With new technologies, algorithms and sources emerging on a daily basis, webmasters are constantly struggling to stay informed. The quality of content on the web and the number of products available to webmasters can seem overwhelming. The goal of creating a site that can be quickly found can be a struggle. Unless webmasters have a well-established brand, a great domain name and a huge marketing budget, it is important that they appear in search engines via specific keywords. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of resources and products that will benefit webmasters in their efforts to be found. 

1.) Webmaster Articles & Tutorials -The Internet is rich with resources for webmasters who are developing and optimizing web content. The web hosts a vast variety of web design tutorials and articles. For the novice, sifting through these resources can be daunting and overwhelming. 

Site Point - New Articles, Fresh Thinking for Web Developers and Designers - With a vast variety of web design tutorials and articles coupled with a vibrant and well informed community, SitePoint is the natural place to go to grow your online business.
http://www.sitepoint.com/

 

WebProNews - WebProNews is an article portal for Internet and Technology professionals and has thousands of articles on web design and development. The articles are from iEntry's network of expert writers through hundreds of relationships with authors around the world.
http://www.webpronews.com/ 

2.) Webmaster Forums - Not only can participating in various forums and posting your various views and ideas potentially bring new growth and life to your online business, it can help you stay informed about industry news or changes. This is particularly important when working in a new, quickly advancing industry like web design and search engine optimization. The following forums are great places for webmasters to participate and monitor.

ThreadWatch - ThreadWatch is a nifty tool. The concept of Threadwatch is very simple: finding the signal amongst the noise of internet marketing media takes too much of what we all value most, time. Threadwatch.org cuts through the chatter and produces a clear signal for the time-starved professional Internet marketer. http://www.threadwatch.org

Webmaster-Talk - The WebmasterTalk forum covers material related to Web Design, PHP Help, Coding, Hosting, Domain Names, graphic optimization and related webmaster topics. The forum is extremely popular and generally, posts will receive almost instant responses from knowledgeable professionals. Of course, like any forum, there are bound to be opposing views ensuring that all sides of every issue are raised. http://www.webmaster-talk.com

3.) Website Submission Tools - According to research more then 90% of Internet traffic is generated by search engines. Submitting your website to all major search engines is the most effective way of promoting your website on the Internet. In order for web surfers to locate your site you must be included in all the major search engines. There are a number of tools available to assist with the submission process. 

Internet Business Promoter - Internet Business Promoter is a suite of 10 professional web promotion tools in one software application. All of the tools are designed to assist web developers with all aspects of web site promotion and search engine optimization. We found that IBP's strength was in the website submission options. Once a site is created it must be submitted to search engines and directories. IBP streamlines and simplifies the submission process, saving significant amounts of time. http://www.axandra.com/ibp

FreeWebSubmission.com - Free Web Submission is the source for free search engine submission. They provide webmasters and site owners with free manual and auto submission to the highest-rated, free internet search engines and directories.
http://www.freewebsubmission.com/

AddMe - AddMe is a leading resource for webmasters and small-business owners specialized in website submission and promotion in the search engines. AddMe offers free online website submission to 14 major search engines in exchange for a reciprocal link. AddMe is well known and respected in the industry. http://www.addme.com/

Many of the online submissions require an e-mail address. In order to limit excessive unwanted e-mail many webmasters will use a "throw-away" e-mail address that would allow them to initially receive notification that the site is submitted but is ultimately an e-mail account they can discontinue after the submission process. This practice is suggested for anyone using a free service for site submissions.

4.) Online Tools - A number of resource sites are available on the web to assist webmasters. The resources are generally free and contain useful analytical tools. 

DigitalPoint - The DigitalPoint site contains a variety of tools specifically for webmasters. The tools are a collection of useful online tools, from a Google AdSense Sandbox that shows which Google AdSense ads will be displayed for any webpage on the Internet, to web ranking tools that track Yahoo's web rank.
http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/

 

SEO Survey - Tools to help SEO specialists and webmasters automate some of the important tasks involved in the routine of optimization.
http://www.socengine.com/seo/tools.html

5.) Webmaster Software - The aim of many applications is to save time, money or productivity. Webmsters can often use software to replace a task they do manually, freeing up their time to pursue other tasks.

FeedForAll - FeedForAll creates, edits, manages and publishes RSS feeds. As webmasters realize the benefits to RSS, software related to RSS is becoming an instrumental tool in their arsenal. http://www.feedforall.com

TNT Screen Capture - TNT captures everything with only 3 simple capture modes, from application windows to controls, to menus and popup windows. Many integrated unique features like shadow options, transparency, quick scaling and individual shapes make it quick and simple to create stunning screenshots at a mouse-click.
http://www.ec-software.com/tnt.htm 

 

6.) Free Content - Free content comes in all shapes and sizes. Understanding who your target customer is and what appeals to them will go a long way in finding content that will increase your site's value. 

