We've all seen them out there and most of us have even created one or two of them in the past. We shudder to think about it, but even I hold a couple of skeletons in my closet. Well, a few more than a couple, but we won't go into that. It's what is known as the amateur website.

Here is a list that I've put together in hopes of helping you to avoid making the same mistakes on your website. Well, unless of course you are making a website to demonstrate what not to do. If that is the case, then by all means, use as many of these suggestions as you want!

1. The entire page is centered. People are taught to read from left to right, right to left, or top to bottom. No one was ever taught to read from the center. So don't make us!
2. Badly optimized gifs. Small image sizes are important when loading a website, but there is a right way and a wrong way to optimize the picture. If we have to squint and/or guess at what the picture is, you are choosing the wrong way.
3. Lots of animated gifs. Animated gifs can be fun, but if we have to see more than one at a time it can be very distracting. Now do you really want to distract your visitors from reading your information?
4. Irritating background music. Everyone has a different opinion as to what constitutes good music. Chances are, what you think is good, the majority of your visitors won't. If music is an absolute must, do not keep repeating it, and give us an option to shut it off.
5. Background graphics which make reading hard. You did write the content to be read by someone, right? Why discourage people from doing so? If I have to highlight all the words on the page to read them, then something's clearly not right.
6. Construction notices. Are you to have me believe that the internet isn't always being updated and changed around? Isn't that half the point? If your site is no longer under construction, then it aught to be just don't tell us about it.
7. Badly used frames. First, frames are ugly. Second, most people don't know how to code them. When I click on a link, I don't want the next page to load in the navigation bar. Third, frames are ugly.
8. Hidden or no navigation. If I have to search for ways to navigate around your site, I'm going to get frustrated. Do you really want to frustrate your visitors? Broken links fall into this category as well. If they don't work, don't leave them up there.
9. Too large or small font size. If the font size takes away from the readability of the page, then change it to something more user friendly. If you can't read the content at all, then what was the point of the page?
10. Bad spelling or grammar. Spell checkers were invented for a reason. Use them, but don't rely solely on them. Even they make mistakes.