Top Twenty-Two Web Site Dos and Don'ts

Do Nots For Your Website

12. Don't use pop-ups

Just about everyone despises pop-up windows. They get in the way, they are unwanted and they just about always are unnecessary. Avoid them like the plague.

13. Don't use splash pages

Splash pages slow visitors down from reading the content on your home page. Go to popular websites--do they have a splash page? Neither should you.

14. Don't use blinking text

Although blinking text is rarely seen anymore, there are still web pages lurking out there that have blinking text. This is distracting and annoying to visitors to your web site.

15. Don't design your entire website with flash

Very few web sites can be effective entirely in flash. It's also difficult to optimize your web site for search engines when it's done exclusively in flash because search engines can't crawl flash pages. If you're going to use flash, we recommend using it to add to your web page not to be your web page.

16. Don't use animated GIFs

Animated GIFs are usually large in file size and low in the WOW factor. If you need to animate a part of your web site use flash.

17. Don't use Java

Many users do not have Java or know what Java is. If your web site requires Java, then you will not be able to appeal to majority of internet users.

18. Don't force visitors to listen to your music

With the explosion of iPods, online music services and mp3s, many visitors to your web site already have music playing on their computer and find music playing on a web site annoying. The exception to the rule is if you're a band or artist and have original music you want to play on your web site. If this is the case, then provide a stop button on the web site and make sure that if they press stop the music does not continue on the next page they visit on your web site.

19. Don't show pages under construction

If your web page or web site is not complete, then don't post it on the internet. Complete your web page or web site and then post it.

20. Don't require horizontal scrolling or have multiple scroll bars

Internet users are used to scrolling up and down not left to right. Make sure your web page doesn't require horizontal scrolling or create multiple scroll bars--this can be very frustrating for visitors to your web site.

21. Don't use frames

Frames are of the past and not very effective. With CSS, DHTML, and other newer features, you can virtually achieve any results you want without using frames. Frames can also create multiple scroll bars on certain computers.