Check Download Speed Time of your site

The main Web page should load in 10-15 seconds or less.The most important aspect of web design may very well be speed. Every successful web site has an integrated design approach that works. Integrated, in that all of graphics, text, etc. look like they belong together, that they work together to create a whole. Pull up Yahoo in your browser, how fast did it load? By some estimates you only have 30 seconds to grab your visitors interest. Load time - speed that a site is displayed in a browser is critical. The most successful sites combine graphics optimized for web with text and (more and more often ) nested tables with background colors to create pleasing interfaces that load quickly.

Appearance

It should be incredibly clean and clear. There should be sufficient white space to make everything look ambient. Keep text in boxes away from edges. Visitors must be able to read text. Avoid placing tiny gray text on a black background, or putting text over such a busy background that it's not readable.

Navigation Text links are great because they're quick and easy to use. If you use graphic links, also use text links, and make sure graphics are optimized. Always have text links as a basic component. Visitors would like no typos or hyper link errors. Opening new pages is now more acceptable than clicking through pages.

About us/ contact us Your site must have an "About Us" area so people can check your credentials. It must also provide thorough contact information. Visitors expect a business address and several ways to communicate with site owner.

Check out more on Computing@www.kidsfreesouls.com 'computing column'

The internet is not just about web sites either. Email is fastest and most efficient means of forwarding information possible. If you are skeptical about web sites please do yourself a favour and purchase a computer even if only for email purposes. In this day and age you will get left out without it. Your customers will not be impressed either. Personally, very thought of walking over to a fax machine, inserting a piece of paper, dialling number and waiting until connection and slow trundling of paper begins just makes us come out in goose bumps. How old fashioned. We can send 20 emails to 20 different companies in time it takes you to walk to fax machine and dial number. Now how important is your time? You should also consider cost difference between sending a fax vs email.

Consider graphics designer in Solihull who was driving to Halesowen twice a week to deliver his precious documents for printing. Although a graphics designer he was just coming round to wonders of IT and internet. Costs for petrol and time per annum spent travelling were estimated at £2,200. Enter one low spec computer at a cost of £300 and an internet connection with a local ISP. No more travelling to Halesowen. The graphics were forwarded by email. Problem solved.

The golden rule in setting up your website is to establish what you want it to do for you. Time spent now in formulating a plan is money saved later.