GoArticles - Providing a fresh stream of content-specific articles is a great way to encourage visitors to return to your website on a regular basis. GoArticles is a directory of quality articles that is searchable based on keywords.
http://www.goarticles.com 

 

Small Business Software - Collection of small business and marketing-related articles available for republishing.
Articles - http://www.small-business-software/free-website-content.htm

FreeSticky - FreeSticky provides a directory of content available to webmasters free of charge. The available content is a variety of items including syndicated cartoons, games, horoscopes, photographs, forums and articles. The supplemental content is designed to encourage visitors to return to your website.
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/

 

RSS - RSS stands for really simple syndication, RSS feeds generally contain content available for syndication. Meaning that you can often publish content contained in an RSS feeds to provide fresh website content. FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com/free-php-script.htm has a free PHP script available to display RSS feeds. Additional resources to learn more about using RSS as web content can be found at http://www.rss-specifications.com and http://www.rss-syndication.com 

 

7.) Alerts - Using web alerts is becoming increasingly useful to webmasters interested in tracking their search engine position, trademarked terms, to monitor competitors and stay abreast of online occurrences. 

Google Alerts - Google Alerts is a solution for monitoring your professional interests online. Track the entire web for your personalized topics and receive new results by daily e-mail. There are two companies doing this: Google Alerts, http://www.googlealert.com and http://www.google.com/alerts

PubSub - PubSub is a matching service that instantly notifies you when new content is created that matches your subscription. Using a proprietary Matching Engine, PubSub is able to read millions of data sources on your behalf and notify you instantly whenever a match is made. http://www.pubsub.com

Tools for Online Tracking Alerts - Article detailing additional tools available for online tracking and alerts.
http://www.small-business-software.net/tools-for-online-tracking.htm

  

8.) Blacklist Checkers - E-mail delivery problems often occur when an IP address or domain is black-listed. The following tools will ensure that your IP address and domain will not have delivery issues.

DNS Stuff - DNSstuff: Free fast, advanced and comprehensive web-based DNS tools, going beyond just ping, tracert/traceroute, WHOIS and DNS lookups.
http://www.dnsstuff.com/

 

SpamNews - spamNEWS is a concise aggregation of vital information relevant to professionals in the anti-spam sector: Up-to-the-minute press coverage and topical editorials about e-mail abuse, related online security matters, legal and political issues, as well as articles on Internet marketing and privacy.
http://www.spamnews.com/

  

9.) Keyword Tools - Keywords to improve search engine placement and ranking. Finding top Internet marketing keywords is critical in the quest to be found. Choosing the right Internet marketing keywords will help your search engine placement and ranking. A little keyword research goes a long way in the search to be found.

WordTracker - WordTracker helps you choose the right Internet marketing keywords that will help your search engine placement and ranking. Use WordTracker for keyword research. Web marketing is all about search engine ranking, and that starts with the proper Internet marketing keywords. Get a free keyword report and web site promotion information!
http://www.wordtracker.com

 

10.) Newsletters - Email newsletters continue to be one of the most important ways to communicate and find information on the Internet. The following e-mail newsletters contain great information for webmasters.

SitePronews - A free newsletter and webmaster resource site for Webmasters focusing on web site promotion, submission, positioning, design and marketing. The newsletters and websites contain articles by noted web experts. The SiteProNews site was the first of more than 12 web sites that focused on niche areas of particular interest to webmasters, marketers, newsletter publishers, authors and entrepreneurs.
http://www.sitepronews.com/

 

iEntry - The iEntry network has a really great collection of useful newsletters. iEntry publishes over 50 targeted e-mail newsletters that cover various aspects of the IT and Business industries. http://www.ientry.com/

 

Like most of the copious amounts of information on the Internet, it is a matter of sifting through to find relevant, accurate, helpful information. Occasionally we stumble across some little-known gems. As a result, we have compiled these webmaster tools.

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Webmasters need to avoid making these common web design mistakes. Website visitors who have a pleasant experience on a website are more likely to trust the website, and as such they are more likely to purchase products from that website. Use the following guide to avoid some of the more common web design mistakes... 

1. Legibility

Use standard web fonts and normal font sizes. The font color should be dark enough that the reader does not need to strain to read the text, and not so large that it screams at the reader. Bold text should only be used for emphasis and headings.

2. Graphics

Optimize website graphics so they are not slow to load. Avoid using animated graphics that will distract or annoy website visitors. Graphics should be clean and not pixelated. 

3. Links

Links should be easily distinguished from other text on the website. And all links should be tested to ensure they function properly. 

4. URLs

When selecting a domain name, choose carefully! A number of factors should be considered, not the least of which is how the domain will read. 

Examples:

www.expertsexchange.com could be a valid website for Experts Exchange, but the domain name itself could also be read as Expert Sex Change

www.penisland.com could be a valid website for Pen Island, but the domain name itself could also be read as Penis Land

5. Features

Benefits sell; Features do not. Drop any technical lingo, and simply tell users how they will benefit from using your product or service! I can not say it any more plain than that. You should use web copy that explains how your product or service helps, and in very simple terms. 

