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5: The Importance of Download Speed

Research shows that visitors' fingers start to move over the mouse button 8.6 seconds after loading a web page. If you have broadband, don't assume your visitors have it. Dialup times are typically three times those of DSL speeds. If your home page takes 45 seconds to load, you will lose 50% of your visitors - and over 60 seconds loses you another 25%.

Keep graphics to a minimum - every element on every page has to earn it's place - never forget it. Don't add gratuitous graphics, particularly on the home page (ahem, we may be guilty of that on this website!).

Headers are often the worst offenders (right) - huge lumps of functionless eye candy occupying fully half of the viewable area. Keep the headers small and functional.

We design website headers to download within 3 seconds at DSL speeds and 15 seconds at dialup speeds and include such things as searchable text, email links etc. Keep the size of photos small if you have many.

Flash - love it or hate it. It is used 99% of the time to add razzle dazzle without performing any useful function. It is also a drag on page load times and invisible to search engines. Clients love it until they see their website traffic plummeting. Their visitors may love it too - for the first page - but it soon becomes irritating and the last thing you need is an irritated visitor.

On that subject - Splash pages. You are greeted by a single large slow graphic. It may be Flash or just static.

There may or may not be a 'Skip Flash' or 'Enter Here' link.

This technique may be reasonably compared to opening the door to your visitor and then slamming it in his face don't use it.

Out final general point is navigation, an abused but essential part of every page.