It’s not the size that counts, it’s what you can do with it! At the risk of igniting a debate over the benefits of being well endowed, I’m using this “little” analogy to illustrate a simple point pertaining to website updates.It’s not the size that counts, it’s what you can do with it! At the risk of igniting a debate over the benefits of being well endowed, I’m using this “little” analogy to illustrate a simple point pertaining to website updates. While you’re boasting about major site upgrades, you may be ignoring little things that can make a big difference.

As you surf the internet on your faster than light DSL or cable connection, you may feel like you’re the king of all you survey. With speeds reaching up to 100% faster than dial-up, the world truly is at your fingertips. However, don’t lose sight of the fact that many people on the internet are still on dial-up. When examining your pages, consider how long it takes those 80K graphics to load in many of your potential customers’ browsers. If the thought of losing business because your pages load too slowly disturbs you, crunch those graphics down a bit. I guarantee you’ll retain traffic longer.

THE FAVICON

Speaking of graphics, from the “how’d they do that” file comes this little gem – creating your very own “favicon.” What, you may ask, is a favicon? Favicons are those cool little symbols many websites have next to their names in the surfer’s browser bar and, after you’ve saved them, in the browser’s “Favorites” or “Bookamrks” menu. They replace the default browser icon. Though many of the big websites like Yahoo! and Google use them, you don’t have to be a major player to have one. They won’t necessarily make you more money, but they will make you stand out from the pack of sites that already clutter many people’s Favorites of Bookamrks menu.

The process of creating your image enhancing “Favorites” icon (hence the term “favicon”) is mind-numbingly simple. You don’t have to be a graphics wiz. Here’s the recipe:

Start by creating a new 16 x 16 image in any graphics program (Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc.). To reduce the file size, try only using 16 colors. Create your image, and then save it as a GIF file. Open it in an icon editor (many are available on the Web), then save it as “favicon.ico” in the root directory of your website. Simple. But it could be simpler, right?

Hop on over to FavIcon.com. They have a free online icon editor that allows you to create your customized favicon file on the spot. If you’re too lazy to do that, however, you can choose one from their library. In addition to being visible in the Favorites or Bookmarks menu and the browser bar, if a surfer saves a shortcut to your site on his or her desktop then your icon will show there too. You, of course, see the benefit of this – by making your site more visible, you increase your chances of getting repeat traffic.

IF YOU PLAY IT THEY WILL LEAVE

One surefire way to lose traffic is background music. Yes, some adult webmasters are still using background music. Aside from obvious load time drawbacks, you must understand that people are only passionate about three things: their religion, their politics, and their music. So chances are any music you choose will offend most people in some way. Couple this with the fact that one is never prepared for it (I’ve heard people yelp in fright when that cheesy music suddenly starts) and you quickly see how your porno hit parade could literally scare people away. Besides, how many more midi versions of Enigma’s “Sadeness” must we endure? So, if you use it, lose it!

PRIVACY STATEMENTS HELP

On a more serious “note” (no pun intended), people have become obsessed with their privacy in today’s political climate. You should address this fear of “Big Brother” and internet scams to your site visitors by offering them a privacy statement. A privacy statement is a declaration to those surfing into your site of what your site contains, what information you gather, and how you use it. You don’t have to know any legal jargon to utilize one of these, and it just might make that visitor more willing to buy. There are a number of free privacy policy generators online. Try the-dma.org for starters.

With minimum effort, your site can be more noticeable and user-friendly to all. So the next time you update, think like a site visitor and your cyber domain will stand out from the rest.

J. Edwards is a veteran adult webmaster.