Thousands of companies joined the exodus to the Web during the past year, drawn by the promise of a new and growing consumer base. For some, the move was successful, but for others a disappointment. The Web is a relatively new medium where success is not necessarily bestowed on companies that are well organized and efficiently run. Traditional strengths in the normal business world often prove to be irrelevant in the world of cyberspace. The main reason for this is that the Web is primarily a visual medium, similar in some respects to television but with an audience that has millions of selection options and a short attention span.
Content is important, but presentation is the key to holding attention.
Web site design, layout and navigational ease play a crucial role in converting the casual surfer to a customer. Companies with unattractive web sites fail to grasp this simple concept and often try to compensate with expensive promotional schemes. Successful web page design is a mix of common sense, skill and knowledge. One of the most important factors in basic web design is ensuring that a web site is optimized for the most commonly used web browsers and for different screen resolutions. The design and layout of a site should hold true regardless of the web browser or screen resolution used by visitors to the site.