Learning how to design web pages in todays world is a ticket to success. It's a necessary part of every business and web page designers can earn thousands for a single job. Depending on who the client is, you could have a full time job for knowing how to design a web page. Knowing web scripts like HTML and Java is become increasingly important to entrepreneurs as well.
Have an idea? Make a website and watch your business flourish. Of course you'll need to do some marketing, in which case you might want to ask friends if any of them know about internet marketing.
Some ways of internet marketing, that don't involve paying for ad space, are forums. Go to forums that cater to your demographic or that discuss a problem your website can solve, and tell them about your website. Make sure you are not too forward with your marketing. Respond to the dialog and seem interested in what people are saying.
Also, use social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook in order to spread the word for free. Telling your friends and family is a start, however, if they are not part of the demographic, or are not interested in what your site has to offer, don't count on them as traffic builders. You need to find people who are interested in what you're website does, and this takes work.
Some ways of potentially building interest are giveaways. Host contests on your website, and require that your contestants sign up via your website. Incorporate the material on your website in order to get people browsing.
Also, if you live in a big city, consider posting fliers in high traffic areas. Make sure the fliers pique interest. So create an ad campaign for yourself. Watch commercials and look at billboards for ideas.
Check out Ryan Healy's blog from Employee Evolution. It's filled with great tips for contemporary marketing.
Most importantly, however, you have to learn how to build a website. HTML is the most popular script so far. Visit hwg.org. They offer classes online. They cost about one to two hundred dollars for basic HTML classes. But consider the price worth it if you can learn this valuable skill.
Do you know what that'll do for your resume?
Good stuff.
4 comments:
I think having the skills to develop a website is a great thing to have, even if you don't plan on doing it professionally. I would also say it probably depends on the industry.
The I.T. knowledge I have combined with my development skills has gotten me in the door at places I would have never been able to get. My skills beyond those have taken me further. This is also because I am a tech entrepreneur, so having those skills is of particular benefit.
Never the less, knowing how to create a website will never hurt :)
Building a site is important but, old HTML is quickly fading. I would recommend learning how to implement dynamic open source apps like Wordpress. Then, concentrate on content creation. That's where it's at.
Brandon H
http://newlycorporate.com
I hope you are getting a kickback from hwg. Otherwise you should know there are free resources to learn open source languages. Check out the World Wide Web Consortium's documentation at www.w3c.org, or go to a third-party ad-funded project, www.w3school.com, where there is every language you need to know very well documented and with practice examples.
You must practice every day or you will not learn. Paying money to practice is a silly idea in an open source realm such as this. Open source. Remember it! Open Source and Time Management. And also, SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION. And kickbacks.
Send all your extra money to Todd.
Hi there,
I'm in IT and your post seems a little naive to me. (HTML is not a script language, Java Script is but it's not the same as Java.) I'd like to ellaborate on the subject a bit.
First of all, there are 3 full time jobs here:
1. Graphic err.. guy. He makes the banner on top and all the pretty glossy rounded shining colorful stuff. He knows Photoshop.
2. Web designer. He makes the menu on the left 200px wide and the stuff that appears when you roll the cursor over the top menu. He knows HTML, CSS, Java Script.
3. Web programmer. He makes it work. He makes the page detect the country you're from, accept and publich comments,... anything that makes the content change. He knows Ajax, PHP, SQL, databases.
You can have a totally complete and succesful carreer if you're good enough in one of those three areas.
Of course, at some degree, you can balance two or even three of these and make websites on your own. I do (I just suck at graphics and therefore avoid them).
Now, if you're in a different field and just wanna make your website (that's what your post is about), I'd advise this:
Learn basic HTML, CSS and Photoshop (or Gimp if PS is too expensive for you, they all work the same anyway). NEVER pay for a course. There is PLENTY of good, simple, free stuff on-line. Even for kids! (See lissaexplains.com) Courses usually give diplomas but not knowlegde. Nothing beats experience when it comes to webdesign.
You can build your website from scratch, that's very educative. But let's take your blog for example. It already has a layout that works and it would be better to elaborate from here. If you wanna make a more complicated website, learn what a CMS is and learn to style it.
I'd advise you to start with your blog. Right now, to me (I'm a web programmer and web designer so I'm mean, I know), it screams "oh, he just took the template with the rounded corners and maybe boosted the colors a bit. Bo-ring!" There's room for change.
Look at my math-geek-rock-chick.blogspot.com blog. I started with the exact same blogger template. But, I switched the colors totally, removed the dotted-border, added a fun background and a fun top banner that reflects my personality. Do the same!
See where it says "It'a a generation Y thing" on top? Make it more like the banner on Penelope Trunk's blog. Put your picture and a gradient. (In CSS, add it as a background to the h1.title element.)
Feel free to contact me if you need help, and good luck!
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