Websites have certainly come a long way in a short time as a relatively inexpensive means of staking a public presence, which can be updated as frequently as you have time on your's or your designer's PC.
But with this accessibility comes the challenge of not being dazzled by the technology into sacrificing data for design overkill.
Purpose.
You should be clear from the outset how and who your site is to serve. Is its primary aim to sell products and/or services, spread specialist news to enthusiasts, or provide a forum for understanding? If more than one function, try to logically delineate uses into distinct sections to help match use to users.
Initial appeal.
While first impressions count, try not to be seduced into focusing the bulk of your effort on your welcome page as even the most clever intro will only hold interest for a few encounters, especially newfangled novelty applications that age at light speed. By the same token, don't simply bombard the casual visitor with stacks of info at entry.
Design.
The basic rule is keep it tidy so the design enhances content, rather than submerging it under clutter. Ultimately, the style should enhance the content but drawing attention to crucial parts, helping to break up large clumps of copy, and visualising core information by either capturing the qualitative sense of a passage, or graphically interpreting quantifiable info.
Content.
In seeking out material for you site, it's useful to start by asking yourself a few questions, like: Is the info hard to find or not available elsewhere? Is it legally available to use and free of copyright? Should it be freely accessible of charged for through a modest subscription? Is it relevant to its intended readership? Can it be easily updated?
Immediacy.
The web is to print media, what TV news was to Movietone reels. The web really comes into its own by being able to make new info instantly available. This is primarily what keeps visitors coming back. So keep the new stuff up front and create archives or other forms of resource sections for older material. Oh, and label info with a date and any other relevant citation which will encourage serious visitors to use the info.
Navigation.
The first thing you should do when starting a website is to draw yourself a map. This just needs to be a simple organisation chart showing where info is kept and how it is linked. Make sure at this stage that it will be logically set out. Try to build in a few quick direct links to core spots too (like the Home page) so visitors don't have to go around the world to get where they want.
Interactivity.
Much of the Internet, and IT technology for that matter, grew out of game playing. But even on the most basic level, the really engaging aspect of the web is its ability to allow visitors to read in a non-linear fashion and respond directly. A link to a feedback form at the base of every web page is a good way to start.
Downloading.
Nothing annoys people more than the worldwide wait while the megabytes squeeze through the phone line. One way to assist is by making available the same content of different sized files, 50-300Kb for the PC screen, 1Mb and beyond for printing. Where possible, make content available in live streaming form.
Links.
The net, any network, is useless without links. Most visitors come to your site via links, so make sure yours is well connected. Contact all the major search engines in writing with the keywords that define you site. Email complimentary sites to request if they'd like theirs on yours for yours on theirs. Seek out and register your site with relevant online directories.
Access.
Once the preserve of academics and cipher spooks the Internet is for everyone these days and this is one of the medium's great appeals. So think very careful before including any form of registration. While hypertext language makes it easy to track visitor movements, adding cumbersome forms to fill will usually give the impression that you're trying to sell something.