Welcome to Gaia! ::

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Okay, so. Here are some things that I wish somebody told me when I was starting out!

1. Don't block yourself in - literally. Using blocks for the links only limits your creativity. Just let the text be - try to get a focal and put the text around it.

2. Work on visibility! It looks like you've got to dark layers of text plus the halftone dots in the background, which makes it a strain on the eyes. If you're going to do two layers of text, make one a contrasting color, like black and white or navy and baby blue.

3. Add more! This goes for anything you make. On that image map you've got text, rectangles, and halftone dots. Hit up a graphics forum (I personally frequent GI but it tends to be a bit of a sausage fest, with lots of arguing) for some tutorials on things like clipping masks, adjustment layers, smudging techniques... the possibilities are endless, and putting in more effects makes anything much more visually interesting and makes viewers more likely to click. Of course, you can't overdo it - there's a pretty thin line between boring and cluttered.

4. Color, color, colorrrrrrr. I see... 5, maybe 6 colors? And a completely monochromatic scheme. Try browsing a site like Colour Lovers to get a feel for some good color schemes. Using more than one base color and its shades/tints can help brighten it up and make it more interesting. Or, if you want, color can be used to add depth and flow.

5. Lastly, expand your horizons. Practice! Don't just make image maps - make sigs, icons, banners!

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Here are a few tips from me:
1. Try to follow the rule of thirds. Placing your focal/s on the "third lines" will help them stand out more. Even if you can't place them on the intersections due to space restrictions, you can try to keep important parts on the line.
2. Try not to have your background collide with your focals. In the second image, it looked almost like the dots were on top of the boxes (were they?). If you can't just move the boxes over the dots, here's a trick I use to get around it. Select the layer with the dots. Add a layer mask (layer-->add layer mask-->reveal all). Ctrl+click on the box layer to select the area with the boxes. Finally paint over your layer mask with a black brush 100% opacity and it will be the equivalent of having placed the layer behind the boxes.
3. Try not to use watermarked images. Every time I see them, I always wonder whether the poster had the permission of the original artist to use the image...
4. Experiment with lighting effects and blending. Depth isn't usually necessary in sigmaps but adding some lighting effects and blending your focals well can really make a difference.
5. Play around when you're not working on a job. About 98% of what I learned in photoshop came from experience and trial and error. I've looked at but one tutorial and have had no one to really teach me. Through simple experimentation and trying different techniques I got to where I'm at today.