stever - 10:50 am on Jun 7, 2002 (gmt 0)

What did I wish I was aware of?

Useability - and by this I don't mean the useability gurus. What would make someone look at my site and think "urrggh". For example, spinning gifs, java applets, .js fades and blends, mouse trails and all the other things that beginners are attracted by (I still have the water reflection download somewhere on my hard drive).

Templates, library items (for those using WYSIWYG) or includes. Mega timesaving down the line.

Integrating SEO at the earliest stage possible. How many people (the majority of website designers?) still think it is enough to spam a couple of meta tags? Not to link willy-nilly.

Above all, the importance of content (proper content, not just SE content) and the blending of design, technique, content and marketing. Too many sales, graphics or tech specialists out there - but the people come to a site for its content and return because of what they see or what they read.