first few things you notice in a web site
pasbesoin: The rare site that does a good job with its typography is well worth study/emulation.  Not just font, typeface, but leading (interline spacing) and column width for example.Also, editorial composition.  All the design in the world won't hold me in place if I have to scale a "wall of text" (particularly enormous paragraphs without any visual landmarks).I see site design as a means to an end.  If you focus primarily on the means, you're doing it wrong.  Well, it may be fine for you, and I don't begrudge you that.  But you are doing it wrong for me.If enough people feel that way, you won't have much traffic.  If traffic is a goal, well then, there you go.