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Do-It-Yourself
Web Design for Small Business
Small
businesses and Home-based businesses need a strong web presence to counter the
massive advertising and marketing budgets of their larger competitors, but establishing
that presence with a professionally designed website can be a costly option.
In many cases, the most affordable way to get the web site you want for your
business is to do it yourself. It is possible to create your site even
if you are not experienced in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), you can find
helpful programs which will assist you in your design efforts. It is not as
daunting a task as it may seem to be.
Here
are a few tips for finding software to meet your small business, or home-based,
business's needs.
1)
Know Your Options When it comes to web site creation software,
there are three types to choose from: Text editors, HTML editors, and WYSIWYG
editors.
Text
editors, which are basically any word processing program such as Word
or Notepad, require extensive HTML knowledge.
HTML
editors are much like text editors except they include additional
features to aid inexperienced users, such as color-coded tags and pre-prepared
CGI and Java scripts. If you have little or no experience with HTML, an HTML
editor is a better choice.
WYSIWYG,
which stands for What You See is What You Get, programs like FrontPage
or DreamWeaver allow you to design the pages' appearance without writing code.
You pick what you want and the program automatically generates the code.
Sample
Prices for WYSIWYG SOFTWARE
Macromedia Dreamweaver ($399)
NetObjects Fusion ($149.95)
HyperText Studio 4.06 ($99 - $519)
EasyWebEditor ($59.99)
2)
Look for the Features You Need When you start browsing for web
site software, you'll want to look for a few key features, such as ready-made
templates, wizards (they make many tasks easier and quicker), auto-backup, and
pre-built code. Remember to also keep in mind your own level of HTML
experience. If you are inexperienced, then you will want plenty of templates
and wizards to help you along. Likewise, if you feel comfortable working with
code, then you may want to choose programs without all of the bells, whistles,
and help since they will cost you less.
3)
Do Some Research Never buy a program, especially not one for
business, without trying it out first. Most of these programs have demos or
free trials available on their manufacturers' web sites. You can also check
with sites such as CNET.com or Epinions to get an idea of which programs are
being recommended by users. Check with popular computer magazines for their
experts' input as well. All of this research will give you a good idea
of which programs to explore and which to avoid when you are making your final
buying decision.
4)
Keep in Mind Your Budget Depending on which type of web design
program you choose, your costs will vary dramatically. Text editors, for example,
are often already on your computer. Notepad, a feature of Windows, makes a very
usable text editor and will cost you nothing extra. HTML editors, on
the other hand, can cost anywhere from $0 to $100 while WYSIWYGs are priced
from $70 to $500 and up. Well-known brands, such as Adobe and MacroMedia,
will cost more but the quality of their programs and the stability of their
company make them a better choice than the inexpensive software from unknown
vendors. Also, be sure to look for programs that offer free or reduced
price upgrades so you continue to get the most from your software without paying
full price again every two or three years. With these tips, you should
have no trouble finding an HTML program that fits your needs and your experience
level so you can create your own professional-looking web site without draining
your business's budget.
SIDE
BAR: No matter which software you use, a good knowledge of HTML will
always be helpful. Here are some links that help tremendously in learning HTML
and web design skills: http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/teachingtool/html.html
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/
http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
OR
If
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out purchasing expensive software and spending endless hours learning different
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