6. Copy

Do not over optimize web copy. Copy should be written for people and website visitors, and not for search engines. Keywords and keyword phrases should be used naturally in your web copy, and it goes without saying that the web copy should make sense. 

7. Novelty Items

Background graphics, and animations such as animated mailboxes with a red flag that pops up, are a thing of the past. Times have changed, and the Internet fads of the 1990s are no longer in. Just because you may like to reminisce about yesteryear does not mean that your website visitors will -- they're far more interested in the actual reason your site exists or the products it supports. 

8. Browser Compatibility

Test your website with all of the popular web browsers. Be sure that your website displays properly, regardless of which browser your visitor might be using. If not, you could be losing potential customers without even knowing it. 

9. Global

The Internet is global; do not minimize your audience by thinking locally. Use country and area codes on telephone number listings, provide currency indicators when listing pricing, and offer ecommerce options that appeal to a wider audience.

10. Retain Control

Never give up control over the content served on your websites. Lots of webmasters will simply link to images or content served from other websites, in an attempt to save on bandwidth and content development costs. But serving content from someone else's system gives them control over your website. This can be a big mistake! For example, what if you are pulling a graphic from another website, and they suddenly decide to change that image to something inappropriate? By serving the contents of others, you are relinquishing control over an important aspect of your business.

Keep in mind that style isn't everything. Do not sacrifice SEO for style, and do not sacrifice style for SEO. There is no reason they cannot coexist. A web designer not familiar with SEO should not be doing web design. Fancy graphics and SEO can live in harmony. Avoid the above mistakes and you will be well on your way to a professional successful online presence.

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Website design can be elusive to even creative individuals. Sadly some webmasters do not realize their incompetence and they post websites that have grainy graphics and turgid colors. If you are one of these webmasters and have seen the error of your ways, consider this. Your website is a sales tool. A professional layout and design can significantly increase sales and conversion rates, gaining you customers. Businesses can greatly benefit from a professional and unforgettable logo that sets them apart from their competition. Logos are not just fancy graphics that adorn websites or letterhead, logos are a representation of a businesses' philosophy. Logos are a critical component of brand development. 

Many webmasters do not realize that all images on the web are copy written and it is in many cases illegal to use an image that you find on the web without properly licensing it. Fortunately, for the graphically challenged websmasters there are a whole host of resources available to assist with web and graphic design. There are logo websites where you can purchase a single logo for a fixed fee, or subscription websites that allow you to purchase a subscription and download multiple logos. The logo is often the starting point for web design. Many webmasters use the companies logo to develop the website, the rest of the design evolves around the logo. 

Custom logo design can cost from $ 100 to over $ 1000 depending on the logos complexity and the number of revisions required. As a result, buying a stock logo can offers substantial savings, for a small business starting out. 

Fortunately for graphically challenged webmasters there are a number of websites through which webmasters can purchase a logo: 

Logo Search
On Logo Search, website visitors can navigate through the logos using categories. The Logo Search website also has a search function allowing visitors to use keywords to locate specific color logos or logo styles. Visitors can purchase a single logo or they can purchase a subscription allowing them to download an unlimited number of logos for a specified length of time. Each download contains the image in a variety of format allowing webmasters flexibility. Webmasters can subscribe to an RSS feed so they are notified when new logos are posted and available for download.
http://www.logo-search.com

 

LogoStick
Logo Stick is a web based tool that allows webmasters to use logo templates and design software, to create custom individualized logos. After the logo is completed it can be downloaded from the website. The online logo design software lets website visitors select from a variety of symbols, fonts and colors, so that webmasters can create a unique look. Unfortunately if your issue is a lack of creative talent, this solution may not be a good one.
http://www.logostick.com

 

LogoMaid
LogoMaid contains a selection of more than 3300 unique and non-unique logos. Logos are sold individually and vary in price from $ 25.00 for a non-unique logo to $ 200 for a unique logo. Subscriptions to the LogoMaid website are not available. http://www.logomaid.com/homie.php

 

Check the Rules!
If you purchase a logo be sure that you completely read the licensing agreement. Some agreements may restrict resale of the logo and you want to be aware of that if you are a webmaster reselling your services.

Image matters by using an eye catching logo you will retain your website visitor's interest and instill confidence that you are a professional organization.

Read More...»

Website design can be elusive to even creative individuals. Sadly some webmasters do not realize their incompetence and they post websites that have grainy graphics and turgid colors. If you are one of these webmasters and have seen the error of your ways, consider this. Your website is a sales tool. A professional layout and design can significantly increase sales and conversion rates, gaining you customers. Businesses can greatly benefit from a professional and unforgettable logo that sets them apart from their competition. Logos are not just fancy graphics that adorn websites or letterhead, logos are a representation of a businesses' philosophy. Logos are a critical component of brand development.

