The web is a big place. As such, it's easy to find someone who will tell you your head cold is actually a rare strain of Egyptian flu unleashed by an archeologist who mishandled a recent find. You are still the judge - but we're here to shed some light on some common misconceptions about websites and the web.

Fact - Some websites actually scare search engines away.

Everyone wants to be #1 on Google and for good reason - results on the first page consume an estimated 80% of the traffic.

Search engines like Google and Yahoo have sophisticated technology that allows them to scour the web (including your site) monthly, weekly, or even daily. They log what they find, analyze it, and the results determine your ranking. There are very specific things these search engines look for and like to see. If you don't have it, you're invisible to them.

Many web designers are great artists, but know nothing about what search engines like. Worse, bad layout or "behind-the-scenes" elements of your site can cause search engines to give up on you altogether and never come back. Luckily for you, all LimeDot site are search-engine-friendly!

Myth - Putting a new website online will automatically make it appear in Google.

Search engines pick and choose who they list using advanced algorithms.

The majority of new sites will probably eventually end up in Google. However, they will mostly be many pages deep in the results behind hundreds of other websites. There are various strategies, however, that can be employed after a site is launched to boost ranking and boost traffic. All LimeDot sites are search-engine-friendly, so you'll already have a head-start.

Fact - Some websites can scare surfers away.

Many extensive studies done on web surfing have concluded that a surfer "sizes up" a website in 6 seconds.

Then, they make the decision on whether to stay or go. Many site owners are "close" to their website so don't allow themselves to look at it subjectively. What they think is a stellar design and layout may actually be getting "thumbs down" from a majority of surfers. A good example is Flash sites - they were all the rage - but people just didn't have the patience to try to figure them out.

People don't just come to a website. They must be driven there. And this traffic acquisition takes time and money. Once you've paid that price and reach the moment of truth when a surfer arrives for the first time - don't scare them away. Experienced website designers know exactly what works - from colors to layout, and from styles to design. A LimeDot-designed website will invite your customer in for a stay. Then, you'll monopolize on your hard-earned traffic.

Myth - "If you build it, they will come."

A new corner business will peak curiosity as people drive by, and they'll probably stop in to see what it's all about.

But online, there are millions and millions of websites, and no one knows your site exists unless you tell them. So they odds that they'll just find you is about one-in-three-hundred million. You'll certainly take all usual steps like listing your web address on all your business cards and letterhead, and will even use it in any print advertising you might do. If you're using the site to support existing business, you can personally direct clients to it. It's a good thing LimeDot-built website are search-engine friendly!

But for most businesses, the goal is to gain new business. So you must employ traffic-building techniques like targeted traffic packages or search engine optimization to funnel traffic your way.

Myth - Do-It-Yourself Websites are an affordable entry-level option.

If you really worked at it, you could probably build a vehicle out of old lawnmower parts that would get you from point A to point B. But in the long run, you'd realize why buying a car is the better way to go.



Do-It-Yourself website building tools are inexpensive to start - but the costs quickly add up. They are difficult to use and require significant time on your part to even get the most basic website online. What is your time worth? And since they are so limited (and constrain elements you can edit), even the best finished product pales in comparison to a custom design. Now, you must advertise your home-built website - a site which will be directly compared to your competition's. More than half of our business is in the redesign of websites for situations just like this. Doing it right the first time saves time and money and will leave you with a product that will entrance surfers - not repell them..