Building a Successful Web Site: What NOT To do:

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These days, there's no shortage of "how to" ...
articles out there that purport to explain whatone must do in order to become a ... Website owner.If you want to build a ...
site, h These days, there's no shortage of "how to" guidesand articles out there that purport to explain whatone must do in order to become a successful Website owner.If you want to build a successful site, however, it'sequally important that you also learn what NOT to doon the Web.Most experienced Webmasters are aware of a numberof major no-nos to avoid. Examples include having awelcome page that takes forever to load.
Or designingyour site to accommodate only one type of browser.However, there's a number of lesser-known, but still common,mistakes that many Webmasters consistently make.These include:1. Not paying close attention to your visitors' feedback.Although many Webmasters don't realize it, feedback fromyour visitors is one of the most important sources ofinformation you have, if you're serious about buildingyour traffic.If a visitor has taken the time to E-mail you, you shouldcarefully consider anything that he or she has to say,whether it's positive or negative.True, if you've worked hard on your site, it can be annoyingto have a visitor write in and criticize aspects of yoursite.But rather than feeling slighted, you should make the mostof such feedback.
I've found over the years that many ofthe most valuable and useful features and changes on my siteswere inspired by visitors' comments and critiques.2. A second common blunder that a lot of site owners makeis trying to build revenue before they've built a sizable,loyal audience.This is a bit like putting a cart before a horse.
If you'retrying to build your traffic, you severely damage your prospectsby focusing too much on the revenue side of your operationat the outset.If your site isn't established yet, and you don't have aloyal, growing audience, then it's important to minimize yourfocus on making money. For example, you shouldn't be plasteringbanner ads all over your site---or pestering your visitors tosign up for an affiliate program.In short, forget the revenue: at least at the outset.
Instead,focus exclusively on promoting, developing and fine-tuningyour site. The fact is, once you have built an audience,the revenue will inevitably follow.3.
Don't just take from the Web: give something back.I'm not a starry-eyed idealist who pines for the days beforethe Web became commercialized.But I do firmly believe that it's important for any successfulsite to give something back to the cyberspace community. I'm nottalking about money here: only effort.
This can range from offeringa useful service on your site to lending a hand to a newbie who isjust starting up his site.If you earn a reputation as someone who's not just a money-grubberwho's out to make a quick buck on the Web, it'll pay you back inspades for years to come. For one thing, you'll be able to buildlasting, trusting, mutually-beneficial relationships with fellowWebmasters (and I regard the latter as the single most importantasset that I've built up in my six years on the Web).4.
Don't be a bandwagon jumper.I've constantly been amazed over the years at how many Webmasterswill embrace the latest fad, whether or not it makes sense for theirsites.An example is the current fad of placing a Flash animation on one'swelcome page. While I've seen a number of eye-catching and interestingFlash animations, I have seen very few sites where such content madeany sense.Too many Webmasters blindly embrace the latest gimmick on the Web, simplybecause they've seen it on many other sites.
But the fact is, unlessyour site specifically focuses on Flash, it doesn't make much senseto force your visitors to sit through a Flash intro every time theyvisit your site.For all the high-tech, multimedia potential that cutting-edgeWeb technology promises for the future, the vast majority of peopleon the Web still want one thing: information. And they want it as quicklyand hassle-free as possible.And the fact is, you don't need Java applets or Flash animations ormultimedia plug-ins to present information (or, for that matter, tobuild a successful site).In summing up, building one's site is an ongoing learning processfor any Webmaster.
And just as it is important to learn what to do toensure your success, it's equally vital to learn from your mistakesand to be aware of what NOT to do, if you're going to succeed. Article Tags: Many Webmasters Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com .