Better Looking Websites

Like a lot of people, I have been building what I consider to be asthetically pleasing websites. The more I work at it, the more ideas I get on improving my tactics. A lot of sites on the web are obviously geared towards commercialization and are nothing more than link farms. Some of them appear to be made with some really cheezy html tool like front page or worse yet, notepad. Now don't get me wrong, I understand that it takes some talent to be an HTML guru, but there are easier ways to build a nice website that actually gets legitmate, natural traffic. The subject of traffic should be left to a later blog...
So, back to ugly websites, as I have been working on building a halloween website, I found a nice looking site here -> http://halloween .whipnet.net. This site is not overdone with a lot of flashy, distracting graphics, nor is it over laden with false links to what appear to be interesting sites, only to find that you are taken (in) to some bsornot site. These other sites can, and generally are only sites that at first appear to be another search engine, yet all the links are to additional commercial sites. Some of these so-called search engines are nothing but link farms and, entering a search with no keywords or search terms results in even more links to commercial sites. But, I digress yet again... Ugly websites.... With the proliferation of HTML software and DSL for everyone, comes responsibility - I say that laughingly because as you may know, you can and will find almost anything on the web if you look long enough or in the right places. I suppose that the biggest source of these ugly websites would be from people building personal pages that can be hosted nearly anywhere, these so-called websites then link themselves to other ugly websites and the circle is re-invented on a daily basis.
So you may ask; What if I only have front page for creating a website and therefore may be limited on what I can do towards building an attractive website? ( No, this is not a link towards selling you, the reader anything .) Like I mentioned earlier, if you look long enough, and in the right places, you can find anything - such as a trial version of a real HTML program and even a means of getting that application to be a full version. I am not suggesting anything illegal, just that there are ways to get things done if you really want them.
To continue with my venture on finding creative ideas in building an asthetically pleasing website, I have found several examples of both good and bad looking websites - way to many to list, but you can find them on most any search engine - be aware, all search engines are not created equally and will not always list the same results on the same search terms ( see getting natural traffic ).
One Billion Web Users Need Better Websites

By: Jason Lee Miller
December 2005
Some time this year, the number of Internet users reached one billion. Billion with a "b." If you count to one billion at one number per second, it would take you over 31 years to finish. It has taken the Internet 36 years to count that high, says web usability expert and former Sun Microsystems engineer Dr. Jakob Nielsen. The next 10 years will bring the second billion, growing at an annual rate of 18 percent, and will include unprecedented numbers from Asia and senior citizens-and that has huge implications in e-commerce.

Statistically, says Nielsen, the one billionth online user was a 24-year-old woman in Shanghai. Only 23 percent come from North America, leaving 24 percent in Europe and 36 percent in Asia. By 2015, though accounting for nearly one-third of e-commerce, North Americans will consist of only 15 percent of Internet users.

"This means that for e-commerce to fulfill its potential to double, sites must be more systematic at following the e-commerce usability guidelines. Selling to the 200 million early adopters was easy. The 800 million mainstream users who are now starting to shop need much smoother sites; the next billion will require even higher usability levels," writes Nielsen.
Visit Olemedia and see some great looking websites!