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“The power of the web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” Tim Berners-Lee, Director of W3C.

The article covers:

• What is website accessibility
• The need for website accessibility
• Why website accessibility matters
• Improving website accessibility

Website Accessibility Definition

We define website accessibility as the ability of a website to be used by all, irrespective of mode or disability.

The ever growing Web is home to immense information. Responsible web content contributors make efforts to have the website information accessible regardless of what mode the visitors are using to access the website and of disabilities.

Website Accessibility: The Need

Web is a huge resource that is accessed by people with different accessing devices and disabilities.

Different devices may include:

• Different graphic browsers (Opera, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer etc) and their different versions
• Reading devices like JAWS etc
• Text-only browsers etc

Different disabilities may include:

• Blindness
• Paralysis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Dyslexia
• Lack of hearing etc

Even situations like loud and crowded place, lack of an audio device at hand can lead to website inaccessibility.

Not being able to serve your audience with the information they need is a handicap that must be avoided. Making the website accessible not only addresses the needs of users with disabilities but also caters to user preferences and situations.

Website Accessibility Benefits

Website Accessibility Guidelines were released in May, 1999 and yet larger part of the web still inaccessible to many. Here are a few reason why you should be part of the Web that follows website accessibility standards:

• It promises equal opportunity to all on the Web
• It enhances web user experience
• It makes your website more usable
• It makes your website more manageable
• You can reach a broader audience
• It can improve your conversion rate by 100% (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030107.html)
• It makes you a responsible web content contributor
• It’s a law in many jurisdictions (http://www.w3.org/WAI/Policy/)
• Denying access to all can be seen as discriminatory and may land you into expensive lawsuits

Improving Website Accessibility

Improving accessibility features depends on the tools used to develop the site and the design itself. While it may be possible to improve a few features, it is not possible to implement all features if the site was not designed flexibly.

Nonetheless, all efforts should be put towards making the website as accessible as possible.

Making the website accessible to all would endorse the universality of the Web. When we create a website, we are reaching out to the global audience. By creating a website which adheres to accessibility standards, we are respecting our audience and the web space.

I believe some people create and publish websites for the sole purpose of tormenting their visitors. Browsing various websites and navigating the Web can often be like trying to read on an airplane while a kid kicks the back of your seat and the baby next to you alternates between screaming, crying and drooling on you. There are some excellent websites out there to be sure, but there are also a lot of dreadful ones too. The latter are the bane of so many people?s existence, especially those who use the Web regularly.

The Net continues to grow in popularity and importance for consumers and businesses alike. Therefore, the quality of sites needs to keep pace. Creating and maintaining high-quality websites is more important now than ever. Higher quality equals more revenue.

The following lists the top ten ways that a website misses the boat and contributes to hair loss and nervous breakdowns. Notice the common thread that runs throughout each of these. Namely, a bad website neglects to consider the site visitor?s experience in some fundamental ways.

1. Animation

Seven year-olds like watching animated cartoons on Saturday morning, business people, professionals and most other adults don?t. Sites that include showy Flash animations as an ?Intro?, animated gifs on every page, or flying words are really annoying. They take away from the content and distract the visitor from achieving their goals. Unless your site is an entertainment site, try to avoid maddening motion. However, if your product or service can be better demonstrated using Flash, Quick Time, or other multimedia, which is common, offer your visitors the chance to click a link to view it. But don?t force them.

2. Too much scrolling

Once I scroll down a full screen?s worth, my eyes start to blur, I feel slightly lost, my head spins and my interest wanes. Computer monitors really aren?t the best medium for reading. The Net and many sites are so big that it?s important to always provide a clear frame of reference for your visitors at all times while they?re on your site. If a page requires two full screens of scrolling or more, simply split it up into multiple pages.

3. Long, text-heavy and blocky paragraphs of unbroken text

I really have to be into a topic or desperately need to glean the information to trudge through big chunks of unbroken text online. If I?m just shopping around for a product or service, you?ve lost me if I have to endure this kind of torture. Again, it is harder to read text on the Web than in other mediums such as books. Additionally, Web users are notoriously impatient, so make your content easy to read and non-intimidating. Use titles, sub-titles, small paragraphs, bullets and numbering.

4. No obvious ways to contact the company

If all you supply is an email on your website, your legitimacy may be questioned. Why can?t you answer the phone? Why hide behind an anonymous and cold email address? Make it easy for your existing and potential customers to talk with you.

