Here is a simple and quick guide to getting your
website up and running in no time!
Updated: 11/18/2003
Visit www.iSiteManager.com
for getting your website up and running in no time
- Create Content
- Publish your content
- Publicize your site
There are a variety of ways to create content. The easiest way
is to use a Web content publishing tool such as Macromedia
Dreamweaver, Macromedia Fireworks or a
variety of other free publishing tools that you can find on the
internet. Other tools that are helpful include graphical editing
tools such as Paintshop Pro and even more dynamic
content generators like Macromedia's Flash. You
may also wish to edit your contents yourself by using a text editor
and learning HTML.
Once you've finished your page/site, you'll need to upload it to
your web server. FTP (File
Transfer Protocol) allows a person to transfer files between
two computers, generally connected via the Internet. You can either
FTP your files via the command
line (i.e. DOS), or you can find yourself an FTP
client which executes all the commands in a drag-and-drop interface.
We would highly recommend the latter to beginners and experts alike.
FTP clients make the publishing process
simple.
FTP Basics
To FTP, you will need to know the host location, as well as your
username and password. All your web site contents are stored in
/var/www/html.
Using an FTP Client
Most FTP clients have the same basic layout, functionality, and
price. Choosing one is simply a matter of personal preference. Some
of the more popular clients for Windows-based computers include
WS_FTP, CuteFTP, and BulletProof
FTP and for Macintosh computers include Fetch,
and Interarchy. All clients come with documentation,
and it shouldn't take you long to figure out how to get started.
But here are a few basics:
- There will be some kind of "Site Manager" feature which will
store all your FTP locations and their corresponding login information.
Once you enter this info, the client will automatically log you
in.
- There will be three screens. One representing your local machine,
one representing the remote host, and one which shows the files
that are queued for transfer. You will need to navigate to the
correct folders on both your local machine and the host machine.
- You will then highlight the files you wish to upload on your
local machine, and there should be a button at the top that queues
the files for upload. The upload might execute immediately, or
you might have to hit a "Go" button first.
- That's it! Your files are uploaded! You should now be able to
go to your URL and view the page.
Search Engines and Internet Catalogs
Probably the most common way to publicize your site and generate
traffic is to submit it to search engines (i.e. Google) and internet
catalogs (i.e. Yahoo!). Most of these sites have a form you can
fill out to submit your site. To save yourself some time, you can
try a service that submits your site to multiple search engines
and internet catalogs by filling out just one form. There are many
of these services out there, such as http://www.submit-it.com/.
By adding meta tags to your site, you can increase the relevancy
of your pages in people's searches. Meta tags will be discussed
a bit later.
Reciprocal Links
If your page has a theme, seek out pages with similar themes and
ask the webmaster to post a link to your site. In exchange, you
promise to add a link to their site on yours. This is a great way
to get the word out about your site for free.
Newsgroups
Look for newsgroups where you think people who would be interested
in your site might frequent. Post a message announcing your site
and its features. Don't do this too often as it is sometimes considered
Spamming (unsolicited advertising).
Web Rings
If there are other pages that are similar to yours, there might
be a web ring out there dedicated to your kind of site. Do an internet
search for "web ring" and include a keyword related to your site.
If you join a web ring, you will need to add a web ring graphic
and links to your page.
Advertising
If you really want to give your site some exposure, you can create
a banner ad and find a company that will get your banner put up
on numerous pages. The cost generally depends on the amount of impressions
(how many times it is seen) or click-throughs (how many times it
is actually clicked on).
To your online success,
LessHost.com
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