Many webmasters do not realize that all images on the web are copy written and it is in many cases illegal to use an image that you find on the web without properly licensing it. Fortunately, for the graphically challenged websmasters there are a whole host of resources available to assist with web and graphic design. There are logo websites where you can purchase a single logo for a fixed fee, or subscription websites that allow you to purchase a subscription and download multiple logos. The logo is often the starting point for web design. Many webmasters use the companies logo to develop the website, the rest of the design evolves around the logo.

Custom logo design can cost from $ 100 to over $ 1000 depending on the logos complexity and the number of revisions required. As a result, buying a stock logo can offers substantial savings, for a small business starting out.

Fortunately for graphically challenged webmasters there are a number of websites through which webmasters can purchase a logo:

Logo Search

On Logo Search, website visitors can navigate through the logos using categories. The Logo Search website also has a search function allowing visitors to use keywords to locate specific color logos or logo styles. Visitors can purchase a single logo or they can purchase a subscription allowing them to download an unlimited number of logos for a specified length of time. Each download contains the image in a variety of format allowing webmasters flexibility. Webmasters can subscribe to an RSS feed so they are notified when new logos are posted and available for download.

http://www.logo-search.com

 

LogoStick

Logo Stick is a web based tool that allows webmasters to use logo templates and design software, to create custom individualized logos. After the logo is completed it can be downloaded from the website. The online logo design software lets website visitors select from a variety of symbols, fonts and colors, so that webmasters can create a unique look. Unfortunately if your issue is a lack of creative talent, this solution may not be a good one.

http://www.logostick.com

LogoMaid

LogoMaid contains a selection of more than 3300 unique and non-unique logos. Logos are sold individually and vary in price from $ 25.00 for a non-unique logo to $ 200 for a unique logo. Subscriptions to the LogoMaid website are not available. http://www.logomaid.com/home.php 

Check the Rules!

If you purchase a logo be sure that you completely read the licensing agreement. Some agreements may restrict resale of the logo and you want to be aware of that if you are a webmaster reselling your services.

Image matters by using an eye catching logo you will retain your website visitor's interest and instill confidence that you are a professional organization.

Read More...»

A logo concept is more than just an affinity for a specific character. Logos represent a company's brand, and as a result, serious thought and consideration should be put into your logo. Before hand be sure to consider, how the logo will represent your organization and consider the thoughts that will be associated with specific images that you consider for your logo. Does the logo embody traits that can or should be associated with your business? If your company is global, will the image transcend borders or will some of your customers find the image offensive and distasteful?

Carefully consider what traits you want for your corporate image to convey and select a logo that represents these those traits in a meaningful way.

In addition, it is important that the logo be able to: 

Be Reproduced
When selecting a color scheme it is best to stick with pantone or web friendly colors for web based businesses. The cost of reproducing a logo with standard colors will be less than a logo that does not.

Be Sized
The logo should be easy to resize and therefore will appear attractive regardless of size. It is often best to use vector graphics so the design will not be compromised when resized. Logos are used in a variety of mediums and it is important that the logo will port to a variety of sizes to encompass all of your branding needs. 

Timeless
A logo should have a long shelf-life. A logo is something that should not be changed too frequently. In fact many of the most recognizable logos are well aged. 

Simplistic in Nature
Logo designs should not be overly elaborate. Keep the number of colors in the design to a minimum. This will be beneficial when the image is resized. Varied Request a variety of formats to make it simpler for reproducing the logo in a variety of different mediums. If displaying a logo on the web, it is important the logo be in a compressed format to make the webpages load faster. Also, be sure to have a high resolution image for print media in order that it does not appear pixelated when printed. 

Respect Trademarks
When designing the logo be sensitive to trademarked logos. Do not spend the time and energy building a brand that will ultimately cause consumer confusion. Avoid a design that may be similar to another company. The logo design should be different enough that market place confusion will not occur.

Logos will often be used to identify a corporate brand. Make sure the logo you choose represents your company in an appropriate manner.

Examples of Logos that fit the bill can be found at Logo Search http://www.logo-search.com

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Web templates expedite the process of setting up a new website. The idea behind a web template is that it will save time with the creative design and layout process

In the business world, time is money; hence, using templates can save money. It can be a challenge to find a web designer for hire, and quite often the designer's schedule will not always mesh with the needs of a small business. Time rarely controls a web graphic designer. Artists are, well, artistic, and don't necessarily work by the clock. Instead, they work when inspiration strikes, which can be problematic when there are deadlines to meet. Templates are ready-made, and can be easily edited, allowing you to instantly create a website.

In addition, webmasters that may lack adequate graphic or design skills can quickly and easily create a website themselves, simply by editing and customizing the existing HTML layout in a web template. And locating a themed web template takes far less time than attempting to create a layout and graphics from scratch. Web templates also remove any coding issues. This is especially helpful to webmasters who are just starting out and just learning HTML coding.

The bottom line is that webmasters who use web templates will have their websites up and running much quicker.  

Where To Find Webmaster Templates?

