How you create your web presence depends very much on what your overall aims are, and how much time you have to devote to making your pages - so I am listing a number of options here and you can choose whichever one suits you:
For those starting from scratch, wanting a website they can make themselves, but not wishing to learn how to draft HTML, I have found a really good resource that not only enables you to put up professional-looking pages very fast - with forms and popups you create and integrate with a simple point-and-click interface, but also provides you with a raft of tools to help you promote, including an Autoresponder:
Home Biz How-To On Page Design by Patricia Howitt
For those starting from scratch and wanting to learn how to draft HTML
and put together webpages:
Page Tutor by Joe Barta
HTML Tutorials
by John C Gilson
How To Create A WebPage
Sharky's Netscape Frames Tutorials
by Charlton Rose
Sharky's Javascript Answers
by Charlton Rose
Framing the Web
by Dan Brown
Incidentally, don't feel underpriveleged if you don't have, or can't afford, the latest webdesign
software that the pros may use.
I started out in 1996 with very little money and decided I was not going to spend out on getting a website made. I taught myself HTML and I cannot count the number of professional-looking sites I have designed. Although I recently acquired the industry standard software for "webdesign", I have a cut over many designers because I can write HTML from scratch - and that's actually what I prefer to do.
You cannot beat learning how to draft your own HTML
if you are serious about being on the web. The fancy design software is great but it isn't
essential and if you you do end up using it and don't understand what it's doing behind the
scenes, it can trip you up big time. And what do you do if your chosen toy isn't working today??
Knowing HTML is essential to help you achieve exactly what you want. So GO TO IT !
Here is a useful little tool that will create the HTML code for basic buttons for you. This is nothing fancy, but it saves time in producing "Windows"-type buttons on the fly:
Auto Hyperlink Button-Maker.
When the time comes that you want to put forms on your webpages to
gather information from your visitors here are some options:
Home Biz How-To On Page Design by Patricia Howitt
Form Tutor by Joe Barta
Freedback
Bravenet
Joe Barta's Tutorials will teach you how to create your own forms.
Both Freedback
and Bravenet help you create your forms via your browser on their site, and the HTML is emailed
to you for putting in your page. When a visitor uses your form, their feedback is sent to you by email. There are no Autoresponders with Freedback and Bravenet.
The list of goodies available at Bravenet
includes message boards (forums), guestbooks, live java chat, password protection, hit counters, site search
engine, free-for-all links, classifieds and greeting card hosting. Check it out
Here.
For the very best in Free Stat Counters click HERE.
Here's a nifty gadget for creating Illuminated Page Headers:
Xara Webgraphics and Instant 3D Text Generator
For free graphics check out our page:
FREE Graphics Links
