As I had mentioned in the beginning of Section 4, you don't have to be a web designer or
programmer to build a good website. You can develop a website with an existing
template, site builder, or outsource the entire project to a professional web designer for a
reasonable price. Regardless of how you decide to build your website, you will still need
to learn a little HTML in order to copy and paste affiliate links into your web pages. It's
also helpful to know a little HTML when you need to make simple changes to your
website.
1. Build it yourself
If you're already familiar with HTML or know how to use a visual website editor such as
Dreamweaver or Frontpage, you can simply build the website yourself. When I first
started building web pages back in 2000, I hand-coded all of my websites. Back then,
many of the visual website editors did a poor job of writing HTML code. This would
cause your web pages to break or display inconsistently in different browsers.
Since then, website editors have improved tremendously. The HTML code they write is
often better than that of a professional web developer. Plus, it's easier and faster to design
a page layout using one of these visual editors than it is to code a page by hand. In some
instances you may still find yourself digging into the HTML code to make minor
changes, but it's possible to build a professional website without even looking at the
underlying HTML.
Dreamweaver
My preferred website editor is Dreamweaver by Macromedia/Adobe. I have been using it
since 2001 and have found it to be an indispensable tool for building, editing, and
managing my websites. I have developed hundreds of websites with Dreamweaver and
have found it very easy to use. I can now build websites in a fraction of the time that it
took me to hand-code sites.
Dreamweaver is somewhat expensive, but can be considered a good investment when
you take into account how much time you will save when building your websites. At the
time of this writing, Dreamweaver 8 (full version) retails for $399, and is available online
or at your local computer software store. There is a student version available for just $199
through Macromedia's website.
If you have an older version of Dreamweaver installed on your machine, don't worry
about upgrading it. The incremental upgrades made over the last 5 years are insignificant
to most users, and can only be appreciated by advanced web developers.
XSitePro
Referred to as the Internet Marketer’s alternative to Dreamweaver and FrontPage,
XSitePro – http://xsitepro.quityourdayjob.com has quickly become one of the most
popular web development platforms for affiliates. XSitePro has several built-in functions
that affiliates and online entrepreneurs frequently use. The software also comes with a
user-friendly guide to using the software, and a series of training videos to help you get
the most out of the tool.
WordPress
WordPress (www.wordpress.org) started out as a popular blog-publishing tool, but has
since evolved into a more advanced content publishing system. Some of the things that
make WordPress so attractive are that it’s 100% web-based, has a large and active
support community, and is 100% free.
There are thousands of freely available design templates and plug-ins that allow you to
customize WordPress. Changing your site’s design or adding a new feature is generally
as easy as clicking a few buttons.
NVU
If you don't have Dreamweaver or FrontPage installed, and you don't have the money to
invest in one of these tools NVU (http://www.nvu.com/) is a nice alternative. It's not as
user-friendly as Dreamweaver or FrontPage, but it gets the job done. NVU is an open
source (free) web authoring tool that allows you to build websites using a visual page
layout.
2. Resources for Building Websites
When you're ready to start building your own websites there are many great resources to
help you along the way. HTML is surprisingly easy to learn. I was able to pick up basic
HTML skills in just a few days by reading a few online tutorials.
Building a basic website with Dreamweaver or Frontpage is even easier than learning
HTML. If you've ever worked with a word processor like Microsoft® Word or Corel®
WordPerfect, you already have the basic skills you need to get started. There are several
great online tutorials and books to help you master these programs.
Where you should start depends on your skill level and experience. Below are some
recommendations:
If you know absolutely nothing about HTML
Start with the HTML Primer at HTML Goodies (www.htmlgoodies.com/primers/html).
This 7 part tutorial is a great introduction to HTML. At the end of the tutorial you will be
building your own basic web pages. The course can be digested over 7 days, or as much
as you can handle in one day.
Once you have finished the HTML Primer, check out the HTML & GRAPHICS
TUTORIALS links located on the left side of the page.
Another great resource for learning HTML is W3Schools (www.w3schools.com). The
website features HTML tutorials, quizzes, and references. Once you have mastered the
basic tutorials, you can jump over to the advanced tutorials and learn even more about
HTML.
If you need something more comprehensive than these tutorials there are several HTML
books on the market.
If you know some HTML Basics
If you're already somewhat comfortable with HTML, I recommend that you start by
learning how to use a visual website editor like Dreamweaver or Frontpage. You can get
started with one of their built-in templates or build your page from scratch. Both
Dreamweaver and Frontpage have tutorials featured within the "Help" section of the
software. There are also several good books on the market (View Dreamweaver
Books/View Frontpage Books).
If you prefer to learn visually, there are also some great online video tutorials available. If
you're looking for Dreamweaver video tutorials, I recommend visiting the Macromedia
Developer Center, where you will find several free and informative tutorials.
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