successORnot.com

There’s many different programs, or HTML editors that can be used to make your webpages.  When creating a website homepage, or any of your pages for that matter, it all comes down to using whichever one you are comfortable with.

It may take you some time to learn how to use any given one, but once you get the hang of it, each successful page you make means the next one will take you less and less time.

In the interest of this internet marketing experiment, I will be using Frontpage, one that I don’t use much.  This is done purposely, to be able to give you some rough figures on how long it takes me to create each specific component that make up this entire website.  By doing it this way, it will simulate (sort of) the way a newbie would do things.  I intend on using ALL tools & software that are unfamiliar to me.  Part of the reason to create this website is to teach people how to do it.  What processes & steps are necessary to make a fully functional website.  If I use software that I don’t normally do, I’m sure it will take me longer than it usually does.  The times I give you for how long it takes to do these steps should be helpful so you know how long it will take YOU to make your own websites.

Several things are already done previously (to this post), but to try and catch you up to date, and keep this blog current, I need to backtrack for now until it gets to the point of where I am really at.

Ok, back to making the homepage.  It took me about 5 hours to make it.  Being basically unfamiliar with Frontpage, I had to kind of learn as I went.  Most functions of html editors are similar no matter what program you are using, so that helps.  The longest part was doing the page twice.  You see, what I generally do is type in all what I need to say first (the text), then go back thru it & add in all the graphics, images, etc.  Some people do it all at once, so I guess it’s just however you are used to doing it.  Adding in the words doesn’t take really all that long.  Sure, you may need to tweak them a bit later, but the first time you go thru it should be pretty close to the final copy that you will use on your homepage.  You should have already (mostly) known what you wanted to present on the homepage BEFORE you started making it, that’s part of research.

Adding in the graphics, the PROPER graphics, ones that convey, or “work” with what is in the text, takes awhile.  I have a huge graphics collection, and although it is separated in categories, searching for that “just right” one that will give meaning to the text it’s next too is imperative as part of the overall scheme of the homepage.  The colors must compliment the page, the theme of the graphic or image must fit in with what the page is about, and a number of other contributing factors.

Once you get the text & graphics in place, then the links are added in.  Of course, they aren’t functional as of yet, because you’re still working on the website homepage, but you know they will all work (eventually), so put them where they need to be & add in the url’s of where they will lead.

Then thats it, your homepage is done!  Making the other pages on your site will be a lot easier & faster because you can use the homepage as a template for them.  Creating a website homepage isn’t hard, but you do need to spend some time creating it, since not only will it save you time on additional pages, but you want it to look its best since your results of it will be based by what actions your customers or visitors take on it!