STC Usability SIG Newsletter
Usability Interface

2 Create a Website

by Leanne Krudner

"2 Create a Website" (www.2createawebsite.com/) has many different facets. One of the best things this site provides is a detailed step-by-step resource that leads the user through the process of setting up, creating, and maintaining a Web site. It also has many links to free downloads, resources and tutorials. For the most part, it is best suited to the beginner, but there are areas that might be useful for other user levels such as the tutorials, finding content for your site, free products, scam warnings, and writing tips.

2 Create a Website Home Page

As far as design goes, the site itself is great. The text is extremely easy to follow and there is a well-defined side menu that serves as a good reference and navigation tool. Each page teaches by steps, and pages lead to and build on each other. This format makes the site easy to follow, and often each section contains a recap at the beginning, noting which steps must have been completed in order for the next lesson to be applicable, and there are always links to those steps for easy access.

For example, the opening page called "Website Creation Tutorials & Services" begins with:

• Step 1: Register a Domain (Dot Com) Name
• Step 2: Find a Website Hosting Company
• Step 3: How to Create Web Pages
• Each step includes detailed information.

In Step 2, for instance, there is a list of pros and cons regarding whether to choose a free host or whether it is worthwhile to pay for hosting. Both sides of the story are given, but you may want to keep in mind that this site is connected to an organization that offers hosting for a fee, so you can take this advice with a grain of salt. However, the issues

and personal accounts are a good warning and guide. In one such personal account the author writes:

…on March 25th I received an email stating that since I did not choose to ‘upgrade’ my site to their new hosting package, my site had been removed….To my knowledge, there was no grandfather clause in effect that allowed anyone who already had a site to keep it for free.  You either paid up or lost your site for good.

Other negative side effects of free sites listed here (the obvious attraction is that it is free) are unsolicited ads, and that sites hosted on paid space are more often picked up by search engines – valid points that affect user impression, frustration, and accessibility. This site also offers free tutorials, which are useful on varying levels. For example, there is a free HTML tutorial for those interested in more advanced Web page creation. This tutorial gives many different aspects of writing HTML and provides examples to go by, so that even those who are not advanced can understand.

In a section called "Writing Content for the Web", there are quite a few handy tools available. If you need to copyright your Web site, there is a section called "Web site Copyright Protection". This page lists what sorts of things, such as audio or literature, you might need to have protected. There is also a link to purchase software to help out with the process. Of course, this software is for sale by "2 Create a Website", but it might be a start! If you are struggling with content for your site, there is a link to another site listing articles that can be reprinted for free.

Under the side menu option "Make Money", "2 Create a Website" provides tips on how to make money from your site, process money from your site, and make "free" money using your site. "Free" money, as the author terms it, can be made by payouts from the Google affiliate, Adsense. There is a detailed section to walk you through what is needed to get in on the process.

In "Promote Website", tips and steps are provided for getting picked up on search engines. However, one of the most important subjects, called "Search Engine Submit SCAMS" is how to avoid search engine scams that can cost a lot of money. About these costly services, the author states:

First of all 85 to 95% of all search engine traffic comes from Yahoo, Google, AOL, MSN and other partners of these sites. And to get into any of the above engines and directories, you must submit your Web site yourself.

The other "hundreds of search engines" they claim they'll submit to make up less than 1% of search engine traffic, so why bother.

The topic then describes how to get listed on sites, such as Google, for free.

The strongest point of this Web site is that it puts a wealth of information together in a format that is very organized and easy to use. The points of interest described here are just an overview of what can be found on "2 Create a Website". It is packed with free stuff, warnings, and tips. It is worth your time to click around a bit, explore the links, check out free products, take note of warnings, and browse the information available. If you don’t find what you are looking for and are interested in further Web-building information, go to the side menu option called "Website Resources" for a descriptive list of related sites compiled by the author. This will fill in any gaps and build on the items listed in the "2 Create a Website" for a solid understanding of Web site creation.