Another essential check - dead links. The web is a very fluid medium - sites arrive, move, and disappear regularly, and if your site has a link to one that has vanished or moved, your visitors get a "404 page not found" error message. Your reputation and business can suffer, not to mention your rankings with directories and search engines. I use Xenu's Link Sleuth, from http://completelyfreesoftware.com/ - reports are easy to understand, and can be saved to read off-line.

Finally, a task that is all too often forgotten, but which is absolutely essential, - backing up! If worst happens, you need to be able to create all or part of your web site quickly - and only way is to run regular backups. You can use Backup program that comes with Windows, but I find Swedish program MyOwnBackup much easier to use, and more flexible. Create different sets to back up your web site(s), important data, e-mail, or whatever you want to keep secure. You can create new archives or add new or changed files to a current archive, restore complete sets or individual files, zip archives, and span diskettes. The help includes *9 Steps to a Complete Backup* to guide beginners. Download from main site http://home4.swipnet.se/~w-42000/MOB/ (Sweden) or mirror site http://www.nt-eng.com/mob/ (USA).

Some of my favourite freeware sites: http://www.completelyfreesoftware.com/ http://www.webattack.com/ http://www.jumbo.com/ http://www.moochers.com/

4. Directory - http://www.gossamer-threads.com/scripts/links/ - A script offered by Gossamer-Threads, Links is a great way to add a directory to your site just like big search engines. Offer your visitors a full directory of human-edited links on topic of your website and they'll think of you as their resource and come back when they want to find something.

5. Guestbook - http://www.geekvillage.com/guest_book/index.html - Add a free guestbook to your site and increase visitor interaction! Get them participating by adding their comments to your guestbook, and reading comments of others who have posted. Increase your stickiness as they come back to review guestbook again.