o why do you want a together – dark colors usually
website? Would you like to inspire negative feelings. People
create a personal page to might subconsciously reject your
tell the world who you are and message because of a cluttered,
what you dream for? Or maybe you unpleasant background.
have a large family, with members
living in different parts of the 3. Don’t use Flash: it is
world and you’d like to keep the annoying for visitors that still
family together at least online. use dial up and need to wait for
What about making a living online Flash to load, it cannot get
or promoting your business? No through certain firewalls and you
matter the reasons, here are a can rarely find a web designer
few tips that will help you able to create a Flash website
create a professional website. worth its price. Oh, yeah! Flash
is expensive. Flash also has
1. Design a website focused on a another major disadvantage: it is
particular topic and then very difficult to optimize and
carefully categorize its reach high SERP. Use no sound –
contents. If it’s a family site unless you create a website for a
keep it to the subject and don’t music band or other music related
mess it up with unrelated issues. topic. Believe it: it’s scary to
If it’s a business site and you land on the page that suddenly
sell flowers, don’t put in web plays an AC/DC theme.
design services, escort services
and so on. 4. Create a clear menu and clear
navigation on all your web pages.
2. Avoid heavy loading images, As in life, people do not like
especially for the background. It “dead ends” so don’t lead them to
is actually advisable that you dead pages. Help your visitors
avoid dark backgrounds all find easily what they are looking
for. you are. Sure, it is important
that they know there are real
5. Make sure your visitors can people behind a business, but it
contact you. Eventually provide a is more important that you first
contact phone number, fax and underline the benefits a visitor
email address on each page. If can find on your website. Place
not, display a clear contact the information about who you are
button. Note that people HATE to in the proper “About Us” category
fill in long forms. If you must and let the visitor decide
have one, don’t force the whether to read it or not.
visitors give out information
they normally wouldn’t like to. 8. Use special characters
Keep it simple. After a visitor carefully on your page copy. This
has contacted you, make sure you includes ALL CAPS, bold and
answer it time. Failing to answer italic text. Try not to underline
questions and requests could phrases or words, as people tend
damage your good name. to consider underlined text as
links. Use special characters
6. If you collect private solely for what really matters,
information – yes, email address, when you really want to highlight
phone number and name are an idea.
considered private information –
provide a clear link to a 9. Do not display any “under
disclaimer and privacy policy. construction” pages on your
You don’t want your visitors to website. If they are under
believe you are going to sell construction keep them offline
their email addresses to till you are ready. Also avoid
spammers, would you? dead links or 404 error messages.
7. People don’t really care who 10. Always have a linking
strategy. This will boost your steps in creating a professional,
site in the search engine results user friendly website. There are
and will give your visitors other important aspects you
access to valuable information. should consider: designing with
Make sure that you link to sites web standards, optimizing your
that complete your website. If web pages for both visitors and
you are selling lamps link to search engines, promoting your
lighting magazines, interior website and so on. But for the
decoration companies and so on. beginning these ten simple steps
could make the difference between
These are just simple rules that success and failure.
will help you make the first
About the Author:
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of HighPowerSites and many other web projects. HighPowerSites is the easiest do-it-yourself website builder on the web. No programming or design skill required. Get your own website online in just 5 minutes with http://HighPowerSites.com at: http://www.highpowersites.com
Read more articles by:
Scott Lindsay
Article Source: www.iSnare.com 
