1. Flash intros: Save Flash for special applications and some main pages but don't make a mini-movie intro. They are an incredible waste of money.
2. No page counters: this almost always hinders instead of helps. Leave it out.
3. Make effective use of every title bar: The title tag of your web-page (the uppermost part of your browser) displays the name of the page you're on. It's also a way to let the search engines know what your site is about. Use your keywords in the title effectively.
4. No blinking or flashing text: People are becoming trained to ignore animations and blinking areas on websites. It's kind of annoying.
5. Don’t force people to download any special plug-ins: Most of them won't. Nowadays lots of people using XP don't even know that an information bar popped in asking them to install an activex control. They ignore it and missed your entire message. No plugins for most sites - there are some exceptions like a game site or movie site. But not for regular business when the competition isn't scaring away their visitors.
6. No more frames: If you didn't already hear by now, search engines don't like framed pages. They may seem to make your life easier on the design end but don't even bother starting with frames. If you have them already - recreate your site but keep all the same page names of your body pages.
7. Don't try to fool the search engines: Your site could be banned and stripped from the search engines. I'm not saying don't use advanced techniques and all the research you have available. I'm saying avoid any tactic that is blatant overkill and search engines will keep you indexed. Avoid free for all pages and be cautious of your link exchange programs. Exchange links only after reviewing the other site to see if it's a good fit.
8. Use White Space: Don't try to fill in every single white space on the page. Give your words room.
9. Under construction pages: A big no-no for most people but not for me. If you're starting a brand new website and you have the navigation structure and layout ready then start building the pages. Upload everything - almost no one is going to see it. I'm not recommending you promote it yet though - that won't work.
10. Use Standard Link Colors: Believe it or not, using regular link colors like blue for a new link and magenta for a visited link will make your website easier to navigate. I've been to websites where there is no way a person can know where a link is unless they hovered their mouse over every section.
So there you have it - you've learned the #1 most important element of a website (copywriting), along with a top 10 list of Do's & Don'ts. I hope this article helps you avoid upset on your path to success.
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