Do-It-Yourself Web Design
for Home-Based Businesses
By Vishal P. Rao
Home-based businesses need
a strong web presence to combat the inflated advertising
and marketing budgets of their larger competitors,
but establishing that presence through a professionally
designed and developed web site may not be an
affordable option. In many cases, the only cost-effective
way to get the web site you want for your business
is to do it yourself.
Even if you are not experienced
in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), you can find
helpful programs which will assist you in your
design efforts. Trust me, it is not as difficult
as it may seem to be.
Here are a few tips for
finding software to meet your small 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.
NoteTab Light (Freeware)
http://www.notetab.com/download.htm
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, WYSIWYG
editor is a better choice.
HTML Kit (Freeware)
http://www.chami.com/html-kit/download/
Web-O-Rama (Donationware)
http://www.kevingunn.com/weborama.htm
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.
Macromedia Dreamweaver ($399)
(Recommended)
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/download/
NetObjects Fusion ($149.95)
http://www.netobjects.com/products/html/download.html
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 $30 to $100 while
WYSIWYGs are priced between $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.
No matter which software
you use, a good knowledge of HTML
will always be helpful. Here are some links that
have helped
me tremendously in building my HTML and web designing
skills:
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/teachingtool/html.html
http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/
http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
|
