Webmaster Papers








WYSIWYG Versus Coding: HTML With A Purpose


After years of working with entrepreneurs who developed their first web site using an image-based editor, the new world of internet marketing has placed a stronger emphasis on web development that conforms to technical concerns such as search engine optimization and multi-browser compatibility.

Wigging Out

WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get, pronounced "whizzy wig") web site editing programs can allow anyone to develop rich, full-feature web sites without a working knowledge of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). Many of these programs feature a "drag and drop" user interface, accomplishing eye-catching web site development in much the same way one might perform desktop publishing.

However, many, if not most of these programs generate HTML files that oftentimes results in compatibility issues. A few key concerns in developing web sites using WYSIWYG editors include:

* Text content may not be positioned at the top of the HTML file, which search engines like Google use to determine search engine ranking;

* Font sizes may not be fixed, displaying garbled or overlapping text;

* Content placement may not appear uniformly in less popular, yet fully functional browsers;

* Future expandability of your web site may be limited to the program's design interface.

Although many WYSIWYG programs are capable of developing visually appealing web design, HTML automatically generated by the program for upload to the World Wide Web may limit your web site's compatibility and expandability, long-term.

Coding by Hand

Coding HTML by hand can be a challenging, yet worthwhile endeavor, as the flexibility of hand-coded HTML measurably outweighs the time required to become familiar with the language.

Although a relatively simple programming language, HTML is a diverse subject with many facets that can be used to create a dynamic, rich web presence. There are a number of on-line tutorials offering basic and advanced HTML guidance, as well as HTML's secondary offshoot languages, such as DHTML and XML. A search on Google (http://www.google.com) using terms such as "HTML how to" or "HTML tutorial" will produce a myriad of results for new and advanced programmers.

Coding your web site by hand not only allows for broadened aesthetic possibilities, but also provides greater flexibility for ensuring your site is optimized for search engine results and display compatibility.

Additional benefits of hand-coded HTML include:

* Wider range of design options such as of tables and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

* Faster page load, by reducing excess code generated by many WYSIWYG editors

* Increased compatibility with future expansion needs of your site, including forms, mini-applications (often referred to as scripts), and e-commerce features

On Second Thought

If the thought of developing your own web site sounds overwhelming, delegating the project to a third-party design firm may be the best choice. It's okay to stay focused on what makes you money ? supplying your products or services ? and allow others to compliment your business with their expertise.

There are many local and national design firms that specialize in web design for particular needs, such as small business or organizational web sites. Hiring the right web design firm can bring your business to a whole new level; be sure to perform thorough research, and compare service providers before choosing the right design partner for your business or organization.

Jim D. Ray is a seasoned web developer and president of Web Presence, a national web design firm exclusively serving the small business market sector. To learn more, or for a free quote for your own web site, visit the Web Presence web site at http://www.web-presence.net.

