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Still a big problem faced by web users today is slow download. With the majority of the country still accessing the web via a dial up connection, it's important that your web pages are designed and kept lean, mean and clean. Here are a few tips to help you keep your site super slim:

Page Length

Keep your average web page no more than two screens in length.

Graphic and Images

• Optimize and compress all images, including animation
• Reduce the dimensions (height and width) of images
• Reuse graphics. This will reduce load time since the image is only downloaded from the server once and then pulled from cache each additional time it is displayed on the site
• Preloading images is a good way to insure the smooth mouseover effects.

Clean up your HTML

• If you use a visual HTML editor, remove any nonessential code
• Remove unnecessary comments
• Minimize the size of the HEAD section - keep keywords relevant.

Tables and Frames

• Avoid using nested tables - use rows and columns instead
• If you use a framed site, then make sure that each frame in the frameset is small and loads quickly.

Scripting

• Avoid using Java applets as they take quite some time to load
• Evaluate all scripts and remove any that are unnecessary for functionality and any feature that could be just as easily accomplished with HTML
• Whenever possible, delay script loads until after the page loads
• Evaluate the use of audio and multimedia and eliminate whenever possible
• Optimize Flash
• Evaluate the speed and necessity of banner or news feeds
• Either eliminate the wait or make your pages worth it.

Avoid "Splash" Pages

A splash page is just an extra click (and extra time) that a user endures to get to the information you offer. If you really want a splash page, then make it a visually appealing, while at the same time interesting and fast loading.

Flash and Preloaders

• Use a progress bar - let the user know how close they are to seeing your page
• Design - if your website uses a particular theme, utilize a version of the same in your preloader
• Color and Font - similar color and font choices tie things together
• Sound - sound files must be very small in order to keep things simple
• Preload sound quality low, saving higher quality for later. Use tiny files; convert stereo to mono.

When these tips DO NOT apply

There are always exceptions and only the site developer will know when these should be applied. Large files (images, technical documentation) are acceptable if the user has requested this information, and are aware that there may be delay. New visitors should never be made to wait for information that may not be important to them.

And Finally...

As owner or designer of your website, you know more than anyone does how important content is for your audience. You should know about your target audience and the way they access your site. With this information you will be able to make judgments about individual pages, and create a site that will suit yourself and your site user.