Ever notice how some websites feel great, energetic, and fun--you just want to linger to soak up more--yet other sites are truly repellant? The following tips will help you create a truly happening site:

1. Don't use a dark background.
   
   Think about the websites you've seen that are fun, refreshing, and really draw you in. Ever notice they usually have a white or light background? Dark or heavily patterned backgrounds are emotionally draining to look at, and they're hard to read. Since the Web is a written medium, color counts!
   
2. Don't pick hard-to-load graphics.
   
   You've heard it before. Don't use little graphics that sing and dance, not only because they take longer to load (not everywhere has a high speed connection). Search engines get confused by them, and could potentially downgrade or even ban you in their rankings. Even cascading style sheets, often used in templates, can slow down SE responsiveness. Ultimately, tricky stuff like this does little to enhance your site. What counts is content!
   
3. Don't confuse the reader.
   
   Pick one focus and stick with it. Resist the temptation to cram all of your many skills into one small website. Chances are they speak to different audiences, so serve up only focused fare for a singular audience. For example, if you're a coach who works with the chronically disorganized plus those who need relationship help, you've got the making of two powerful websites, not one. After all, you can always have more than one website to speak to your different readers. (I do!)
   
4. Make sure your brand--your site name, URL and ezine/blog names--reflects your focus.
   
   If your site helps disorganized, menopausal women get a grip, choose a URL that reflects that. Go with "getagripover50.com," for instance, instead of a generic, life coaching term like 'strategicliving.com'. Again and again I encounter coaches who think they must put all of their myriad products under one generic name that means nothing. No one says you can't have several websites that reach several different audiences and sell different products and services. (Remember, however, you'll have to promote all those sites, so don't go too crazy.)
   
5. Make sure your ezine and blog scream BENEFIT.
   
   Nothing worse than a soft, mushy ezine/blog that doesn't really DO anything for the reader. Using the example above, why not an ezine or blog called "Hot Flashes Over 50"? Your ezine must be more than your collected thoughts, unlike your blog which can be more conversational. A good ezine delivers useful info to
   exactly who needs it, and the title reflects that.
   
6. Don't hard-sell the reader.
   
   Websites that come at the reader with all the offers up front and then some, dash our interest quickly. Don't put all of your offers right out there on the home page. Rather, entice us in to spend a little quality time with your free articles, your ezine, your insights. Give us some of what you know for free, in a dignified manner, and we'll probably be willing to pay for the rest.
   
7. Don't use look-alike templates.
   
   Tempting as that site-in-a-box price point is, avoid it studiously. We see them A LOT, and they do nothing for your site or your image. Instead, hire a designer who can tweak your template to become truly your own; it's not as hard as you might think. Add your own personalized images and feel free to have them strip away some of the bells and whistles.
   
8. Don't blow off the keywords.
   
   When it comes to search engines like Google and Yahoo, keywords are your best friend. Something like 85% of your web traffic will come from these words, so you'll want to handle them carefully. Various tools like www.wordtracker.com and Overture's keyword tool can help you see what's out there, and pick and
   choose intelligently.

©2006Suzanne Falter-Barns LLC.

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