Website Homepage - Dec 2003


Return on Investment for your website.

Customers must be able to:
1. Find your website in searches.
2. Use your website to gain the information they require.
3. Buy your product/ service or at least contact you.

What's the number 1 reason why people leave web sites?

Slow homepage load!

Page load is the time it takes for the web page to appear on your computer after you click the link in the search engine. Your website in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast or anywhere in the world relys on smart web design.

12website designs websites that load quickly. This is also an important consideration for favourable search engine placements!

Here is where we need the balance between what you want your website to look like and how long those extra fancy items take to download to your customers computers. More on web design basics here.

You may think - "they'll wait for my homepage to load!"

They might ... IF they've been there before.

But what about all those first time visitors? Unless they're pretty certain that it's going to be worth the wait...

Bye-bye!

They've gone! So has the marketing time, effort and cost it took for you to get them there! It doesn't matter how good your site is, if you make a new visitor wait too long, chances are they won't. Contact us for help.

They'll never see all your hard work ... what a waste!

Speed. Instant information.

The very nature of the Internet adds a sense of urgency to the online experience of most users. The majority of people online are fairly new to the net. They are overwhelmed by this exciting new world they've discovered.

There's so much to see and so little time in which to see it. The cost of time online contributes to these feelings.

I usually have two or three browser windows open at a time, so I always have a fresh page to look at whilst others are loading. If you get a visitor like me the load time won't matter. But many potential customers are not comfortable jumping between windows in that way. Think about the average user's experience and not your own.

Always keep in mind ...

On the net people want it fast, FAST, FASTER!

Everything on your web page adds to it's download time.

*Everything*. Remember that!

Text is the fastest. What slows down the website are audio, graphics (especially if animated) and Java applets.

So ask yourself ...

"Do I really need that welcome voice message?" Or the fancy Java, or the cool graphics? In fact - excuse me - I'm going to butt in here and tell it to you straight.

No, you don't!

Not unless you happen to be selling something inextricably linked to one of these items. This might be the case with graphics for a graphic design web site, for example. But even then, my advice... keep it to the bare minimum on your home page.

Get them in the front door first ...

Once they're safely inside, then you can show them how beautifully you've decorated your house! More on web design layout here.

For the graphics - pictures you have to have (and we all need some), make sure you use a professional in web design.

Web development is about building the best website that customers can find easily and a website that loads quickly.


Web Design Basics
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If in doubt - Cut it out!

Don't put anything on your home page that doesn't have an important reason for being there. You're reading this because you want to make money online, right? So just take a minute (later... not now!) to examine the elements that make up your page and ask yourself for each "Will this help me to make money?" If the answer is "No", then bin it.

Be merciless!

Only give space to things that will increase your bottom line. Bear in mind however that some items can add to your site's success and profitability in indirect ways, depending on your business.

Your home page is the first page customers get to. Therefore it must contain a general overview of your business and links to what you offer. Visitors should not have scroll the home page.

Once you get "them in the door" you can provide longer pages on the subject or product they are interested in. People use scroll bars in their word processors and Email programs every day. If they find the content sufficiently interesting - they'll keep on scrolling down that page.

The specific web pages on your website can take a little longer to load because your customer or visitors has requested that information - by clicking a link.

But - and this is a big but - your homepage is different.

It must load quickly and everything on it adds to it's download time, remember?

For this reason don't make your home page too long.
Get them in the door first.
Then make it simple for them to find the information they need.

At 12website we know web design .
Let us advise you.
Get in touch with 12website

Business marketing
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