Q. I don't want to waste my time duplicating what somebody else already has. What if I just provided a link to the Chamber of Commerce or some other site to supplement my listings?
A. You could concentrate on putting up your inventory, and provide links to outside information sources, but the consumer will bookmark their site, not yours.
Q. In reviewing some of your ratings, it appears that you have a thing against image maps. Would you agree?
A. Not necessarily.
Image maps do take longer to download. If you use them, make sure they are worth the wait.
Q. How do you judge "worth the wait"?
A.
Let's say your home page boasts national property listings, and you have this absolutely gorgeous image map of the entire country. If I, or anyone else visiting your site, takes the time to wait for this map to download, I'm going to expect to be able to use the map to look for properties.
If it takes 20 minutes to discover that the only information you actually have is for a single city somewhere on that map, I'm not going to be in a very benevolent mood when it comes to rating your site ... and consumers will leave and not bother coming back.
There are some 700,000 WEB sites out there. Why would I remember your site?
Be honest with your visitors. Don't promote yourself as being something you aren't.
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Q. You also seem to look unfavorably on sites that are still under development, do you expect sites to be 100% completed before coming on-line?
A. WEB sites are always under construction, or should be. Change and variety are important.
If you're talking about construction signs and dead-end links, then yes, your site will get lower marks.
If you want your visitors to know you're getting ready to add something, indicate a link, but don't make it a live link to a construction sign. It's just as infuriating to people navigating the information highway, as it is to drivers on concrete highways.
Q. So you'd rather see promises than construction signs?
A. Do you mean as far as the ratings are concerned?
My first impressions of your site will be the same as anyone else visiting for the first time.
I rate sites based on what I find when I get there, not on what you tell me you're going to have someday.
You have to remember, most people surfing the WEB pay dearly to do so, make their investment worth it.
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