Is There A “Best” Web Design Program

July 28, 2008 at 8:01 am · Filed under Web_Design

Any aspiring web designer seeking help from a forum about the “best” web design software will immediately be greeted by two very different responses. One will either be told to use a large, expensive, purpose-built design program such as Dreamweaver or to use something they most likely already have- Notepad. These are very disparate responses, and this article will explore some of the general reasons this rift occurred.

The Two Sides
“Dreamweaver” and “Notepad” are the classic examples usually provided, though they are not exhaustive. The central conflict is generally between those who advocate the use of “WYSIWYG” programs and “text editors”. WYSIWYG is an only slightly more efficient way to say “What You See Is What You Get.” WYSIWYG programs employ a user interface designed to provide an accurate or nearly accurate preview of the end output while the content is being created. WYSIWYG web design programs endeavor to allow a user to edit their site information as it might appear in a browser when published to the web.

“Text editors” are simply that, small programs designed to edit text documents, of which most web pages are actually built on a “nuts and bolts” level. Very briefly, the web pages seen in a browser are simply lines of text with “markup,” the “M” in “HTML.” Markup is the series of tags that tell the browser what the document is, how to order it, and in many cases, how to display it. In order to edit a web page using a text editor, one has to know HTML. This is where the 2 web design camps diverge. WYSIWYG programs are basically designed to bring editing to those who do not know HTML.

“Controversy”
Many web designers take the view that one must learn HTML in order to design, and that WYSIWYG programs are, to quote a few common complaints, bloated, unnecessary, and produce poor code. Using Notepad, or any of a similar crop of basic text editing programs, seems to be a kind of “street cred” among those designers that value this knowledge. Although the ever increasing feature set (”bloat”) of many WYSIWYG programs cannot be denied, I found having more tools available is generally not a bad thing. Further, anyone who levels the “bad code” charge has probably not used modern WYSIWYG programs like Dreamweaver 8. In the past there have been WYSIWYG programs guilty of producing very bad code, FrontPage, for instance, but this is mostly a relic.

Novices are welcome to ignore these weak arguments and find a WYSIWYG program with which they are comfortable. One of the key benefits of a good WYSIWYG program is the ability to learn the code while using the program. Making changes in a “preview” mode and watching how the underlying code changes is a useful way to discover HTML. As a designer who started out using Notepad, I moved on to Dreamweaver for another important reason, convenience. Knowing the underlying code, I was able to quickly make changes in the “design” mode with a good knowledge of what those changes did to the code. I could also work in the “code” mode and see what the results might look like without having to upload them or preview in a browser. Most modern WYSIWYG design programs have strong underlying code editing systems, providing those who wish to use them with a “Notepad” like experience should they wish to use it. Modern WYSIWYG design programs also provide additional convenience of site management, re-useable code, custom templates, and a personal favorite of mine, spell check.

Conclusions
Don’t be shamed into trying to learn HTML via a text editor if that’s not right for you. Web design is a learning process and WYSIWYG software can provide an excellent learning platform. The only thing to be afraid of is, perhaps, the price tag of most WYSIWYG software. Notepad and similar text editors are certainly economical. There is some “middle ground” in the debate. Some “advanced” text editors do exist that are built with web design in mind and provide some basic luxuries. There is also a wide variety of online site builders that automate the design process beyond even that capable by expensive WYSIWYG software. There is no “best” web design program, only the best program for an individual designer.

Mr. Lester has served for 4 years as the webmaster for ApolloHosting.com and previously worked in the IT industry an additional 5 years, acquiring knowledge of hosting, design, and search engine optimization. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting, ecommerce hosting, vps hosting, and web design services to a wide range of customers. Established in 1999, Apollo prides itself on the highest levels of customer support.

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The Newbie’s Guide to Small Business Web Design

July 27, 2008 at 3:08 am · Filed under Web_Design

You’ve got a concept for a business, are excited about putting it out on the Internet, know a little bit about computers and the Internet, but know nothing about building a web site, or web design.

You can still be highly successful and save money by doing the job yourself so long as you’ve got the willingness to learn and the time to spend on the project. It can be fun and it should be.

The contents of this article will greatly improve your knowledge of web design without causing you to feel overwhelmed. Keep this article as a reference point, check off each part as you go through the process of development, and, in due time, you will have an effective web site for marketing the information, product, or service you wish to provide to your customers.

Domain Name

Keep it short and relevant to your business. Do not get frustrated trying to lock down a domain name by settling on anything to get you web space. You will soon realize that every word on your web site has relevancy to its success. Register for no less than two years. Serious businesses don’t renew yearly. You have to show that you’re going to be sticking around.

Web Hosting

Don’t mess around with small time web hosting. Affiliate yourself with a reputable company that provides top-notch service, as the rewards with regards to security and support are worth the extra dollar.

Web Site Construction

The basis by which people choose to build their web site is at their discretion. Microsoft FrontPage is a worthy choice for those of you who are new to web development and starting from scratch. Instead of reading books to learn about web design and development, you may be much better off using Google, MSN, or Yahoo to find the answers to your questions. Use “quotations” around your question in a search bar to get more specific answers.

Layout

Building your web site on a template is a fine way to start, but you may want to learn how to build from nothing. The mistakes that you may make along the way will prove invaluable. It is strongly recommended that you go with Tables instead of Frames, and if you don’t have a clue what either means, just do a little reading about the two on the Internet before you start building.

