| |
| |
|
Web Development Information |
|
|
|
Why a CSS Website Layout Will Make You Money
Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't become so commonplace until recently. This was basically due to limited browser support (especially from Netscape 4) - nowadays though, CSS 2.0 (which introduced positioning) is compatible with over 99% of browsers out there (check out the browser stats over at http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2004/August/browser.php). So, why should you convert your website from its current table-based layout to a CSS layout? It'll make you money. Simple really. And here's four reasons to explain why: Reduced bandwidth costs Web pages using CSS for layout tend to have much smaller file sizes than those using tabular layouts. It's not unusual to see reductions of 50% or more in file size when switching from CSS to tables. Smaller file sizes obviously mean reduced bandwidth costs, which for high traffic sites can mean enormous savings. The main reason for this dramatic decrease in file size is that presentation information is placed in the external CSS document, called up once when the homepage loads up and then cached (stored) on to the user's computer. Table layouts on the other hand, place all presentation information inside each HTML, which is then called up and downloaded for every page on the site. Additionally, CSS can be used to replace JavaScript image rollovers, again allowing a large reduction in overall page size. See the article, CSS navigation menu for more on this (http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/css/css-navigation-menu.shtml). A higher search engine ranking A CSS-based website will appear higher in the search engine rankings for three reasons: - The code is cleaner and therefore more accessible to search engines - Important content can be placed at the top of the HTML document - There is a greater density of content compared to coding A higher search engine ranking means more site visitors, which, provided your website is usable, should lead to an increase in enquiries or sales. Faster download speed A faster download speed will make you money? Well, yes. Slow download speed is often cited as one of the biggest usability complaints for websites. A faster download speed therefore leads to increased usability, and a web usability redesign can increase the sales/conversion rate by 100% (source: http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030107.html). CSS downloads faster than tables because: - Browsers read through tables twice before displaying their contents, once to work out their structure and once to determine their content - Tables appear on the screen all in one go - no part of the table will appear until the entire table is downloaded and rendered - Tables encourage the use of spacer images to aid with positioning - CSS generally requires less code than cumbersome tables - All code to do with the layout can be placed in an external CSS document, which will be called up just once and then cached (stored) on the user's computer; table layout, stored in each HTML document, must be loaded up each time a new page downloads - With CSS you can control the order items download on to the screen - make the content appear before slow-loading images and your site users will definitely appreciate it Increase in reach The more people you can reach, the more visitors you'll get to your site and the more enquiries or sales you should get. A CSS-based website is compatible with PDAs, mobile phones, in-car browsers and WebTV. Don't underestimate the importance of this: In 2008 alone an estimated 58 million PDAs will be sold (source: http://www.etforecasts.com/pr/pr0603.htm) and one third of the world's population will own a wireless device (source: http://www.clickz.com/stats/markets/wireless/article.php/10094_950001). You can make an additional CSS document specifically for handheld devices, which will be called up in place of the regular CSS document, thereby ensuring your website is accessible to this lucrative market. This isn't possible with a tabular layout. Conclusion: Switch to CSS! Switching your website from a table layout to a CSS layout can be a long, arduous process, especially for large websites. Given the money making possibilities though, it could very well prove to be well worth it. This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone. They offer fantastic accessibility & CSS support packages, which you can read all about at http://www.webcredible.co.uk/support .
