Optimize all gifs to the max... (reduce bytes to at least a quality of 20 for jpegs ) anis should be under 15 kbs..and only one if it's that heavy..

use height and width attributions on every gif, and since I embed I also use a width attribution of 400 on that embed because I place it in a table.. also if you use the hxw attributes before the image name..it will load faster (at least IMO)... it also allows your text message to load even if your byte heavy gif hasn't yet. Example:
<img height=""width=""src="URL">

use very few gifs.. I keep to 3 gifs per sig...unless it's for a contest then I might use up to 5..

keep animations to a minimum... animations are very byte heavy.. I prefer taking an ani and reducing it to one or two colors..and then stretch it out sometimes to make geometric looks..even using a 36x36 gif and using table attributes to make it 10x300...
Example


or

I use tables to place anis over backgrounds rather than make an ani at IM.. much less bytes that way..and both images can be used in different combinations. One caveat, though...like audioscopes...tabled anis over a background image (not a bgcolor) can only be seen by webtv!

Embedding a sig can cause javascript failure (the old 'webtv bug')

the fewer bytes to a sig the quicker it loads

check and double check your coding for mistakes..

using tables stops anis from "ghosting".

when using the same gif in a sig more than once use a "?" after the second time like this my.gif my.gif? ... this helps with ghosting too.

use contrasting colors for text and background. Many people on webtv have vision trouble...don't make it harder for them to read what you have to say.

very few background tiles allow for easy reading...use a fade effect on them so colored text shows better.

Don't hotlink! Hotlinking is using the URL of a gif, jpg or midi that isn't in your own storage space. The exception to this rule is if the siteowner specifically says "you may link". Otherwise you are stealing bandwidth ..which can cause the siteowner to have to pay extra for you to use that bandwidth..and if too much bandwidth is used..(s)he may lose hir site.

Use clickable music...waiting for a midi to load slows a sig way down! Plus not everyone likes the same music :-) A simple <a href="Url of midi"> with a text link makes a huge difference!

Here's one of my favorite sigs...classy..quick loading..and has links to places I like to go!

BluGoldSig

I hope some of these tips help you make speedy and pretty sigs and websites. Afterall..a sig is just a mini-website..or is it a website is a maxi-sig?? :-) I have other tutes you might enjoy as well..follow the links below and enjoy!