How to Create Web Pages

It's not hard to create web pages that make up a web site. People do it everyday. You just have to know where to start. There are lots of resources on the market that claim their products or services are top of line or best in the world. Chances are, these companies are responsible for some ugly sites. There are a few rules to follow when designing and laying out the page.

But how do you decide where to start. Let's talk about this first. You can buy a book that tells you how to write HTML (hyper text markup language) which is the language that all browsers speak to display all pages on the Internet. You will also need a HTML editor and a FTP (file transfer protocol) program to transfer the files to the Internet. So one avenue has led down a path of needing three different tools. All of which can be downloaded from the Internet for free and legally.

Another option is to buy a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get, pronounced as wizzy wig) editor. These are where the novice computer user can create a site in no time flat. However, they are extremely limited in what they can do and are the culprit for some really cheesy web sites on the Internet. I am sorry if some of you feel that I have targeted you on this subject. I know this statement can seem like I'm stepping on toes. There is nothing wrong with using this type of editor to quickly publish web sites. But if you are a small company that needs to make money quickly, I suggest you listen to my few simple rules that will take your site from being cheesy to professional.

There are three elements to every page. They are color, images, and text. All of these have to work together to convey your message.

Let's talk about color for a minute. This is a huge topic with most people. Very rarely do you see an all white site with black words. If we did, it wouldn't be any different than reading a newspaper and that would be very boring while we looked at light bulbs in our monitor (for those of you, like me, who are still old school).

Rule # 1: Colors are to be limited to 3 on the page. Colors must coordinate and be easy to read. I can hear all the guys now moaning and groaning that it will take an interior designer to pick colors for his new web site. It's not that hard. If you choose blue as an over all color you could use 2 different shades of blue as your other two colors. Combining blue with yellow with purple is not a good idea. Since yellow came up, let me say that yellow is a very bad color for any site. It is very light and hard to read. Like I said earlier some of us still have old monitors with light bulbs in them and this color will make you go blind if you have to read it for long. Different shades of yellow can be even worse. Now I'm not saying that you can't ever use yellow. I am saying that yellow as a background color or as text is very bad. Images can use the color as long as text will not be used on the color.

Rule # 2: Images should be small. Yes, fast Internet connections are more readily available these days; however, there are those that can not afford or have an option for a high speed connection. As a designer, you still have to take these folks into consideration. Images should also be consistent. What I mean by this is simple. Navigation on your site should have the same look. Most navigation is done with images as they can create a really cool looking effect when the mouse is placed over it (referred to as a mouseover). This look should be on all pages. If you are asking me how to create images for your navigation that is completely different from building your site. You need different skills and software to accomplish this. I could write a whole article on image creation.

Rule # 3: Layout should be the same on every page. I have seen sites that used a different color scheme on all pages throughout the site. It was very confusing and I never knew if I was still on the same site. Again, if you are a company that is trying to sell something, you want your viewers to have no doubt that they have not left your site and know exactly where to go get what is they are looking for.

Rule # 4: Text should be written in lower case letters with capital letters only at the start of sentences. ALL CAPS ARE HARD TO READ AND WHEN YOU HAVE SEVERAL LINES OF TEXT, THE LETTERS START TO RUN TOGETHER. If you would like to put emphasis on something you are saying to bring it out, then make it bold instead.Text should be written to accommodate the "robots" that read your site on a monthly basis. This brings up the topic of SEO (search engine optimization). I could write another article on this subject. Search Engines are how web sites are found on the Internet. If you want to call a pizza joint for a pie, you may open up a phone book, then dial the number on your phone. If you want to find information on a dog training center on the Internet, you will open a browser and tell it to view a search engine page, you type the words "dog training". These are key words that would be found on any dog training site that had SEO practices in place. Key words are like a phone book listing. Another thing to keep in mind is that most people read at an 8th grade level. So unless your site is talking about quantum physics, keep the words simple and make sure there is enough for a search engine "bot" to read. A good rule of thumb is about 200 words.

Another avenue to take is by buying (some are free) a template of a site and the only thing you have to do is use a WYSIWYG editor to type your text into it.

I know this may sound a little overwhelming for a new site designer, but take it from me, I have been doing this for 10 years, the more you practise the better you get at it.

In case you are really serious and still have no idea what I have just said, I am going to add in a few resources that will help you.

http://www.webmonkey.com/ This will give you HTML codes on the basics.

http://www.coffeecup.com/free-editor/ This will allow to you download the software you need to write HTML and also includes a FTP function. It also allows you to see the design of your site while you writing it and has WYSIWYG built in.

http://www.freewebsitetemplates.com/ This is where you can download templates to get you started very quickly.

If this still is something that you just don't think you can manage on your own, then please visit this site. http://adversacestudios.com I am a Web Manager for this company and would be happy to build your site for you.

I know a shameless a plug, but if I didn't truly want to help you I wouldn't have given away my secrets and my free resources. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have in regard to web page building. If you post your question in the comment area, then everyone can benefit from the answer.