It’s typical, when designing a Web site, to
use a top-down approach and to start
by thinking a lot about navigation, organization,
navigation, and so on.
Your approach to creating Web pages
for a small Web site should be similar
to your approach to creating a single Web
home page. Each page should stand alone
as a worthwhile place for your Web visitors
to spend time, learn something, or have some fun.
One of the best ways to create a strong Web
site is to first create each Web page separately.
Make sure that each page has the information
you want, that it downloads in a reasonable amount
of time, that all the links work, and that
the page looks good. Then use the information
in this chapter to add navigation and make your
Web pages into a unified Web site.
What about consistency? Consistency is
important within a Web site, but not
that difficult to achieve if your site is only
a few pages to perhaps a dozen pages in size.
Use the same background color, text color, font, and text size
throughout your pages. If you use standard
HTML headers, bulleted and numbered lists,adsense optimized tips
and a few small images to break up your text,
your pages will have a consistent appearance.
use a top-down approach and to start
by thinking a lot about navigation, organization,
navigation, and so on.
Your approach to creating Web pages
for a small Web site should be similar
to your approach to creating a single Web
home page. Each page should stand alone
as a worthwhile place for your Web visitors
to spend time, learn something, or have some fun.
One of the best ways to create a strong Web
site is to first create each Web page separately.
Make sure that each page has the information
you want, that it downloads in a reasonable amount
of time, that all the links work, and that
the page looks good. Then use the information
in this chapter to add navigation and make your
Web pages into a unified Web site.
What about consistency? Consistency is
important within a Web site, but not
that difficult to achieve if your site is only
a few pages to perhaps a dozen pages in size.
Use the same background color, text color, font, and text size
throughout your pages. If you use standard
HTML headers, bulleted and numbered lists,adsense optimized tips
and a few small images to break up your text,
your pages will have a consistent appearance.
Planning your Web site
The only tools you need for this part of the
Web publishing process are Web
access, for doing research, and a word
access, for doing research, and a word
processing and drawing program, or a
pencil and paper — whichever is more comfortable — for sketching your
plans and taking notes. A few extra hours upfront can save you a great deal of
time later and help you produce a better Web page; yet the planning step is
the most frequently overlooked part of the Web publishing process. To plan
your Web site, follow these steps:
1. Determine the purpose of your site.
Decide which type of site you want to
pencil and paper — whichever is more comfortable — for sketching your
plans and taking notes. A few extra hours upfront can save you a great deal of
time later and help you produce a better Web page; yet the planning step is
the most frequently overlooked part of the Web publishing process. To plan
your Web site, follow these steps:
1. Determine the purpose of your site.
Decide which type of site you want to
create: personal, topical, commercial, or comical.
I could also call the last two business and entertainment,
but those don’t sound as nice together.
After you decide what type of site you want,
After you decide what type of site you want,
research existing sites; then research other
media that serve the same purpose magazines,
brochures — even television. Ask yourself what
brochures — even television. Ask yourself what
it is about your material, or about the Web,
that makes the Web a good way to get your
material out. Think some more about your own
needs and interests. Then write a few goals for your
initial site and for later versions of it.
2. Decide on the structure of your site and the layout of your pages.
The structure of your site can help guide visitors to the
2. Decide on the structure of your site and the layout of your pages.
The structure of your site can help guide visitors to the
parts that interest them most. A great layout of your site’s Web pages can make the
pages more useful, more interesting, or more entertaining, depending on
their purpose. Here are a few general rules:
• Decide how many pages to have and how they link to each other.
• Put the purpose of your site near the top of your home page.
• Indicate the purpose of each additional page near the top of that
page.
• Use headers, bullets, icons, and other graphical or emphasis elements to highlight key points.
• Think about what graphics you need. Start the process of generating or obtaining them.
• Use summary elements, such as a site map and a Frequently Asked
Questions FAQ page.
pages more useful, more interesting, or more entertaining, depending on
their purpose. Here are a few general rules:
• Decide how many pages to have and how they link to each other.
• Put the purpose of your site near the top of your home page.
• Indicate the purpose of each additional page near the top of that
page.
• Use headers, bullets, icons, and other graphical or emphasis elements to highlight key points.
• Think about what graphics you need. Start the process of generating or obtaining them.
• Use summary elements, such as a site map and a Frequently Asked
Questions FAQ page.
Creating Navigation
Navigation is what helps users find their
way around your Web site. If you
have previously put up a single Web home
have previously put up a single Web home
page and are now expanding to a multipage
site, creating navigation is a new challenge for
you. But using navigation isn’t. Every time you
visit a major Web site, you encounter carefully
designed navigation. Luckily, for a small site,
consistent navigation is easy to achieve.
