How to Create a Useful, Popular Website

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In this free email course, I'll tell you everything I know about setting up your website and placing it highly in the search engines. Everything I tell you will also be free. You'll spend some time, but you won't spend your money.

Your two goals, useful and popular, are related. Search engines can bring you a lot of first-time users, but quality will keep them coming back.

How technical will I get?

Well, you have two choices. Learn HTML, or use some free software that lets you create a site without learning HTML.

If you choose the latter option, writing the site isn't much different than creating a Power Point presentation or a word processor document.

I'll address both options. Pluses, minuses, how-to. So whether you're a computer geek like me or a technophobe like most of my family, I'll tell you how it's done.

So don't let the possibility of technical language stop you.

** GETTING STARTED **

First, decide what you want on your site. I do this with pen and paper. What menu options, what graphics, what sounds (if any). How much stuff to put on each page, because I want each page to be "the right size."

Every graphic (including your background) and every sound takes time to load when someone visits your site. Text (including links) is fast. No page should be larger than 64 Kb, and that size means HTML plus graphics, sounds, etc.

I always try to strike a balance between speed and appearance. If it isn't necessary, it probably shouldn't be there. Only you know what "necessary" means.

I also draw a "flow chart" for navigation, and refer to it as I plan and again as I create. If it looks way too complicated when it's done, I'll create a special page called "Site Map" to help users navigate the site.

Next: In my case... >>
 

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