Locating a web template that meets your business or personal needs doesn't have to be difficult. There are online directories and galleries, most of which are categorized into themes or by industries. For example, a variety of themed and generic templates can be found at Webmaster Templates: http://www.webmaster-templates.net .

Other web templates can be found HTML Templates Sources - http://www.small-business-software.net/html-web-templates.htm.

What Is A Good Template, And What Is Not?

Differentiating between a good template and a not-so-good template can be difficult for an amateur. A beginner should have no issues editing the basic HTML layout, but some of the more complex graphic templates and web designs can be difficult for a novice to manipulate. If you are a beginner, stick with HTML-based templates, which can be edited with a common HTML editor, until you get the hang of web design. 

How Can Templates Be Edited?

It depends on the format of the web template, but in most cases the web templates available online can be edited using common HTML editors such as DreamWeaver, FrontPage, or Web Express. The graphics can be edited in any type of imaging application such as PaintShop Pro, Gimp, or PhotoShop. Some templates will also use CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to control and standardize things like font sizes and colors across all web pages. These CSS files can be edited using a CSS editor like TopStyle. 

What Should I Look For In A Ready-Made Web Template?

Web templates should be editable in any HTML editor. 

What Am I Allowed And Not Allowed To Do With The Templates?

Different templates are licensed for different purposes and with different restrictions. You must carefully read the licensing agreement on the template's website to determine how the template can be used. Most licenses allow templates to be modified and customized. Some licenses stipulate that the templates are for personal use only, and not for commercial use, so be careful there.

Web templates offer webmasters a great opportunity to minimize development time and get new sites on the web sooner rather than later. The structure of web templates allow webmasters to focus on the proprietary content development, and optimizing the website for search engines, rather than struggling with layout and graphics.

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15 Important Web Design Tips

Here are 15 important website design tips that you might not be aware of or have overlooked. Consider taking advantage of them if you haven't already done so. 

1. Custom 404 Pages

Create a custom 404 web page, so that any time your website visitor mistypes or misspells a URL on your site, they will still be provided with navigation options for your site (instead of getting nothing but a "Page Not Found" error message, which is neither friendly or helpful). 

2. Redirect Non-www. To www.

Website visitors will often leave out the "www." portion when they type a URL or link to your website. Set the website up so that it automatically redirects any non-www version of your domain urls (http://domain.com) to the www version (http://www.domain.com) of your website. 

3. Properly Sized Graphics

Size and define all graphics and images on your web pages properly and correctly. Web pages will load quicker if the graphics contained on each page are properly defined so they don't require the web browser to re-size them. Properly sized and defined images can reduce the web browser workload and speed up the page loading time. 

4. Favicon

Add a Favicon (favorite icon) to your website, so that your company or product logo appears in the URL box. This icon will also show up in a bookmark list, and gives the web site an added level of professionalism.

5. Include RSS Auto-Discovery

If you offer an RSS feed for any content on your website, be sure to include auto-discovery code in the header of your website. This will allow many browsers and RSS readers to automatically detect the presence of an RSS feed and alert the visitor that it is available. 

6. Alternate Domains

Domain names are relatively inexpensive, so you should register multiple domain versions and extensions in order to protect your brand. The varied domains can be parked on the main website, simply to prevent others from obtaining them. Registering alternate domain versions will help protect your brand. 

7. Consistent Navigation

Navigation should remain consistent on a website. As a website visitor moves through the website, the navigation bar should remain in the same place on each page. This will make it easier for visitors to navigate your website, and become more comfortable as they move through your site. 

8. Home Goes Home

The main graphic, company logo, or "header" at the top of the site should be included on every page in the site, and should always return the visitor to the home page of the website. This has become a web standard, and most visitors now expect to return to the main page of the site simply by clicking on the main top graphic from any page within the site. 

9. Copyright Notice

Include a copyright notice on the bottom of each page contained on the website, and keep it current! It may seem trivial, but an out-of-date copyright notice can send a message to your visitors that the website and its content may be out-of-date as well. 

10. Meaningful File Names

Use meaningful file names for any files, graphics, or web pages. Many search engines look at file names as part of their search algorithm, and using keywords in file names may help to improve search engine rankings.

11. Hyphens vs Underscores

When naming files and webpages, use hyphens (i.e. web-page.html) rather than underscores (i.e. web_page.html) for the file names. It is much easier for search engines to separate and index the keywords when hyphens are used. 

12. Alt Tags

Use ALT tags to describe what images represent on web pages. ALT tags not only assist visually-impaired visitors in knowing what the images are, but they also help with search engine ranking. 

13. Spell Check

Use a spell-check feature on the text of all web pages in a website. A website that contains mistyped or misspelled words just shouts "unprofessional". Take the extra few minutes necessary to check the spelling of text on each page of your website.
 
14. Test

After making changes to a website, test it! Many times, a webmaster will upload changes, confident in their abilities, only to later discover that in their attempt to fix one thing, they have "broken" something somewhere else. Make testing a habit after making even the most minor changes! 

