website tips

Do you have a new site and want to get traffic? Well, here are some things that you need to avoid, first off. Mainly because nobody will go further than your home page if you have these annoying things.

WEBSITE CONs

• Cursor Tails - I think I speak for everyone when I say take off the cursor tails! You know, when someone has the little clock, or the images that trail after the cursor when you move it along the page? It is mesmerizing, and they might forget why they came to your page. Or, it might freeze their browser and they will never come back.
• Flash/Random Animated Junk - I know, we all go around to the little Myspace add-on sites and put a bunch of animated things on our sites. Well, one or two is tolerable (though still a bit tacky), but if you have more be sure the viewer knows beforehand. That way, they can choose not to click if they have a slow browser.
• Do Not Click Games Without Warnings - If you have a link that says "Limited Edition: Win (insert rare item here)", and it is really a Don't Click game, get rid of it. Let people know that they are about to be bombarded with annoying popups. Some people really enjoy going to every website and finding Don't Click games, though I don't know why.
• Layouts that make Eyes Bleed - There will always be those people out there that are new to websites, and they make those really bright layouts. Please don't be one of them. Your layout shouldn't be bright red, or bright blue, or [heaven forbid] neon yellow. You may use shades of the colors, but please stay away from the primaries.

WEBSITE PROs

So now that you know what to do, you are wondering "Well, if I can't do any of that, what am I supposed to do?". That's what I'm about to tell you. The following things are good things to have on a website:

• Spicy Content -Yes, spicy content. Your site should have personality. Viewers want to be reading what a person wrote, not what a robot wrote. You can put side notes in [] or () if you want. Just, please, make it fun to read!
• Honesty - All of the information on your site should be the truth. Test your cheat codes, write guides based on the games instead of copy and pasting from another site [that's illegal] and claiming it as your own. Design your own layouts, make your own icons and other designs. Write your own pages. Nobody loves a dishonest content-thief.
• Appropriate Materials/Warnings - Hopefully most people that visit my site and are aspiring web developers wouldn't make a disgusting site. However, if there is something that's just a little crude, or maybe a bit over PG-13, go ahead and put a warning or something of the like. Let visitors know what they're going to look at, don't just bombard them with adult or nasty images and text.

COPYRIGHTS

When a person publishes their own work, they hold the right to place a copyright on that work. Most people take advantage of this. All this means is that you cannot use that work unless you follow the terms specified in that copyright, which just might say that you can't use it at all. Some people want you to contact them and ask permission, while some would just like credit or a link back. No matter what is specified, you must follow what the owner asks for.