The appearance of a web site is generally the most important factor that makes up purchase decision by any potential web site owner. Sure some web sites look great on the latest computer with a broadband internet connection running the latest browser on the latest operating system, and with a 1024 x 768 resolution.... but what about those 'other' people or your customers who have a old computer at home with a slow internet connection, not to mention a 640 x 480 resolution?

It is a known fact that if a site is slow to load, user 'unfriendly' or difficult to navigate people will just click away from your site before the site has even loaded, and who knows how long that would have taken.

Usually these sites consist of high quality images using multiple layers, frames, limited text content, image headings, a lot of Javascript and have page size restrictions (non-variable width). This makes web editing for the non-professional almost impossible, as many months of experience in programs such as Adobe GoLive or Macromedia Dreamweaver are necessary before you can even begin to tackle this sort of development. The graphical rich web site also takes a lot longer to develop than a simple web site due to the amount of image manipulation involved. Therefore such a site will incur a much higher development fee. Never the less, businesses seeking a web site still want to be blown away by a web design firm that creates nothing but fashionable and award winning web sites.

Nowadays developing a site that is simple, friendly, easy to navigate, fast to load, desirable to search engines and easy to update by the owners after initial development, is fast becoming a higher priority. This is only reinforced by web design consultant experts such as Jakob Nielsen, as he will argue that 'more than 99 per cent of the world's sites continue to drive users away with overloaded, difficult to navigate, pointless web design.' Whenever he is critised about his principles, he is quick to counteract by mentioning that fact that these so called 'bland' sites get more page views and the most users than any other site. Take Google and Yahoo! for example.

Nielsen also makes a point that the Internet is not real life. If you purchase a product and have difficulty using it, you will more than likely preserve with it because you have already parted with your money. However, if you are using the web and you come across a site that you can't figure out how to use, 'they're out of there'. It is a lot easier to find another similar site than it is to return a product and find one that does work.

This coincides with Nielsen's golden rule of web usability, and that is simplicity. Make your site simple, easy to navigate and fast, and you will benefit in the long term. A lot of web site owners believe that by adding graphics to their site, they are making their site better, when in actual fact they have only made the site slower to load. If you want a web site that looks like a million dollars, then write a cheque for million dollars to any web design firm and they'll produce a site to your specifications. However that doesn't mean that they will have any understanding of your customers or what they are trying to do.

One effective method of web site development is to consider your site as an electronic billboard. The goal is to try and capture the audience immediately, and make it is as easy as possible for anybody to find what he or she wants with minimal fuss. Web content should also be short and with liberal use of bullets, as most users scan through content as apposed to reading every line.

The last fundamental rule is that your site must contain links within your site to other web sites. Web site owners should take advantage of the 'interconnectedness' of the web and don't be too scared of directing users to other sites. If you don't, you are virtually isolating yourself from everybody like a medieval fortress.