15. Keep It Simple

Simple is good. Remove unnecessary clutter and distractions from a website and navigation menu.

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HTML website templates can significantly ease the burden of designing and creating websites by providing webmasters with a ready-made web layout, structure, basic graphics, and color scheme. Templates can generally be edited and customized with any HTML editor. The biggest advantage for webmasters using ready-made templates is the amount of time that can be saved. There are a number of websites that provide ready-made HTML templates. We have compiled a list of some popular sites to make the search process easier. 

Webmaster Templates

Webmaster Templates contains themed web templates. Each template includes an HTML layout, CSS file, and graphic images. Individual templates can be purchased, or webmasters can subscribe to the website and download an unlimited number of templates for a specified period of time. The themed and industry web templates are categorized by topic, or can be located using a keyword search feature. New web templates are added on a regular basis, so check back often.

Webmaster Templates - http://www.webmaster-templates.net 

Template Monster

Template Monster is a large site that contains website templates, flash templates, and other ready-made web designs. The templates can be used as a basis for web design. Because of the complexity of many designs found on Template Monster, some layouts might be a challenge for a new webmaster to customize or manipulate.

Template Monster - http://www.templatemonster.com/ 

DesignLoad

DesignLoad is a repository of website templates, flash templates, graphic works, and navigation interfaces. All can be download and modified. All the website templates and graphic works on DesignLoad are classified under a wide variety of product categories.

DesignLoad - http://www.designload.net/home.html 

WebTemplateBiz

WebTemplateBiz offers a wide range of website templates for business and personal needs. The site contains everything from WordPress skins to sophisticated flash solutions. These ready-made templates are easy to use and can be customized with a little bit of web design knowledge.

WebTemplateBiz - http://webtemplatebiz.com/ 

Web Templates Gallery

Pre-existing, and pre-formatted web templates are available. The Web Templates Gallery has a subscription option, or individual templates can be purchased. The graphics in the templates are fairly complex, and graphic design knowledge is necessary to edit the artwork contained in the templates.

Web Templates Gallery - http://www.webtemplatesgallery.com/ 

BoxedArt

BoxedArt contains a variety of web templates. Each template includes professionally designed HTML files, and source PSD files. All templates in the BoxedArt directory are available via subscription.

BoxedArt - http://www.boxedart.com 

Elegant Templates

Elegant Templates contains cost-effective and professional web page designs. Elegant Templates offers website templates that are easy to customize, and the templates are professional without the expense of hiring a custom website designer.

Elegant Templates - http://www.elegant-templates.com/ 

The Template Store

The Template Store contains professionally designed web sites templates, saving webmasters a great deal of time and money. The Template Store contains Dreamweaver, Frontpage, Expression Web, CSS, Golive, Swish, and ecommerce web templates.

The Template Store - http://www.thetemplatestore.com 

TemplateRover

TemplateRover is a modern website template design studio that offers up-to-date website and flash templates. The templates can be customized to create unique website designs.

TemplateRover - http://www.templaterover.com 

Trendy Templates

Trendy Templates offers a comprehensive gallery consisting of HTML and Photoshop website templates. The website templates are easy to download, and easy to edit. Webmasters can use standard HTML editors like Frontpage 2000 or Dreamweaver to incorporate custom web content into the website templates. The website templates are available in various categories, which makes the gallery easy to navigate.

Trendy Templates - http://www.trendytemplates.com

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How much do you know about web design? Take this web design quiz to find out how much you know about web design. 

What Is A Web Template?

A website template is a ready-made HTML layout for webmasters. Typically, webmasters need to only edit the text and links in the HTML page, and they can then have a website up and running in a very short amount of time. Web templates make the creation of a website easier and faster. Web templates are easy to edit and customize using an HTML editor.

Examples of a web templates can be found at Webmaster Templates - http://www.webmaster-templates.net 

What Is A CSS File?

CSS stands for "Cascading Style Sheets", and are used to control and manage font styles, font sizes, and web site color combinations that are used in a web page. In order to retain continuity of "look and feel" throughout a website, all pages within a website will often refer to a single CSS file. The CSS file is typically contained in a separate file from the website, and the various web pages retrieve the CSS file each time a web page is displayed. CSS files make global appearance changes easy -- a single change in a CSS file will mean that any pages using that CSS file will automatically display the changes. 

What Is A Dreamweaver Template?

Dreamweaver Templates allow webmasters to define "editable" and "non-editable" regions of a webpage. The "non-editable" regions can only be edited in the Dreamweaver Template. Any changes made to the Dreamweaver Template update any HTML pages that use the template. 

What Is More Important -- Web Design Or SEO?

Web Design and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are not mutually exclusive. The best webmasters are familiar with Search Engine Optimization techniques, as well as Website and Graphical Design. It is difficult to have a successful website if you neglect either SEO or Design. The two are intricately woven, and really must coexist to achieve website success. 

How Much Does A Website Cost?

