In 100 years, we're all going to look back on this period we're living through right now and laugh. It will seem startling that we survived this technological infancy that we find ourselves in. Websites today will be in the Smithsonian next to the first printing press and the first television. Even the most respected voices in online technology are still learning the very basics of how we, as a species, communicate through web sites. We take bits and pieces from successful ones and then try to duplicate that success with additional innovations. If you could zoom out from the Internet, it would likely look like a giant stack of Jenga blocks wobbling too and fro. Let's take a closer look at some common websites mistakes and how you can avoid them.

Short attention span theatre

If there is one truth about the Internet, it is that the average web browser has the shortest attention span ever recorded. This means that you have a second, possibly two, to capture the attention of someone who stumbles upon your companies webpage. There are several things you can do to capture a person's attention, but the most important thing to remember is that it is impossible to capture everyone's. If you can get one out of every 20 people who click onto your webpage to stick around and do some exploring, you are way ahead of the field. Think of it as people strolling past your store front window on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. No matter how good your product is, you can't bring in everyone. You do, however, want to capitalize on those that venture inside.

The Internet is powered by content

There is a reason why websites like ESPN.com, CNN.com and similar sites constantly change their front page stories. It isn't because new and exciting news has broken and continues to break throughout the day; it is the idea of something new being available for consumption. No matter what your website sells or does, you must provide a new reason for people to visit as frequently as possible. It doesn't matter if you are showcasing new sales, blogging about the impact of your product or service or simply changing up the look of your page, if you don't give the public a reason to keep you in mind, they won't.

Don't overdo it

Most new pages that attempt to make a big splash on the Internet do so by attempting to cram as much new technology, streaming video, audio, Java applets and everything else to create an online experience you won't forget. While the initial hurdle of having too slow a connection for any of that technology to work has been largely overcome, not everyone needs to multitask and do a dozen things at once. Yes, having bells and whistles can be a good way to attract users initially, but there has to be content and relevance to back up the flash. Even video game websites have blogs that talk about the video game industry and lists of products and services users can buy.