the page. Use tables to neatly align your |
| matter what product you're offering your chances of | | | | links. If you are planning on using graphic buttons to |
| success are minimal.Before you begin, if you've never | | | | navigate your site, keep in mind that with each |
| designed a web page, it would be wise to become | | | | graphic you add to your page, it will take that much |
| familiar with HTML. (Hypertext Markup Language.) A | | | | longer for your page to load. If you only have a |
| great place to start is NCSA Beginner's Guide to | | | | handful of navigational links, using graphic buttons will |
| HTML: | | | | be fine. If you have over six links, it would be wise |
| Tips for designing a successful web site:(1) The main | | | | to simply use text links to keep your load time |
| page of your web site should load in 8 seconds or | | | | down.(10) If you must use frames, use them |
| less with a 56K modem.According to two recent | | | | sparingly. Frames, if not properly used, can make |
| surveys, conducted by Forrester Research and | | | | your site look unprofessional. Avoid making your |
| Gartner Group, ecommerce sites are losing $1.1 to | | | | visitors have to scroll from side to side to view your |
| $1.3 billion in revenue each year due to customers | | | | content. This can be very irritating and cause your |
| click- away caused by slow loading sites. If a page | | | | visitors to leave. If you must use frames, offer your |
| takes too long to load, your potential customer will | | | | visitors a choice. Frames verses No Frames.(11) Try |
| not wait. Ultimately costing you business.(2) Make | | | | to keep the number of clicks required to get from |
| sure you include proper META tags in the HTML of | | | | your main page to any other page on your site down |
| each page of your web site. META tags are HTML | | | | to four. Keep in mind, your visitors may enter your |
| code that enable the search engines to determine | | | | site from pages other than your main. Always have |
| what keywords are relevant to a specific site. About | | | | good navigational links on every page and place your |
| 80 percent of all web site traffic originates from the | | | | company logo on each page.(12) If you must use |
| eight major search engines. It would be a good idea | | | | Java on your site, use it sparingly. Offer your visitors |
| to make sure you've done your homework and fully | | | | a choice. Java verses No Java. Java can be slow and |
| understand how to optimize your web pages prior to | | | | has a tendency to crash browsers. Try to avoid |
| designing your site. This will save you a lot of | | | | using those pop up boxes asking for your visitor's |
| headaches in the long run. For further information on | | | | name, etc. Those pop up messages are very |
| META tags read the tutorial entitled, "Building Your | | | | unprofessional and can be very frustrating to your |
| Site."(3) Be cautious when selecting your background | | | | visitors when they're trying to view your site.(13) Do |
| and text colors. Busy backgrounds make text difficult | | | | not set sound to "autoplay" when someone visits |
| to read and draw the attention away from the text. | | | | your site. This can be very distracting.(14) All web |
| Always be consistent with your background theme | | | | browsers are not created equally. View your site |
| on each page of your site. Your site should be nicely | | | | through different browsers and screen resolutions so |
| organized and uniform throughout. Keep in mind, | | | | you will see how your visitors will view your site. |
| colors affect your mood and will have an affect on | | | | Visit:Site Inspector - Check your web pages for |
| your visitors as well. Bright colors such as yellow and | | | | HTML validity and browser compatibility. |
| orange, cause you to become more cheerful or | | | | - Provides a variety of free services for your web |
| happy, while colors such as blue and purple have a | | | | site including; browser compatibility testing, graphic file |
| calming effect. Dark colors such as brown and black | | | | size reduction, link check, HTML check, load time |
| have a depressing effect. A good rule of thumb | | | | check, spell check and more. |
| would be to use colors based upon the type of | | | | Continually add new content to your site. Give your |
| effect you're trying to achieve.(4) Use minimal | | | | visitors a reason to keep coming back.* Design a |
| animated graphics. These can be very distracting and | | | | quality e-book to give to your visitors. It's not as |
| can cause your page to look unprofessional. In | | | | difficult as it sounds. If you can create a web page, |
| addition, animated graphics cause your page to load | | | | you can create an e-book. The focus of your e-book |
| more slowly. Fancy graphics won't make the sale.(5) | | | | should compliment your web site. Simply write about |
| Your main page should specifically let your visitors | | | | your passion. If your passion is sales, then you could |
| know exactly what you're offering. How many times | | | | share some of your knowledge and experience by |
| have you visited a site and never figured out exactly | | | | designing your e-book to provide a complete sales |
| what they were selling? If your potential customer | | | | training guide. If your passion is home based business, |
| can't find your product or service, they definitely | | | | you could write an e-book about how to start your |
| won't waste a lot of time looking for it. They'll go on | | | | own home based business. If you're writing about |
| to the next site and probably never return. They're | | | | your true passion then you shouldn't have any |
| visiting your site for a specific purpose. They want | | | | trouble coming up with something to write about. For |
| something your site offers. Whether it is information, | | | | further information on e-books, read the article |
| a product or service.(6) Try to avoid placing banner | | | | entitled, "How to Create an E-book and Drive |
| exchange banners at the top of your page. These | | | | Massive Traffic to Your Site by Giving It Away."If |
| can instantly take your customers or even be | | | | you'd rather not write your own e-book, you can |
| indexed by search engine robots. Limit the number of | | | | pick up some free e-books to add to your site here: |
| banners on your site to no more than two per page. | | | | Provide your visitors with quality, informative articles. |
| One is ideal.(7) Always, include your contact | | | | Everybody loves free information. It's the top-selling |
| information on each page of your site and try to | | | | product online, so use it to your advantage. Write |
| reply to all comments and suggestions within 48 | | | | your own articles or you can pick some up at the |
| hours. This will help promote good business | | | | following sites:Web-Source.net |
| relationships. Your business relationships are the key | | | | & Advertising Supersite |
| to your success.(8) ALWAYS check and | | | | |
| double-check your site for spelling errors and make | | | | Doctor |
| sure your images and links are all working properly. If | | | | using any articles, make sure you view the author's |
| you have several errors, this will make your site | | | | copyrights and make certain the article may be |
| appear to be unprofessional. If you are designing | | | | published. If you're not sure, contact the author and |
| your site using an HTML editor, use spell check. | | | | request permission to publish their article whether it |
| Proper grammar is also very important. If you've | | | | be on your web site or in your e-zine. Most articles |
| been out of school for a while it's probably a good | | | | for publication can be used free of charge as long as |
| idea to refresh your memory. Visit any of the | | | | the authors credits or resource box is included.The |
| following sites for a crash course in writing and | | | | best advice I can offer is to Keep It Simple. The |
| grammar.Guide to Grammar and Writing | | | | simple, well-designed, professional looking web sites |
| Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation | | | | make the sales.Always strive to learn. Knowledge is |
| English | | | | the key to success. |
| Words And Phrases | | | | |