With over 16 million web sites on the Internet, how do you get your home-based business's site noticed? There is much to discuss when it comes to web sites, but this article will consider some basic ideas for your web site's design. Ask three people for their Internet design opinions and you'll get three different answers. One thing's for sure, though: That's right, Keep It Simple Stupid. :-) Web sites should have a clean, simple look with easy navigation and a logical layout. Nothing turns a visitor away quicker than being confused. If your visitors can't find what they're looking for within a few seconds, they'll click to another site and never return to yours. Design Considerations Here are some things to keep in mind: Load Time -- Internet users are impatient. If it takes too long for your web pages to load, they'll go somewhere else. And, yes, 10 seconds is long! Graphics -- Too many graphics on your web sites also contribute to slow load times. Some people turn off the display of graphics in their browsers, which means you need to have ALT tags to tell them what the graphic is about. In addition, reduce the size of your graphics so that your web pages load quicker by using one of the free image reducers available on the Internet. Broken Links -- Web pages should work, so verify all links regularly to make sure you're not losing visitors out of frustration. Contact Information -- You must have a means for visitors to contact you clearly posted on your web sites. If there's a problem and your visitors can't get in touch with you, you could lose them forever. Spell Check -- It should be common sense, but it isn't. You should spell check your web pages before you put them on your site. Nothing says unprofessional like spelling mistakes throughout your web pages. And, for Pete's sake, look at your web pages after they're up on your site. Make sure they look the way you want them to look. Remember, you want your web site to be profitable, to help your home-based business to be as successful as it can be. Conclusion While there are many things to consider when setting up your web site, it's worth the effort. It's absolutely necessary for you to have web space for your home-based business to succeed! For a more detailed explanation of the various aspects of web sites, and more great advice for your home-based business, please visit My Home-Based Business Advisor. Terry Nicholls My Home-Based Business Advisor my-home-based-business-advisor.com Copyright by Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved. |
