help and advice for newbies and people who need a kick up the backside in 2009

[Steve2009]

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I totally agree Steve. I'm a web developer but I can't design for s**t! The hardest part is always starting off. I've now got a basic layout for one of my sites. I just need to populate it with content and pages now.

Yeah my Graphic Design aint too bad but its the web development thing I'm trying to get my head around at the moment. Sticking with Dreamweaver think I'm going down the tables route for my basic structure atm, like I said just trying to get my head around.

A couple options open to you are:

1. Open Source Web Design - Download free web design templates. - Templates. Plenty of free to use templates, if your happy to learn a bit of coding then you can always change what you don't like with a template.

2. WordPress › Download - Wordpress. A blogging platform but also great for creating sites with little design knowledge needed.

Darren

Have been looking into the WP route as well, saw a really nice theme somewhere but just don't know if I'm making it harder for myself doing this, when with a bit of time with my head in a book I hopefully will be able to knock a basic table type structure together.

Steve

[dave21]

Yeah my Graphic Design aint too bad but its the web development thing I'm trying to get my head around at the moment. Sticking with Dreamweaver think I'm going down the tables route for my basic structure atm, like I said just trying to get my head around.

If you want to use DW for web development, I think the best thing for now would be to find yourself a free neutral looking template that suits your needs and get going with that. Don't worry so much about design for now since that won't make any difference to your Google rankings (what so ever), in fact a badly created template could even harm your rankings. Once you get traffic to your site and you think there is a good chance of making some money, then look towards getting the design right.

There are plenty of online tutorials for DW and web development to get you up to speed, but imo your first priority is content.

When you do eventually come to creating a design, I always start with Fireworks (or photoshop). Make a complete design in a graphics package and then transfer that design in to html. Far easier that way round.

Dave.

[wisey08]

When you do eventually come to creating a design, I always start with Fireworks (or photoshop). Make a complete design in a graphics package and then transfer that design in to html. Far easier that way round.

Im with Dave on this one. Much easier to design it in Fireworks or Photoshop then cut it up and turn it into a functional site using CSS and DW or visual web developer.

Wouldnt recommend using tables to build a site, Divs are so much easier to control and style and make your code much more manageable.

Just my 2ps worth

Chris

[Stuart]

Out of interest "and i know Frank has been busy" but did the off site SEO article ever arrive

[Steve2009]

Yes interesting reading the last couple of threads, still seriously looking into templates to get me started. I am using PS/FW to build most of my content then build through DW, so nice to hear I'm probably doing the right thing!:blush Also the div's/tables debate is going on in my head as well, if there was only one type then my poor brain wouldn't be so confused! just so many different options..got to decide whats going to be best for me suppose, but definately interesting reads.

Thanks for the advise, was really interested to hear what people taking up Frank on his offer were actually doing content/design wise, so any more people who would like to add to this would be much appreciated. (hope I'm not going off thread,but thought this the best place to ask my Q as the people who can answer are following this!

wisey08: how did you develop your Pine site,very tidy looking. Seen that kind of structure around a couple times, I like.

Steve

[mrbishi]

Also the div's/tables debate is going on in my head as well, if there was only one type then my poor brain wouldn't be so confused!
Steve

DIVs are for layout, tables are for representing and structuring data. DIVs allow for a much more flexible layout and more semantic code. However just think K.I.S.S, if you only need a simple landing page then a table would be fine, after all the average end user isn't going to know or care how you coded your page, just how it looks and whether it's easy to use.

[Seamaster]

so any more people who would like to add to this would be much appreciated.

I've dabbled with web design for years so am quite good with html and css. I make my sites inspired by this thread using Dreamweaver for the CSS and hand code the HTML in notepad. I use DIVs rather than table as this is the thing to do but I beleive tables are easier. My sites so far have all had the same basic format which makes it easy to get them up apart from one Wordpress one I have made which I find more time consuming to work with. Here is an example of a site I have made: Track Pump UK | Home

Any feedback much appreciated.

[Steve2009]

However just think K.I.S.S

[Seamaster]

Keep it Simple Spastic

[Steve2009]

Keep it Simple Spastic

:blush:blush

[tom991]

Hi Seamaster,

Your site looks good.

Just a quick question. I Google.co.uk'd "track pump" (without quotes) and your site appears at the bottom of page 1 (great going btw!) but the text below the title: "Track Pump UK | Home" appears as:
"Wireless Printers reviewed and compared with cheapest suppliers listed."

Any ideas?

[mrbishi]

Keep it Simple Spastic

I would have gone with keep it simple stupid, but then i'm just too politically correct like that!

[Seamaster]

Just a quick question. I Google.co.uk'd "track pump" (without quotes) and your site appears at the bottom of page 1 (great going btw!) but the text below the title: "Track Pump UK | Home" appears as:
"Wireless Printers reviewed and compared with cheapest suppliers listed."

Bit of a cock up on my part - I was using the same template for another site and forgot to change the meta tag and now its in google with that description. I guess when it next gets indexed it will be updated?

[nicksthename]

I have too many projects on my hands! (through my own research, prompted by this great thread) Anyone want to take one off me?

I have an exact match domain, around 5,400 searches PM, product is ripe for drop-shipping (costs around £3, sale price around £20) or affiliate.

Nice, original site design, SEO'd, 7 x product pages with 150 word unique descriptions, 6 article pages on subject matter, around 200 words for each.

Just looking for a few quid, rather than let it go to waste.

Please PM me.

Cheers

[paul_ap]

This thread is very useful, myself and a work colleague are just starting out in the affiliate world and are blogging our progress at affiliate project. We are currently working on our first niche site and it is close to completion. We do this in our spare (what little we have at the moment) time and are looking to hopefully turn it into something more. Let us know your thoughts on our blog.

Cheers

Paul