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When trying to build a website that is intended to generate high traffic, there are several things that you, the all talented web master (isn't that a fun title?) need to keep in mind in order to ensure that your hit counter continues to go up.

Subject Matter & Audience

This is very simple. Obviously, if you're building a site as a tribute to a popular prime time television actor, you're bound to get more hits than if you're building an informative web site devoted to the naked mole rat. And that is only partially due to the fact that naked mole rats are truly one of the ugliest things ever created, and certainly the universe's idea of a perverse joke. What it all boils down to is the audience, and whether or not there is one for the subject matter you're seeking to unleash on the world wide web.

It might help to Google the subject you're building your site about. Are there lots of other sites about this subject? Do these sites generate high traffic and have a good member count? Is your subject well represented? Do you have something specific that makes your site, which is similar in nature, different from these other websites? Consider all of these questions before you go ahead and construct your site.

Pages & Navigation

It is very possible to have a large site with an untold number of pages and still have it be navigational and functional and not taxing to the user. Before you construct your site, think about the pages you need. It will be helpful to draw these out on a sheet of paper or list them. Make arrows showing how you'd link from one page to the other. Have a good idea of how many pages you're going to make, and what will be on these pages, so that you don't (a) overcrowd the pages with too much information and scare your reader off or (b) have very little on each of your pages that makes the reader wonder if they're wasting their time on your site.

Images & the Pretty Factor

News flash: People WILL be judging your website by its cover. Make sure that your images are up to snuff in relation to what your subject is. Obviously, a flashing banner with neon text isn't appropriate for a site about a deceased loved one. Images should generally be clean, classy, and functional. Programs like Adobe Photoshop and Image Ready make it so that the only limitation on website graphics is your imagination. Take advantage of these programs.

Coding

It's very simple: If your website has tons of coding put into it, it's going to take longer to load. Be smart about the codes you want to use.

Space & Bandwidth

It cannot be stressed enough: Make sure you buy enough Disk Storage Space and enough bandwidth! If your traffic is higher than bandwidth limits, your site will be temporarily unavailable and that is a deterrent to new visitors. Be sensible about how much you buy. Too much is a waste and too little is disastrous.

Learn more about this author, Huma Rashid.
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