Web checkup

Entrepreneur, Dec, 1997 by Jacquelyn Lynn

* Navigation. It's critical that visitors be able to navigate your Web site easily. Bressler recommends a navigation bar on each page so visitors can click on an icon or button and move to other areas of your site without having to return to the home page.

* Home page link. Each page of your site should be linked to your home page (use your navigation bar to do this) so visitors who have entered your site through a link from another site or who have browsed around several pages can easily return to your home page.

* Interactivity. Be sure visitors have a way to let you know they've been there and give you feedback. "I recommend a 'contact us' area where people can fill out a form with their name, address, e-mail address and comments," says Bressler. This allows visitors to ask for more information and gives you an excellent way to build a list of prospective customers to use in future marketing campaigns. The contact page should also include your physical address, phone number and e-mail address.

* Speed. Web surfers may not have the patience to wait for complicated graphic files to load, so don't invest a lot of time and energy in meaningless artwork. You'll want to include your logo, graphic elements that help identify the page and site, and any appropriate product images. But don't get so carried away that it takes too long for your site to open, or visitors will get bored and go somewhere else. You can also use graphic compression tools to reduce the size of graphic files so they load faster.

* META tags. These are the codes - either single key words or longer descriptions - that help the Internet search engines categorize your site. Check with your Web site builder to be sure your site includes the appropriate META tags.

* Content and purpose. Look at your site through the eyes of a stranger and ask yourself if it makes sense and if it's targeting the right audience, Bressler says. "It's important that your home page let the Web surfer know exactly what you do and that every other element of the site promotes its basic purpose."

Jacquelyn Lynn is a business writer in Winter Park, Florida.