talk for HWBC 06-12-2008 on web elements

1. WEBSITE DESIGN
How it Looks vs. How it Works
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2. Does your Website Work?
• WEBSITE = GOOD
• Open 24/7
• friendly, helpful, informational
• FAQ, online sales, tech support
• your hardest-working employee
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3. What makes your website?
• Domain name
www.yourname.com
• Hosting package
~$50/year Godaddy
• Actual files
HTML, CSS, jpgs, gifs, database/CMS
• Maintenance
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4. Design vs. Content
• Design = window dressing
• Content = what’s for sale
• Trend = separate design and content
• Keywords
• Navigation
• Quality Content
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5. Do it Yourself Tools
• WYSIWYG:
What you See is What You Get
• Dreamweaver
• Frontpage
• Word, Notepad, Textpad
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Multiple tools are available, including WYSIWYG and text-related tools

6. Free and Open-Source
• Blogspot.com
• Wordpress.com
• Joomla/Drupal/phpBB
• OsCommerce
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Open source solutions are supported by hundreds or thousands of voluntary programmers. Usage is free.
Typically a download and then upload to your own hosting.
GoDaddy has “Hosting Connection” so you may do this yourself.

7. Toolkit
• Search Engine Optimization
• You Have Something to Share
• Support your Referral Network
• Testimonials Sell
• Express yourself in Multiple Ways
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Tool #1: Effective Search Engine Optimization. Mind your Metatags. Ten keywords or key phrases
Tool #2: You Have Something to Share, so Share It! Blog to Promote your Knowledge. Meet your customers online. Video introduction. Regular, timely articles.
Tool #3: Support your Referral Network: Link Up with your Associates, including people you work with, people in related industries
Tool #4: Third-party Testimonials sell: Who Loves You? Demonstrate Rave Reviews. Graphics, logos, quotes, links, samples.
Tool #5: Express yourself in Multiple Ways. Videoblogging, Audio, Text, Pricing Estimator, Poll, Take a Moment

8. Toolkit (continued)
• Use Available Tools
• Give Something Away
• Social Networking
• Use Your Data
• Build Your Team
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Tool #6: Use Available Tools. Google.com/webmasters specify sitemap,
Google.com/adsense for revenue, Google.com/adwords for right-hand-side placement, Online Payment Systems (Authorize, Paypal, 2Checkout.com)
Tool #7: Give Something Away. White papers, research, resource links, descriptions of your process, case studies, etc. Anything to show the user that you and your company care, you and
your company are experts, and you and your company are available.
Tool #8: Social Networking: Connecting with Others. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Meetup, MySpace, Flickr, Digg, StumbleUpon and more...
Tool #9: Use your Data Effectively. Web statistics, unique visitors, what search engine phrases are bringing people to your site?
Tool #10: Build your Team. Editorial content, PR/Marketing, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Web Manager

9. Managing your Content
• Use web-based forms to update content
• Flickr, Smugmug, Picasa
• Constant Contact, Google
or Yahoo! Groups
• Google Calendar
• Multimedia (Youtube, Flash, music)
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10. Keep your Content Fresh
• current news, photos, downloads
• current forms or inventory
• current calendar, hours of operation
• current policies
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