MORE RESOURCES:
Web-Development - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Web Content Strategy 101 Your content is what gets you in search engines, speaks to visitors, and ultimately decides the success or failure of your site. Meanwhile, your content has to be updated at least once a month if you want to get return visitors and search engine traffic. How Your Own Website Helps Your Small Business Grow What do you mean, you don't have a website for your small business? Now that the Internet age is well and truly upon us, small business owners who haven't yet realised what a well-designed website could do for their business are getting harder and harder to find. If you're one of them, though, read on to find out how starting your own website could help your small business grow. Get Your Business on the Web I can't think of any business alive today that couldn't benefit from at least a minor presence on the web. Now that I've made that statement, I'm sure someone will point out one. Internet Marketing Website Promotion -The 7 Biggest Mistakes I See People Make With Websites! 1. Many people are not getting good or complete advice. The 5 Biggest Mistakes Almost All Web Designers Make Huge Mistake #1: Creating a Website with Flash -- Did you know in a recent study, top internet marketers discovered that having a website created with Flash, actually DECREASED the response from prospects and customers by as much as three-hundred-and-seventy percent?Here's why: Your prospects and customers are most likely visiting your website using all types of different computers, connection speeds and internet configuration settings.. Successful Commercial Sites Do you make your website just to entertain yourself or do you want it to be a great web store? The fact is more than 80% of websites are trying to sell you something. There is nothing wrong if you want to get some money from the website you made, but remember to put some REALLY interesting information on your pages. The Number 1 Reason Most Websites Fail Failure, just like success, is measured differently by each and every one of us. What one man treats as success another may view as failure. Setting Up Your First Website Q. Hey, Cathy: I'm just setting up a website. Making the Most of Your Website: Start with the Basics One of my most salient memories from when I sold real estate in Oregon for my Dad's company was listing a property where the owners had initially tried to sell it For-Sale-By-Owner with no success. After the listing contract was signed my Dad told them, "Next time put your phone number on your sign. The 2 Most Common Web Site Mistakes When we review the sites of potential clients, there are 2 mistakes we see over and over. If you are having problems with your site, make sure these 2 problems aren't killing you. Warning: The Truth About Having a Web Site! If you don't have a web site yet, are thinking of slapping one up or have one that simply isn't producing, this Warning is for you!All too often folks contact me about getting a Web Site when they really have not done their due diligence in determining even if their "idea" is one worth investing in. And although they hate spam and don't believe most of it, they do tend to fall into believing much of the fast, easy and cheap noise online in existence only to line the pockets of shysters and unscrupulous developers. Making The Business Case For Web Standards Through the explosive growth of the Web, companies have realized the benefit of building a strong online presence. By publishing a website to the Internet, companies are able to build their brand, market their products, support existing customers, release publicity pieces, and even take orders. Make Your Communication Come Alive Design and layout can make your communication come alive and your message immediately apparent. Now, with so much technology at hand, design becomes much easier, but you must develop the ability to plan and visualize what you want to convey. Your Content for Nothing and Your Clicks for Free The first thing my business consultant (read brother-in-law) asked me, when I told him that I wanted to build a website and put AdSense on it was, "Do you want to build a site to help people or to make money?" After thinking about it for a while I couldn't imagine why I shouldn't do both. Why not a website that helps people and generates money for me? My consultant looked at me like I had taken one too many falls off my bike, which he knew I road primarily to save on the cost of gas, but he proceeded forward. How To Write More Powerful Online Text Although there are significant differences among the various types of online communication, there all have one critical thing in common - they're read off a screen. There are substantial benefits, too, in that while your message is on someone's screen usually it has their undivided attention. Making Your Website Shine! Attract and Keep Visitors at Your Site! When you consider the billions of individuals and companies on the net who are attempting to influence visitors with their wares, it is vitally important that your site offers something out of the ordinary. An important fact to remember is that what the site says is far more important than how it looks. How Did You Get Here? When marketing your website, it's important to know which of your efforts are producing results and which of them are a waste of time.You can learn a lot about this by analyzing your website's statistics (assuming your webhost offers this service). PHP Redirect A PHP Redirect automatically transfers a web user from one URL to another. For example, typing foo. Why You Need a Website You hear a great deal about the Internet these days -- that it's revolutionised communication .. Why A Simple Counter is Never Enough for Your Website A simple website stats counter is not enough if you are really interested in finding out information about your traffic. Certainly, a simple web counter will tell you how many people have visited your site, but that is it.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 Webhosting-Service.com - All Rights reserved. - GetWeb Media Webdesign Muenchen |