Brilliant: Create Your Own Website

Description

Spend less time reading and more time doing

Brilliant Create your own Website is a visual quick reference book that shows you how to establish and maintain your presence on the Web. Learn the basics of how to create a web page and how to design the layout to make it appropriate to your readers, how to set up a website and test it and, perhaps most importantly, how to get your site seen.

Brilliant guides provide the quick, easy-to-access information that you need

* Detailed table of contents and troubleshooting guide to help you find exactly what you need to know

* Easy-to-follow task-based format

* Numbered steps guide you through each task

* Numerous screenshots and pictures illustrate each step

* 'Important' boxes point you to the crucial information you really need to know

* 'Timesaver Tips' sections give you brilliant bite-sized nuggets of help and advice

Brilliant Create your own Website....

* Starts at the beginning with novice-oriented tutorials on HMTL and web authoring software packages that will have you creating your first web page within minutes.

* Guides you through the various software tools available, from free and subscription-based online services to multi-featured professional software packages, providing context and discussion to help you decide what suits your needs best.

* Includes a chapter on Microsoft's brand new Expression Web ™ and a specially commissioned section on design tips for usability.

* Takes you beyond merely constructing a website to providing advice on how get it noticed. Find out how to ensure your site is listed in search engine indexes and directories, how to benefit from smart advertising and how to find and exploit user statistics.

Whether you're considering setting up a personal home page, a site dedicated to a hobby or interest group, or a small business website, this book will show you how to get started. No previous knowledge of website construction is assumed but by the end you will have acquired all the necessary basic web building techniques and will have encountered some of the more powerful options available for creating flexibly styled, dynamic and interactive websites. Find out how to design and style your pages, make use of templates, customise the look and feel to make it wholly 'you', create your own graphics such as navigation bars, icons and buttons, incorporate your own digital photographs, construct an intuitive navigation system with robust links, make sure your readers see what you see, test the site before going live and make sure those searching for it will find it. Discover how to register a unique domain name and how to find a reliable web space provider. Learn to understand the habits of those who visit your site so you can attract them back, time and time again... Whatever your hopes for establishing an online presence, start here!

CONTENTS:

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Plan your website

TASKS

· Website basics - What makes a good website? (4 pages)

· A potted history of HTML (4 pages)

· What sort of computer will I need? Check that you're ready to go (4 pages)

· Web design golden rules/basics (4 pages)

· Understand Web browsers and computer platforms (6 pages)

· Website Security - Keeping content safe/passwords and login tips (4 pages)

Chapter 2 Create the right type of website

TASKS

· Decide if you want a home user websites (4 pages)

· Decide if you want a hobbyist websites (4 pages)

· Decide if you want a small business websites (4 pages)

· Decide if you want larger projects (4 pages)

· Plan your project on paper (4 pages)

· Create a site map (4 pages)

Chapter 3 Create a site without software

TASKS

· Build a website using an online service overview (4 pages)

· Roundup of available online services (4 pages)

· Create pages with WebEden (4 pages)

· Make your own web Blog (4 pages)

· Free web hosting sites (4 pages)

Should this chapter/topic be a) moved forward b)expanded? If moved forward the very first thing the reader could do would be to create their own webpage.

Chapter 4 What will I need?

TASKS

· Establish what software you need (4 pages)

· Program overview/software roundup (price/skill level) (6 pages)

· Hardware needed (4 pages)

· Domain names (4 pages)

· Web space (4 pages)

· Web hosting (4 pages)

Chapter 5 Create webpages

TASKS

· Create your first webpage (6 pages)

· Save and name pages correctly (6 pages)

· Edit and manage files (6 pages)

· Add extra webpages (6 pages)

· Behind the scenes (6 pages)

Chapter 6 Produce website content

TASKS

· Design it correctly (6 pages)

· Website navigation (6 pages)

· Use type in web design (6 pages)

· Work with colour (6 pages)

Chapter 7 Explore web graphics

TASKS

· Understand file types (4 pages)

· Digital photography and the web (6 pages)

· Create a logo (4 pages)

· Design navigation buttons (4 pages)

· Produce a composite page (4 pages)

· Optimise graphics for the web (4 pages)

Chapter 8 Putting it all together

TASKS

· Add your content (6 pages)

· Produce additional pages (6 pages)

· Optimise a website (6 pages)

· Test your pages (6 pages)

Chapter 9 Explore basic web design techniques

TASKS

· Frames, tables and when to use them (4 pages)

· Discover Cascading Style Sheets (4 pages)

· Layers and other technical issues (4 pages)

· Forms and interactive features (4 pages)

· Add advanced content (4 pages)

· Troubleshoot (4 pages)

Chapter 10 Get your site on the web

TASK

· How do I get my files on the internet? (4 pages)

· What will I need to do it? (4 pages)

· When is the best time to do it? (4 pages)

· Managing files with FTP (4 pages)

· Perform regular checks (4 pages)

· Keep tabs on new trends (4 pages)

· Keep your site up to date (4 pages)

Chapter 11 Get your site seen

TASKS

· Promote your new website (4 pages)

· Submit it to search engines (4 pages)

· Pay per click and AdWords (4 pages)

· Website marketing (4 pages)

· Where to go next? (4 pages)

Glossary (10)

Online Resources - Sites that help with web design and have free web resources

(4 pages)

Jargon Buster - Technical jargon explained (6 pages)

Troubleshooting Guide (4)