The Building of a.... BETTER WEB SITE

Here is some samples of what you will learn......

Part I: Getting Started

Thomas Prendergast has been pursuing the quest of building a better Web site for years. Thomas Prendergast is sure you wish to learn to do the same. For starters, you’ve probably visited a lot of other sites. So you already have some general ideas about what you want to communicate with your own site and an understanding of how it will be used. As you’ll see in just a minute, understanding your site’s goals and objectives is vitally important to its success.

But it’s also important to realize that you don’t have to spend a fortune or invest a tremendous amount of time to find great resources to help you build your site! You can find outside services for additional help, like hosting, in the Appendix A: Resources so you can have your site up and running quickly and without the hassle of conducting a search for a Web site design firm.
So read on: This guide provides you with a wealth of strategic, practical information that will help
you make your decisions and then make the most of your own Web site.

1. How Do I Get Started?

What’s the order of events here? How do you go from an interesting idea to a full-fledged winning Web site? Here’s a quick rundown of what’s involved in the planning and execution of your Web site and how this guide will help. Each step is covered in detail throughout this guide and resources to help you continue in your quest to create the perfect Web site are included at the end.

Define it.
Defining your site. Issues like what it will include, how it will be organized, what it’s meant to accomplish can often be the most difficult challenge. It’s critical that you understand your goals and objectives and work to ensure that the site you plan for can deliver the desired results. You’ll read about how to strategically approach your Web site and how to create an organized view from the top.

Name it.
On the Web, sites are accessed by an online address or domain name. You need to come up with one for your site that’s easy to say, spell and remember. And you need a name that isn’t already being used. You’ll find out how to go about searching for available names and then how to register the name you want.

Build it.
Whether you use a service from the resources appendix to dynamically and instantly create your pages with your input or you go it alone, building your pages step-by-step is next.
That means creating content and coming up with a design that works well for you and your business. You’ll find this section is loaded with useful ideas for building the right site for you. From posting useful content to processing credit card orders online, everything you need to consider is included here.

Publish it.
Next you take the Web address you’ve set up and publish your pages to that address.
It’s sort of like moving your belongings into your new home or office. You’ll get basic insight into how your pages and files go from your computer to your Internet space and, if you prefer, you can learn about resources you can cost-effectively rely on to publish files for you!

Market it.
Once your site is up and running, it's time to get the promotional machine in gear.
From registering with search engines to direct e-mail marketing campaigns and adding forms to help you create marketing lists and programs, you need to come up with an effective marketing plan to drive traffic to your site.

Evaluate it.
Good Web sites aren't like traditional marketing collateral pieces that are updated only quarterly or annually. They're more of an ongoing process that changes and grows as you learn what works and what doesn't. This section briefs you on what to do post-launch to ensure your site remains effective.
Now its time to get started! The rest of this guide details the first 4 steps and gets you well on your way to building a winning Web site! Good luck.
 

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting Started. page 4
1. How Do I Get Started? page 4

Part II: Define Your Web Site page 6
2. Determine What Prospects Need to Know page 6
3. Determine What You Want Prospects to Know page 6
4. Eight Steps to Defining Your Web Site page 7

Part III: Name Your Web Site page 9
5. The Exclusivity Factor page 9
6. Registering Your Name page 10

Part IV: Build Your Web Site page 11
7. Home Page Guidelines page 11
8. Attracting People with Great Content ó Free or Fee page 14
9. Building Web Site Success with a Community of Interest page 16
10. Make Surfers Stick to Your Site Like Glue page 17
11. Selling on Your Site: Not the Impossible Dream page 18
12. Design for Your Visitors ó Not for You page 21

Part V: Publish Your Web

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