Web Site Cookbook

The process of designing a web site does not start in Photoshop, Dreamweaver, or your favorite text editor. Before the first line of code is written and the first image is optimized, a web site must have a home on the Internet and a virt...

By the time your web site launches you might finally be ready to let your visitors (collectively) start thinking about the site more than you have been. That's why a good web site starts with good planning. While it's tempting to start d...

Color, layout, and navigation are what usually come to mind when one thinks about web design. With your web server set up and your site-building plan ready to go, you're surely ready to turn your attention to more artistic pursuits. But...

The HTML code of your web pages forms the foundation for your site. Properly structured pages act as hubs, coordinating the display of the text and graphics that visitors to your site seek. We'll come back to formatting and displaying gr...

Along with text, graphics comprise the bulk of your web site's content. Graphics can convey specific information (logos and charts)or set a tone for the site (photos and illustrations). Even though visitors may not linger over your site'...

Most everyone who comes to your web site wants to take away an answer to a specific question as result of their visit. It's your job as web designer to build a site that fulfills that desire in an efficient and uncomplicated manner. Alth...

Even though the Web is an interactive medium, you probably can't (and don't want to) be on hand all day, every day, to guide visitors through the site or respond to errors. Likewise, you probably don't want to spend all your waking hours...

Getting the word out and bringing the money in; those are the main preoccupations of many web site owners. Whether a web site sells a product, a service, a cause, or even its own visitors, the Internet provides a proven, cost-effective p...

The fun part of web design begins when the designing is done and the live site starts to take on a life of its own. With frequent new content and ever-increasing functionality for a growing audience, a successful site bestows a well-dese...