It depends on many variables. Custom website design can range from $500-$2000 for a single web template. The price varies, depending on the complexity of the design. Webmasters can also use a stock web template, which can cost as little as $10.00, or as much as several hundreds of dollars. Some stock templates are available for exclusive use, and exclusive designs tend to be more expensive. Website content development and Search Engine Optimization can be even more expensive, and are ongoing expenses. 

If A Website Is Designed In Dreamweaver, Can I Edit It With Another HTML Editor?

Yes, most websites and designs can be edited in any HTML editor. 

What Is A WYSIWYG Editor?

WYSIWYG stands for "What You See Is What You Get", so if you are using a WYSIWYG editor to design and create your web page, you have a pretty good idea of how the page will look in a web browser. Think of Microsoft Word -- when you change a font, you see the font change immediately in the MS Word document. The same is true in a WYSIWYG Editor, in that you see changes immediately within the editor itself, as opposed to having to save the page and then separately load and view it in a web browser. 

Do You Have To Know HTML To Design A Website?

Knowing HTML is certainly helpful in website design, especially when very minor tweaks and adjustments are necessary, but it is not absolutely required for website design. There are a number of WYSIWYG editors and web templates available, which can assist new webmasters with the design process. Using a web template and a WYSIWYG editor, new webmasters are able to create a web page by simply cutting and pasting content into a web template. 

What Does HTML Stand For?

HTML stands for "HyperText Markup Language". HTML is the markup language that typically resides behind the web page. Information related to the website design is indicated by "tags". HTML is what is considered a simple markup language. 

What Is The Difference Between Dynamic And Static Web Pages?

A "Dynamic" web page is one that is automatically created "on the fly" as it is presented, while a "Static" web page is pre-configured and not interactive. Dynamic web pages will often pull information from somewhere else before displaying the page, so the page content is ever-changing. The information on a Dynamic webpage often results from a database query, such as "search" results. Another kind of Dynamic page simply pulls information from another source, such as a web page that displays an RSS feed -- it's "Dynamic" because the page content changes each time the RSS feed is updated. The information contained in a Static page is considered "flat", and never changes until the webmaster re-codes it.

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What is a logo?
A logo is a design, graphical representation, image or symbol that represents a business or organization. Logos were initially used to distinguish and differentiate products, the logos assisted purchasers in finding the product they prefer or have come to trust (or not trust). When product selections were limited and items were marked with a logo which a consumer was familiar they would naturally assume a certain level of quality or value, even if they had not previously used that specific product from that vendor. Now many companies not only have a corporate logo, but they have a logo to represent each of their products or product lines.

The company or product logo typically appears on all printed media or websites that are associated with the company or product. The logo appears in all marketing material and media.

A logo is really more than just a graphic, a logo design is part of a larger marketing concept. Marketers take specific care when selecting a logo, and they give a lot of thought about what they want their customers to identify with the company or product logo.

Some logos are designed around color. Studies have been conducted about the psychology of color and how different colors evoke different emotions. Green is used to imply wealth or expense, a marketer might use a green logo to imply an increase in perceived value. Blue on the other hand has a calming and soothing effect. Multiple colors can be used to accent and highlight specific parts of the logo. Accented and highlighted colors should be contrasting and complimentary.

Regardless of what colors you select, be sure that you use standard pantone colors and websafe colors. Also make sure these colors can be easily reproduced in print mediums.

Logos should be simple, and not overly elaborate or complex. Newer businesses and technology companies should have modern logos, while long standing businesses may want to use a logo that emphasizes their business experience. That does not mean that an older business cannot freshen or enhance an older logo, they may just want to retain certain qualities so their logo is still recognizable. Rarely do business depart drastically from an established logo. For this reason businesses should select a logo that has longevity. Once you establish and build a strong corporate image, you will want to retain it.

Logos should be designed so that they scale easily and can be used in a variety of mediums: letterhead, t-shirts, and more. Always keep in mind that logos are part of a larger marketing concept. Promotional materials will require consistency to reinforce the company or product image.

Taglines incorporated into the logo help reinforce the underlying message in a logo and can be an easy addition. Countless memorable marketing campaigns over the years have associated slogans with a logo to hit a message home.

While logos sound complex, in truth it has never been easier to locate a logo. Professional graphic artists are abundant on the web, and can be contracted to create a custom logo, or business owners can scroll through thousands of logos in logo directories.

Logo Directories:
Logo Search - http://www.logo-search.com/
Logo Maid - http://www.logomaid.com/
LogoWorks - http://www.logoworks.com/ 

Logos are the building blocks of a company or product identity. Be sure to take the time to find a logo that reflects the values that you, as a business owner, want associated with your business. Find a logo that is more than just a graphic.

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Stock Photography

Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time, effort and money. Typically publishers can either purchase exclusive rights to a single image or they can purchase a subscription of sorts. The subscriptions allow publishers to download a limited number of photos over a specified period of time.

Stock photo websites allow webmasters, marketers and publishers to locate pictures for their marketing and promotional materials without the hassle of organizing a photo shoot. With copyright laws businesses must be very careful in using unlicensed photos.

