Beginner's Primer

Writing Your Content

• Write content that is easy to scan.
  Chances are that even you didn't read every word on this page. Web users are impatient. People tend to quickly scan over the content of a web site to decide if they want to read the rest. To help them determine what's on your page, use lots of headings, bulleted lists, and put your most important points in your headings and first sentences of paragraphs.
• Use images to help bring across your point.
  Wise positioning of images can catch your user's attention and cause them to scan the text around or near the images.Learn more about stock image resources.
• Keep things short.
  People like looking at short, bulleted lists. Keep your sentences short, and keep your paragraphs short. Stay away from long blocks of text, unless it's some kind of technical article that you know people will want to read.
• Remember your purpose and your audience.
  Look back at your answers to the questions in the first article about the purpose of your web site and your audience. Don't overwhelm your audience with things they don't need to know.
• Call for action!
  What do you want your users to do? Buy something? Click on something for more information? Be sure to put things that you want your user to see and click on up front (not hidden four pages down), and use action words in your text and images so that your users know swhat to do.

Next: Bells and Whistles >>

Rates

• Rates Overview
• The Design Process: From Concept to Creation
• Beginner's Primer
• Vision Worksheet (web)
• Vision Worksheet (logo)
• Get a Free Estimate

Index

1. Introduction and Costs
2. Basic Decisions
3. Domain Names
4. Web Site Hosting
5. Writing Your Content
6. Bells and Whistles
7. Ecommerce
8. Marketing Your Site

Appendices

1. Web Site Template Options
2. Software and Tools
3. Stock Image Resources