| In order for a website to work correctly there are | | | | may look good but to someone who is using a |
| many things to be considered: | | | | smaller screen it can be a bad experience. Do not |
| - Site download time | | | | make the page too wide because users with smaller |
| - On page optimisation | | | | screens will have to navigate horizontally which is a |
| - User Friendly design | | | | big turn off for most users. Height isn't such a big |
| - Page dimensions | | | | issue as users do not mind scrolling down a page, but |
| - Content | | | | this said don't go over board. |
| - Install an analytics package The above are all very | | | | Content is probably one of the most important |
| important in the process of building a site and should | | | | components of any site. Search engines love content |
| be considered carefully. | | | | and it looks like they always will. New updated |
| Site download time is becoming an important issue | | | | content gives them something to read and makes |
| and rumours have it that search engines are going to | | | | your website more important to them helping you |
| be looking at this more and more. Visitors to your | | | | become more visible. This said don't just write any |
| website will not want to wait a long time for it to | | | | old thing on there as the most important aspect is |
| download; research has shown that users will only | | | | that users who come onto your site want to find |
| wait on average 8 seconds for a page download. If | | | | what they are looking for and easily so don't babble. |
| your site is too slow you will lose visitors to | | | | Content can also come in the form of blogs so make |
| competitors. To speed up your site don't add too | | | | sure your website has an integrated blog as this way |
| many images and limit the amount of flash involved. | | | | any updates are new and fresh and on your site. |
| On page optimisation is crucial if you want search | | | | Content can also contain good keywords which again |
| engines to find your website. With more and more | | | | will appeal to search engines. |
| people using search engines to find websites and | | | | Obviously you will want to know how many visitors |
| information you really need to carefully select what | | | | your site has and where they have come from; you |
| keywords, descriptions and page titles you use. Think | | | | would be surprised at the amount of websites |
| about what words people will use to search for you | | | | designed without this in mind. Without analytics you |
| and make sure that they are included in the title, | | | | do not know what is going on, it is like having a store |
| description and keywords. By doing this you will be | | | | and not knowing how many visitors are coming in. If |
| found by search engines. An SEO specialist can help | | | | you have an e-commerce site then by not knowing |
| you with this. | | | | your visitors you will not know your conversion rate |
| Make sure your website has a user friendly design; | | | | of sales. If you know that 1000 people visit your site |
| you need to think about where certain things should | | | | each week but you are only selling 10 items |
| be such as menus and content. Most people get used | | | | something is wrong, you can then look at your site |
| to looking in certain places for menus and links so if | | | | design, products and pricing to understand what is |
| you put yours in an unusual place they won't be able | | | | putting people off. Analytics is vital to understanding |
| to find it and will leave. Other things to consider are | | | | your web site. |
| colour schemes don't over do it as it will confuse | | | | Having a website is a great way to showcase your |
| your users, do make it appealing though. | | | | business or personal interests but if it isn't optimised |
| Page dimensions can be a difficult one, if you are | | | | then nobody can find it and it will be just out there |
| using a large widescreen monitor then your design | | | | not creating any interest. |