Resolution

It would be a safe bet to keep your web site at no more than 750 pixels wide, regardless of the fact that more and more people are going to 1024×768. If your site is geared towards older folk, then you can count on the majority being at 800×600 for easier reading. You don’t want to alienate your visitors by having them scroll to see the whole page. Be sure to check that your web site pages show up the same in all browsers.

The Intro

Never ever put “Under Construction” or any other type of phrase that says that you are incomplete on your web site. Your site is young it is never incomplete. Try to refrain from saying “Welcome to “. You should think of your web space as being real estate. The space you use up with unnecessary text is a waste of advertising.

The Text

Keywords, their place on a web page, whether they are bolded or not, and the number of times each word appears on a web page are factors that determine how high you end up in search results.

HTML Tags

Before I say anything further, don’t get freaked out by HTML code. It not as hard as it looks. Again, do a little reading on the Internet this time about Meta Tags and Keywords. You will have to make sure that your Title, Description, and Keyword Meta Tags are bang on with the text on each web page you build. You can use many free Tag Analyzers found on the Internet to check relevancies.

Graphics

Graphics increase load time and looks. There’s a fine line between too little and too much. Use customers, not friends and family to gauge what is appropriate for the way your web site will look.

Random Tips

You may need to read a little to learn how to implement some of these tips, but nonetheless, they are here for your consideration to improve the placement of your web site in search results:

1) Make sure your TITLE is right below the HEAD in the HTML code. 2)Use one or two keywords in an ALT Tag to describe your images. 3) Get links pointing at you from sites sharing similar content.

Austin Culley is the Chief Operating Officer for Oil-Net.Com Inc.
http://www.oil-net.com

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Small Business Web Design - How to Make Your Business Appear Larger Than Life

July 26, 2008 at 6:04 pm · Filed under Web_Design

In a world where things are never quite what they appear to be, the internet has proven to be a very mysterious place. Large and powerful corporations like Microsoft, Apple, and Google are running the show, but their websites are surprisingly easy to imitate by any freelance artist for any teeny-tiny business owner. How is this, you ask? The web is an easy place to look larger than you really are. This is especially true for businesses around the globe. It is more simple than one might think to impersonate a company that has over 10,000 employees, even if you are a “mom and pop” shop based in the middle of nowhere-Kentucky.

For example, we have an aspiring musician. We take his or her website and make it completely stunning, along with a biography narrated in the second-person writing style. We take a few high-quality photographs of the musician, and add some embedded music, and flashy website affects. This web page automatically makes this musician seem like the up and coming celebrity, even though they’ve barely just begun their career out of their small home town. If you added a contact email address directed to the musician’s “agent”, (even if they don’t have one), it makes them seem like they are even a bit harder to attain for an act. The website radiates with brilliance, all directed at the musician. Such praise and hoopla over any one person is sure to make them seem larger than they really are, if you do your research.

If you know where you are going with your professional presence, you too, can have a website that makes your business, band, artistry, or venture seem larger than life. There are five essential steps to consider before even thinking of calling up a web designer or programmer to start your significant project.

1. Research Your Competition. - I cannot stress this enough. If you are a small online store selling designer handbags and purses, you will want to do your research on the big boys of the handbag and purse business. Not sure who they are? Take a look at Google and Yahoo, and you’ll know right away who your competition is. Size them up, because this is where you want to be ten steps ahead of! Take notes for your web designer or development team.

2. Perfect Your Professional Image- If you don’t have a logo, or you don’t have one that you are happy with; now is the time to fine-tune every element of who your business is. Thinking along the lines of who your biggest competition is, decide the best direction of your professional presence. Remember, if you are going to play ball with the big boys, you must be prepared to think like them!

3. Don’t Look for the Cheapest Web Designer- Good Web Design isn’t the cheapest you can find. This will NOT help your professional image, and almost always leads to disappointment and wasted money. When it comes to professional web design, you really DO get what you pay for. Look for someone who has a unique and very intelligent outlook on the internet and what is hot in it today. Be ready and willing to spend a good amount of money to get the job done right the first time around.

4. Don’t be Intimidated- If you are look at your larger competitor’s websites and feeling the urge to cry or give-up, don’t do it! The reason most people start small businesses, is because they want to grow into larger and more prosperous entities down the line. Prepare yourself mentally, and get yourself into the mindset that you already own a large and efficient business that makes over a million dollars a year. This leads us into our final step.

5. Prepare for Growth- I have witnessed many small business owners who decide to revamp their websites to make themselves look larger and more cutting-edge. About 90% of the time, this leads to tremendous growth for their businesses. By looking larger, they essentially pave the way to actually becoming a larger business or venture. This is the most important step, because you must tie in the “What if” factors. Like, “What if we exceed our sales, will we have more product inventory readily accessible?” This step is so crucial to actually succeeding, and not just having a prettier website in vain.

Remember that actually succeeding is something that is solely up to the business owner. However, finding the right development team also is critical in this type of growth. There are also small things you can do to make your appearance seem larger. You can obtain a toll-free “800″ phone number, if you receive a large volume of calls. This usually indicates a large or quickly growing business. It is also wise to make sure that you own a “.com” domain name that indicates your business name somewhere in it. You should have an email address at this business domain such as, “sales@yourbusinessname.com” It is also wise to have a few email addresses that pertain to each issue, like sales, tech support, information, and any other relevant services that integrate into your business structure.

Terra Andersen is a veteran web designer and programmer who specializes in fresh and innovative ideas for up and coming businesses and ventures. She is the owner and lead designer/consultant at her firm, Digital Smash Media. http://www.digitalsmash1.com
A designer since the tender age of 13, she has seen the changes and evolution of the internet through the eyes of a child, a teen, and now as an adult.

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