Notice how each of these has a different look and feel ("positioning") for different audiences:

National Review and National Enquirer
Toyota and ToysRUs
Jeep and Jaguar
Billy Graham and Billy Bob Brimstone (I made that one up!)
Dave Barry and David Jeremiah

Use the same layout, colors and type faces for each page of your site to create a unified look to the entire site.

Your eye naturally moves from top left to bottom right—if who read left to right. (It's the exact opposite for cultures that read from right to left.) So put your most important information where the user's eye first naturally lands on the page.

Also, keep in mind that modern monitors can view 1024x768 and 1280 x 1024 pixels, but the vast majority of browsers are set at 800 x 600 pixels. Use the smaller size to avoid annoying people by having them scroll horizonatally.

Proportion (largest most important, smallest least important)

Constrast between text, graphics and background

You've seen the sites that are a sight! Black text on a white background is still the most readable combination. A very light background can work, but avoid text on any kind of textured or figured background.

Make sure each element (background, colors, type face, heads and subheads, and graphics) are working together well.

RESTRAINT!!!

Use the KISS principle. Keep It Simple, Saints! (I may have gone too simple in 2003, but—being a bit rebellous—I wanted to avoid the glitzy graphics and create a more "in-print" than "online" look to my pages.)

ACW Press
Christian Brothers University
Loyd Boldman (Devotion Media)
Tonya Dennis
Radio Bible Class
Rene Gutteridge
Rhonda Rhea
Cyndy Salzmann
Unbossed.com (I swiped their concept for my current design)

Original site (too dark, too narrow)
First revision (background too dark)
Second revision (poor eye flow, animated banner is distracting, need delineation between navigation panel and background)
Third revision (added white hairline rules around site, different background)
Fourth revision (scrapped top banner, too cluttered, new background color)
Final (?) I'll probably keep tweaking it, so here's my latest edition

producing your site

There are several options for actually designing your site:

Simply "save as" a website using Microsoft Word

Click here for a site created entirely in Word

Use one of the many free website hosts

Here's a sample site created at tripod.com

Insert your own information into templates

Killersites.com includes some very creative layouts as examples of creative design. However, keep in mind these design concepts.

Use a website editing program such as . . .

Dreamweaver ($399)

Best yet, ask your 13-year-old nephew to design it for you!

Or hire a community college student to design it. He or she is assigned to design several projects, so often you can get them at a good price (pizza, laundry money, etc.)



web tools

There are hundreds (probably thousands) of sites with cool (and free!) Web site tools:

HTML tutor from Webmonkey is a favorite, plus DynamicDrive.com has some great DHTML codes.

Java scripts (cut and paste code for cool effects) from DynamicDrive.com

Free graphics are available on hundreds of sites including FreeSite.com

Color charts include Color Blender, Color chart, Color scheme. Remember, RESTRAINT!

Backgrounds are available on hundreds of sites (and most are hideous). Remember, RESTRAINT!!!

Counters, Trackers

Counters register number of visits; trackers record where your visits are coming from and what search engine words brought them to your site, time spent on each site, etc. etc..

In addition to my ISP's program, I use the free Google Analytics which provides tons of helpful info.)

Search engine for your site

Make your page more user-friendly. I use FreeFind. Best of all it's free!

Online polls
Make your page more interactive with opinion polls from FreePolls.com. Here's a sample

Avoid all this work by simply hiring your 14-year-old nephew or contacting a community college with a web design course and offer to buy a pizza for a student to use you as his/her class project.

Before uploading your site, be sure to check it out on both Internet Explorer and FireFox browsers, as well as on several computers to make sure everything is working well and looking like you intended.



promoting your site

Get your own domain

It's a lot easier to let people know about my site (especially if it's a radio interview) with www.jameswatkins.com than rattling off www2.fwi.com/~watkins. And I got tired of explaining the "tilde" (~) and www2!

Use key words on your site

Google pays special attention to your site's title and "weight" of key words. For instance your site provides resources for ministers. You'll want to include the word minister in the title and make sure the word is used frequently on your page--closer to the front of the .html code as possible. Use the word in your "ALT" tags (descriptions of images) as well (FireFox uses TITLE rather than ALT, so use both.)

Submit your site to search engines

Google will find your site as it continually searches for new pages. Other engines require that you submit your site for inclusion You can easily and quickly add your site to some of the most popular search engines by clicking on INeedHits.com

Share links with friends

"I'll link to you, if you link to me." The more legitimate links from others that are directed to your site, the better your ranking on Google. Don't subscribe to "link farms" (pages with nothing but links) as Google will penalize you for that. (Do not anger the Google gods!)

Get listed with portals

Getting a blurb on Gospelcom.net's "Buzz" can dramatically increase your traffic. Also get listed with cbn.com and CrossWalk.com. indexes.

Include your URL on your e-mail "signature."

Incorporate your URL into your author blurb at the end of each article.

Print URL on all your stationary and business cards

Offer free premiums such as books or .mp3 music at your site.

google.com paid referrals

The number one search engine offers ads based on amount of traffic the ad generates (approximately 5 cents a click)

profiting from your site

Amazon's Associate Program not only sells your books, but give you a percentage for all referals.

Creating sites for others "Webmasters" free-lance rates begin at $50 per hour.

Host others' sites. (Like sub-letting an apartment! Charge a small monthly fee.)

Host Google ads on your site



in-sites on jameswatkins.com

Here are some random thoughts and theories on why my site seems to be generating more than average amount of traffic (over one million visits in 2005):

1. A ton of content

Over 300 articles, book excerpts, devotions, and top ten lists.

2. Content is constantly changing

I change my homepage regularly and try to have articles on current events as well as breaking news

3. Content addresses felt needs

Everything from sex to sects, and lots of humor

4. It's handicap accessible

Most pages have an alternate page with large print and no tables, no graphics. Also, no specified font sizes, so visitors can change the font size themselves by going to VIEW and selecting TEXT SIZE.

5. Polls, Bulletin Boards, Feedback

Articles include feed back at the end of the page. Plus, lots of opportunities to talk back, express your opinion.

6. Fast loading

If your site won't load in a matter of seconds, impatient 'surfers' will click out. So, few graphics, most backgrounds solid .html colors rather than .gifs and .jpgs.

7. Member of gospelcom.net

For information on becoming a member: info@gospelcom.net

© 2001, 2007 James N. Watkins



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legal notices, disclaimers and warnings

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