1. Web Design Appearance is not the #1 factor
A website’s looks though vital is not the make or break factor in a site’s success. Many website designers fret and fume over a website design and give it more importance at the cost of other important factors.
2. Usability is Vital
A site which is easier to access and use for a site visitor will be much more successful than a fancy site that is difficult to navigate and use. Does a website for photographer effectively showcase his profile? Is the ecommerce website easy to navigate and allows ease of shopping? Make sure information is available. Equally important is information accessibility. A user should not have to look hard finding the information.
The site should be easily navigable with standard navigation system. The navigation system should be usable to all. Avoid using JavaScript or flash for entire navigation system or even if you have to then also provide alternative navigation system.
3. Search Engine Visibility
Search Engines are a major source of site traffic and hence search engine friendliness is of paramount importance. Search engines use spiders to index web pages. A site that uses JavaScript or flash based menu system may provide obstacle to spiders. Provide sitemaps both xml and html for increased search engine friendliness.