05-02-2007, 09:23 AM
Quote:If properly constructed, a Web site can cash in on free traffic from search engines while moving visitors along a frustration-free path from the landing page to the check out cart. Building from the ground up, there are three essentials of Web site construction and search engine optimization, which we highlight below.
1. Proper Site and Page Architecture
As in any initial meeting, first impressions are important. Web sites need to be consistent in layout and design: no surprises, confusion or Easter egg hunts for information.
Avoid "splash" pages wherein an image takes up all or most of a page. Search engines do not track images or text in images, and visitors want to be brought to what they are searching for. Flash is not search engine friendly.
The site should be quick to download, taking no longer than 30 seconds with a dial-up modem, preferably within 15 seconds.
Bring the visitor directly to the relevant page. Research indicates visitors will go up to 25 clicks before abandonment, but visitors should find what they need within seven to eight clicks maximum.
Above all, the site should be easy to read and navigate and products must be easy to find. The start page should have anchor text or hyperlinks to bring the visitors where they want to be.
Heavy color saturation draws people's eyes, faces draw people's attention...
full article: http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/solutions...hp/3675066