3.Difficult to navigate Don't try to be clever with navigational features. Simple text links or, if you prefer, quick-loading graphics are perfectly good means of allowing a visitor to navigate your site. Anything that requires interactive navigation, like menus that expand into sub-menus, sub-sub-menus and so on, is more an indication of a wrong information architecture than of a true need for complicated navigational features.

4.Non-HTML features Don't get me started on this one. I've got a firewall on my computer, and my browser is set to block all those little nasty things that can mess with my PC. As a result I come across many a site that won't display or function properly, because it relies on features like JavaScript, Cookies, Interactive Headers or Java Applets. None of these are necessary to build a good web site, and unless you want your web site to lose you potential customers, you shouldn't use them. Or, if you absolutely have to, make sure that they are not integral parts of web site!

5.Huge splash page Another pet peeve of mine. As mentioned earlier, you have less than ten seconds to get your message across. Now guess how many visitors are going to wait longer than that just to watch a fancy animation? 'Nuff said.

6.Pop-up ads A huge turn-off as far as I'm concerned. As a matter of fact, I've got a pop-up blocker installed on my PC, so if your web site tried to tell me something important via a pop-up window, I'd never even see it. If you feel that you have to use pop-ups, consider going for less intrusive (and annoying) pop-under windows instead.

7.Sideways scrolling Not everybody has a monitor with same screen resolution as you, so make sure that your web site displays on monitors with a lower resolution without forcing your visitor to scroll sideways. It's a singularly annoying thing, and chances are that you'll lose those visitors very quickly. Or, if you have information in a column on right side of your web site, it may simply never appear on screen.

Usability Counts Make it easy for them to find what they want. Consider landing pages that are directly relevant to Search terms they used to find your site. Visitors will quickly “get” that they’re in right place and can begin to move along conversion process: submit a form, contact a rep, or make a purchase.

Plan for different visitor scenarios. Do you have a good understanding of steps a “typical” visitor will take? Good navigation leads them through conversion process with clear action steps. They should always know what to click on next to accomplish their goals.

Don’t overwhelm prospects with too many options. Eliminate extraneous information: links that distract from conversion process, copy that doesn’t really say anything, and graphics that serve no function. Yes, less IS more.

Test conversion process yourself. Fill out a form. Register for membership. Make a purchase from your own shop. If it’s not painless for you, it is going to be tough for anyone coming to your site for first time. Here’s golden rule: keep it simple.

Summing it up Put your efforts into improving your conversions. Think about it. Even a small increase in your conversion rate can make a big difference to your bottom line. Then you can go ahead and target more traffic.

Barry Harrison is the author of "REDiTIPS" eMarketing Newsletter and a partner in Resolve Digital, Web Strategies for the Real World.