1. Bad layout formatting.

Try to use your judgment when it comes to layout. They will serve as your best guide. Do not just center on your body text. The text and content should be offset, and not overrun by graphics. Sentences should wrap nicely from left to right. Navigation should not take up half of the screen. Body text should not be 60 pixels high. Basically common sense issues that anyone with a clear head can understand and appreciate.

2. No content or outdated content.

No information or content to go along with the site is a terrible mistake many are making. It is not surprising why your visitors leave at first glance. Know that people wait and spend money to view your pages. So it is a courtesy and a necessity to provide something to reward their efforts. By content, it means something people would want to see or read. It is not just a string of clipart, GIF animations or "under construction" signs.

3. Sloppy navigation and orphan pages.

Allow easy access to pages. Always include a link back to the main page. Oftentimes, only a "back" button is all that is provided when a guest has penetrated into an inner page. Many sites, especially those with frames, can be accessed by search engines into a portion of a complete page. These have no links to the main page and leaves visitors stranded and can be considered "Orphan Pages." Try to put a link back to your main page on every page, so that visitors would not be trapped.

4. The use of technology.

Do not bombard visitors with technology just for the sake of using them. Technology is great fun to use, if used with wisdom and care. You may think it is cool, but 99% of the world does not think so. All Javascripts, Java applets, VRMLs, and other high-tech and possibly error-prone technology should be used only when the page calls for it. Do not use it just because it is there for the taking.

5. Midis and non-stop animations.

Nothing on pages should be continuous and without a way to stop them. MIDIs are nice little add-ons that can add atmosphere to a page. Provide a way to stop it before your readers become irritated. If you doing these things to your site, stop now before it is too late. For those who does not, do not even think about it.

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About the author:

Florie Lyn Masarate got the flair for reading and writing when she got her first subscription of the school newsletter in kindergarten. She had her first article published on that same newsletter in the third grade.