The BBC has an article on changes in web site usage as described by user interface guru Jakob Nielsen.  Interesting statistics on how online users are bypassing web site home pages and going directly to pages deep inside the website.  This is due to the increased use of search engines.  Key quote:

"In 2004, about 40% of people visited a homepage and then drilled down to where they wanted to go and 60% use a deep link that took them directly to a page or destination inside a site. In 2008, said Dr Nielsen, only 25% of people travel via a homepage. The rest search and get straight there. "Basically search engines rule the web," he said.

When we ask small businesses about their websites the focus is clearly on the homepage and driving traffic to the homepage.  As these stats point out, the rest of the site is increasingly important and also the first stop for many online users.


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