RELATED ARTICLES


Maintaining Your Business Website
QUESTION: Should I build and maintain my business Web site myself or pay someone else to do the work for me? -- Wesley L.
Creating Compelling Content , Write It and They Will Come
In a previous ezinearticles.com article,"I Need real visitors, Not Search Spiders" we discussed the need for content. Well written, insightful, informative content will bring your readers/customers in and keep them on your site Long enough to hear about your products or read about the event you are sponsoring. What ever the object of your desire is content holds the key.
Linking Out is Good
Many websites I come across don't have a single link to another website. Ask the webmaster why not, and the answer you get is simple enough: "If I link to other websites people might leave my site." At this point I break the news that site visitors will leave your site. And there's nothing you can do about this.
The Dos and Donts of Launching a Small Business Website
Launching a new small business website is often a long and painstaking process. And for most small businesses, the endeavor rarely ends in success. The terrain is mapped with freelancers, firms, and consultants that don't offer the same services and most certainly don't charge the same prices. Projects are often riddled with unclear expectations, missed deadlines, and ridiculous hourly rates. What's worse is that many developers have the audacity to ask for even more money halfway through the project. Even after all of the hard work is complete, most companies don't even see a return on investment.
Server Side Includes (SSI) with ASP
People often have identical sections of code spread throughout many ASP pages, typically code at the top of the page (usually referred to as the header) and the lower part of the page (the footer). Similarly, you may have code that performs a certain set of instructions that you are repeating across multiple pages. Consider an example:-
So You Want To Have A Website
So you want to have a website. You have gone on to the internet and surfed but you have no idea what developing a website involves.
Stop Losing Precious Web Site Traffic to the Dreaded World Wide Web Black Hole
You work hard to build traffic to your web page. If you are not doing 1 simple step you are loosing a portion of all your web site traffic to the dreaded World Wide Web Black Hole.
Why You Need a Website
You hear a great deal about the Internet these days -- that it's revolutionised communication ... commerce ... education ... Life-As-We-Know-It ...
How to Make Your Own Website For Free
If you like the Internet and surfing through the billions of web pages on it then you might be thinking that you also would like to have your very own web page. Well, fortunately you can create your own web page for free and have it online so the whole world can surf the web and see what your web page is all about. If you want to learn more about building your very own website for free, simply follow the steps below and in a short period of time you will have your very own web page!
Make Your Own Website - General Website Design Tips
Wow, we`ve already taken a domain and chosen a web host. Great job ! Now it`s time for something special: making your own website. You could`ve completed this step before, but at the time you`d had finished it, the domain name could`ve been taken. We don`t want any complications right ?
Is Your Web Site Talking to Your Customer?
A while ago one of my clients approached me and mentioned that they were experiencing a serious problem with customer registrations (obtaining customer names and e-mail addresses), on their web site. They still had a lot of traffic, but were finding that the ratio between traffic and registrations had been dropping steadily.
Study Your Sites Performance Via Hit Tracking
Knowledge is power.
Tell me what your website does!
You know exactly what your organisation does and what your website offers its users. This information has probably become second nature to you, but first-time visitors to your site won't know this. As such, make sure you don't forget to tell them what you do.
How Web Templates Are Helping Online Businesses to MultiplyTheir Income
Web templates by nature are created to aid and ease the strenuous process of a typical web development phase. Idea collection, analysis, research, design are just a small part of a bigger picture. It is no doubt with the availability of web templates, we can almost eliminate the need of research and initial analysis, although not entirely.
Building a Web Site Requires the Right Software to Eliminate Headaches and Keep Money in Your Pocket
When most people build a web site, they think one simple thing. "If I build it, they will come". How further from the truth this is.
Free Isnt Always Good - 5 Reasons Why You Need Your Own Website
Often time I've browsed sites and seen the same thing - general rep websites or free hosted sites. Pop ups irritate me from the free sites as does the blatant ads getting in the way of the text, and if you have seen one rep site you literally have seen them all. Boring, unoriginal, and unprofessional.
Make Your Web Site User-Friendly!
Making a web site is easy. Making a good web site is not so easy. There are many things you have to consider if you want to make a good and successful web site.
4 Steps to Selling More With Your Web Site
Most web sites are more like stage sets than real buildings; they make a good impression and they look substantial at first, but when you open a door, you end up back stage in the dark. They don't generate large numbers of leads, help build relationships with prospects or generate the desired volume of sales.
The Problem with Automated Accessibility Testing Tools
An automated accessibility tool is a piece of software which can test a web page, or even an entire website, for accessibility. Automated accessibility tools are useful because they can save you a huge amount of time. Don't want to check images for alt text on each and every page on your website? Run the site through an automated tester and it'll do it all for you!
Make Your Web Site Stand Out
When visitors add your web site to their Favorites or bookmark your site, what shows up in their list of sites? There are at least two things you can do to make sure your site stands out on anyone's list of Favorites, including a great idea that very few sites use. If you have a webmaster, he or she should be able to make these changes quickly, and those who maintain their own sites can easily handle these simple tasks.