Consider the basics When developing a website it's important to understand and address some basic issues so the site achieves its objectives:

Design:
The site should be visually appealing, but not overwhelming. Designs with complex graphics and animations can be slow to download, which will irritate visitors. Pages should be kept to 30K or less. Keep in mind that web browsers have color palettes that cause them to render some colors better than others. Also, a site that looks great in Netscape may not look as good in Explorer.

Navigation:
It should be easy and intuitive for users to get anywhere within a site. Outline the content before the design stage (using diagrams is very helpful). Avoid too many links, especially on the home page. Links should be consistent in terms of design and placement.

Content:
Keep it fresh! Determine what content needs to be updated, how often, and who will be responsible for making it happen. When writing or gathering content, keep it brief. A good rule is 50% or less compared to a printed piece.

Promotion:
A great site is useless if people don't know about it. Register on search engines and directories, use web banners and e-mail announcements. Make sure the URL is included with any type of communication.