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Why Dot-Coms Fail - a Webmaster's Perspective |
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Proper HTML coding is very important but the structure
and the layout of the pages are equally important. I saw
sites without ANY way to contact the company: no email
address, no "contact page". I saw sites so crowded that
it was almost impossible to find my way around. I saw
sites with ugly color schemes. I saw a site so "heavy" that
it took nearly three minutes to download the Home Page.
According to statistics, users have very limited patience
when it comes to loading a page. If after eight seconds
they cannot see the page, they leave. And we all know
what that means or the success of a Web site.
I not only saw all those errors in sites that are now gone
but I also found them in sites that are still alive,
including, incredibly, some Fortune 500 companies'
Web sites.
So Do We Dot-Com or Not?
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The answer is a resounding YES!
But with one condition, learn from your predecessors.
How can a dot-com become profitable? I don't pretend to
know ALL the answers. If I did, I would be millionaire
by now.
Advice for Forming and Managing Your Company:
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* Develop a sound business plan, with clear, credible
ways to get to profitability. Venture capitalists are much
more cautious than a few years ago. They invest less and
are more selective in this risky business. They want value
returned for their money. After all, statistics show that
9 out of 10 startups fail.
* Handle your money wisely. Enough said.
* Hire only the people you REALLY need and be sure ALL
of them are professionals.
Advice Regarding the Web Site that Supports Your Company:
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* Do the right thing when you prepare the Web site.
Hire reputable professionals to build and promote your
cyber adventure. If you already have a Web site, remember
that a Web site can easily be redesigned and properly
resubmitted to search tools.
* Have your site designed according to W3C Recommendations -
the Official HTML coding rules. Yes, this takes time and it's
much easier to use an HTML editor, but the results are much
better when properly coded by hand. Watch your site's
accessibility and usability. Don't forget to test and
validate the code. Talking about testing, do yourself a favor:
check the spelling on your pages.
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