If a website has an interest or topic you want to read about what main elements would make you go to one website over another? Examples: Popularity, Design, Load Time, Flash Animation, Design, Lots of link, Accessibility, Easy reading, Good Layout, Paypal, Efficient Contact information if needed, jobs, physical location, found through Google or another search engine.
Content is what I find the most important.And also that its rightly updated.I happened to discover this site today- downes.ca (to site an example), and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Its a personal website of course and I found it one of the best ever.
I don't find flash very impressive unless its absolutely necessary.
Useful outbound links are also desirable.Page rank or any other rank is the least important in any case.Load time yes -it needs to bearable.
Contact info is very handy all the time.I prefer optimal use of colorsOn the official BBC site (after it got redesigned last year) we can "change" the color -one feature which serves hardly any purpose.
Hope this helps!