The previous post calls for a little extra cash so that you can make search engines work for you. There is a better and cheaper alternative, although this is more advantageous to blogs and text-heavy websites. Search engines do not index graphics, including Java applets and Flash. What you can do is make sure that you use words and phrases in your posts that have word strings that will most likely appear in search engines. By optimizing the text input in your site, the higher the possibility that your site is indexed at the top pages of search engine results.
Think of Google AdWords. How does it work? You enroll your site and pay Google so that when a user utilizes a particular key word, or string of words, your banner ad will appear not only on the results page of a search engine, but also on the websites that contain said string of words (provided that the sites avail of AdSense). As far as I know, personal sites and small businesses seldom use AdWords because of financial reasons, especially if you are up against big companies who can afford to pay more for ads.
Think of search engines as a fast-as-lightning online researcher who is able to collect and sort by relevance, many and various information on a topic of interest needed by a particular user. There are many search engines available in the internet (the most popular of which is Google, if I may say so myself). These search engines have 3 components – the first component gets all the web pages it can find; the next component then builds an index of those pages; the third component is the one that actually serves lists of pages matching a user’s inquiry.
Many of my friends have been victims of web page designs gone awry. They think that their websites are already perfect so they upload them without checking. The thing, is some of them use Mozilla as their internet browser and they find themselves surprised and annoyed when friends who view their sites through Internet Explorer inform them that the site looks terrible. Word of advice, view your site in at least two different browsers and make necessary changes before you upload your website and declare �done.� You save time and effort (and not to mention annoyance) by doing this, I promise.
Determine your audience. Is it for kids or for adults? Do you need to put Parental Guidance signs? What language would you use? Will your target readers access your site in school, in the office, or at home? Will your site be viewed by users with slow Internet connection?
Are these questions important? Yes! The design and content of your site will largely depend on whatever answers you come up with.
Make sure that the site is organized. Users will not return to your site if they get confused navigating through it. Besides, an organized design would also be easier to maintain. You can easily add or change the design and content eventually. The best way to insure this is to create a diagram on the flow of information that will be used in your site. The simpler you make it, the easier it is for you as the designer and also for your readers.
If you have no idea yet on how to start, research. Visit similar sites and take note of how they are designed and presented. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you copy them. But at least you’ll get an idea on now to go about your own site.
Don’t forget to read up on new innovations. The Internet is pretty much fast when it comes to introducing new web services and internet applications that can be good additions to your site. In other words, try to keep up with the changes.