There are also risks to using "free" photographs. Many of the free websites contain collaborative works from multiple photographers and artists. While the websites attempt to monitor the images in their collections in violation of copyright laws, there are no guarantees. If you opt to use photographs or images from a free portal, it is important to keep this in mind.

The following are a large number of reputable stock photo websites available:

Photo-Wizard.net - The Photo-Wizard's website contains thousands of fantastic, high-quality photographs, in more than 30 categories. Photos can be used on websites, in promotional materials or educational materials. The Photo-Wizard's stock photo directory is packed with eye-catching photos that will meet the needs of graphic designers and webmasters looking for exceptional quality images at reasonable prices. The site is filled with inexpensive, professional quality royalty free photographs. There is no longer a need to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single photograph. Single images can be purchased for $.99 each or subscriptions can be purchased for $49.95 - $ 179.95.
Photo Wizard - http://www.photo-wizard.net 

Photos.com - Photos.com contains professional royalty-free stock photographs available via a subscription. Pay only a single fee and download up to 250 photos from the Photos.com collection per day. The photos.com collection contains more than 325,000 professional quality stock photographs. Subscriptions can be purchased for $149.95 - $ 699.95 .

Photos.com - http://www.photos.com 

ClipArt.com - The ClipArt website is exceptional, known for its large variety. You can filter images based on file formats, (photographs, photo objects or clipart) so only the specified format appears in the search results. Subscription can be purchased for $ 17.99 - $ 269.99.

ClipArt - http://www.clipart.com 

Morguefile.com - The term "morgue file" is popular in the newspaper business to describe a file that holds past issues. The purpose of this site is to provide free image reference material for use in all creative pursuits. Photos on Morguefile can be used free of charge, but only for personal use; but are not available for commercial or business use.

MorgueFile - http://www.morguefile.com 

PixelPerfectDigital.com - PixelPerfectDigital contains 4,000 images. The website uses a forum format to display the images, many of which are clipart rather than photographs. The images can be used free of charge for personal use.

Pixel Perfect Digital - http://www.pixelperfectdigital.com/free_stock_photos/

StockVault.net - StockVault contains photos and logos that are free for non-commercial use. They have additional image packs available for fixed prices.
StockVault - http://www.stockvault.net 

Free-Photographs.net - The Free Photographs Network is an online resource for royalty-free stock photographs for non-commercial use. The collection is very limited and a search function specifically for the site is not available.

Free Photographs - http://www.free-photographs.net 

FreeStockPhotos.com - Photographs on Free Stock Photos can be used free of charge for non-commercial use, but the photograph must include credits to FreeStockPhotos.com when used on the Internet, in a web page, in printed publications, or in any product, advertising, or packaging. This credit, however, may be cropped out or digitally removed from the photograph if it is included in readable type near each photograph, group of photographs, in the text, or in the credits. The collection is limited and a search function is not visible.

Free Stock Photos - http://www.freestockphotos.net 

FreePhotos.com - FreePhotos is a collaborative website that contains photos. The website contains many different image categories, but not a large variety in each category. In order to download an image users must register.

Free Photos - http://www.freephotos.com 

ArtFavor.com - ArtFavor contains a limited selection of small high-quality photographs. The images are not available for commercial use.

ArtFavor - http://www.artfavor.com/types.php?type=12 

FreeDigitalPhotos.net - The photos on Free Digital Photos can be used for commercial and non commercial interests. If the images are used for promotional items (greeting cards, mugs, t-shirts, screen savers) there is a $ 20.00 charge for the use of each image. Some images also stipulate that they require a link back to the FreeDigitalPhotos website.

Free Digital Photos - http://www.freedigitalphotos.net 

FreePhotosBank.com - Free Photos Bank is a collaborative website with a number of attractive photos. Photos contained on the Free Photos Bank are from a variety of photographers and the reprint permissions may vary.

Free Photos Bank - http://www.freephotosbank.com 

DesignPacks.com - Design Packs offers free, high-quality image collections that can be used in both personal and commercial web design projects. Each collection features a group of 15 images that share a common theme.

Design Packs - http://www.designpacks.com 

ShutterStock - Shutterstock is a large subscription-based stock photo agency. They have an outstanding collection of premium, royalty-free photographs, illustrations, and vectors. Subscription can be purchased for $ 199.00 - $1,999.00 and allow subscribers to download up to 25 images per day.

ShutterStock - http://www.shutterstock.com/ 

ComStock - ComStock contains a large collection of royalty-free images. ComStock offers three purchase options images can be purchased individually, CD options are available or publishers can purchase a subscription for $299 - $1999.00 which allows them to download up to 50 images per day.

ComStock - http://www.comstock.com 

These are all a number of options available for webmasters and publishers in need of images for marketing campaigns or packaging. Regardless of the website selected, be sure to read the agreement terms carefully to ensure that you are adhering to the guidelines.

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