5. Unchanging or out-date content

If I start reading content on a site and soon discover that the content was written three years ago, I split. Since there?s so much information out there, my reasoning is there?s got to be comparable information online that?s more current. If you keep your content fresh your site will attract repeat visitors. And repeat visitors are more likely to turn into customers.

6. Long page downloads

It?s amazing that this is still a problem. When I click on to a site and have to sit there waiting for it to appear in my browser, I start sweating, picking my teeth, tapping my toes, rolling my eyes and soon want to throw my computer through my office window. I?m obviously a little impatient, but again, I know there are other sites out there with the same information that will download more quickly, so why wait? I?m gone.

7. “Me, me, me!” instead of “You, you, you”

Generally speaking, no one cares about you, your company or your thoughts. What they do care about is what you can do for them. So sites that show pictures of the company building or tout their deep philosophy on the way business should be conducted really don?t bode well for keeping the interest of site visitors. On the other hand, sites that speak directly to potential customers about how they can solve their problems, make their lives easier, safer, richer or more comfortable have a much better chance of keeping the eyeballs glued.

8. Non-explanatory buttons or links

Here are some examples of buttons that leave me dazed and confused: A wedding site with a button called ?Blanks?, a boating site with a button named ?The Lighthouse?, a book site with a button called ?The Inside Story?, or a Web design site with a button called ?Tea Time?. They sound like Jeopardy categories. Imagine trying to find your way on a highway where its various signs read ?Over Here?, ?Moon Beams?, and ?Lollypops?. Good luck navigating your way through. It?s the same with navigating websites. Button and link names need to tell the visitor where the link leads to. Make it as easy as possible for a visitor to know where they?re going before they click. However, there are times when naming a link an ambiguous name may pique the curiosity of a user and get them to click on it. But as a general rule, keep your links and buttons as descriptive as possible.

9. Inconsistent navigation

Imagine sitting down at a restaurant and the waiter comes over to you and hands you five different menus, one for the appetizers, one for the soups and salads, one for the entrees, one for the desserts, and one for the drinks. Annoying. Now imagine if each menu had a different format, layout and method for listing the items. Brutal. I really don?t want to work that hard at picking out my dinner, I?m hungry and I just want a meal. Don?t make your visitors work hard either by expecting them to re-learn your navigation system each time they enter another section of your site. They too are hungry; for useful information and they?re even more impatient.

10. Inconsistent look & feel

When the look & feel completely changes from one page to another in a website, I think I am visiting another site, another company, a partner or subsidiary. I get very confused. This screams poor planning and often results from tacking on new sections later after the original site was built. This can lead to design-drift. It may be tempting to stray from the original design; you may have a better design now. But wait till you do a complete next-generation re-design of the entire site before introducing a new look & feel. If not, lots of visitors will be scratching their heads with one hand and possibly clicking away with the other.

Finally, any site that employs a number of these notorious features is particularly painful to experience. When I click to a website that has five different fonts and colors, scrolls down to the core of the Earth, incorporates zinging words and big fat blocks of text, lists no phone number and has content written and dated in 1996, I scream and know deep down inside that pulling my fingernails out wouldn?t be as torturous as having to remain there a minute longer.

Website Templates

Looking to establish an online presence? Then, your most affordable solution is to buy a web template. It is important to determine what kind of templates are there in the market before you proceed to but one. The following is a brief explanation of the most popular templates that you expect to find on the market analyzing the degree of expertise to develop them, the required tools and their functionality.

Flash Templates

Flash is a registered trademark of macromedia studios. Flash has really modified the way that web pages look. It has allowed for movement and interactivity on previously very static and boring websites. It has its advantages and disadvantages like everything. Flash Templates bring alive every website allowing visitors to sometimes interact with the web page that they are visiting. However, they are not very useful from the search engine optimization standpoint. Search engines can not read flash movies. Therefore, a flash website, built entirely in flash, can not be optimized for key terms, so users can find you. Then, you have websites that have a flash introduction and or a flash heading. This websites provide users with the flashing and whistles that some website owners are looking for, and allow you to somehow optimize the pages making them friendlier for search engines like yahoo and google. Flash can be downloaded from the macromedia site with a test license for thirty days.

Dreamweaver Templates

Dreamweaver is another gem of macromedia. It is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) html editor which means that you do not need to know HTML to create pages. HTML is the standard protocol or language that most pages are created on the internet today. Dreamweaver templates allow you to speed the production of a website, and it also allows you, one your website is established, to modify all pages but just modifying the templates. You will only have to add the content to it. Of course, you will need dreamweaver software, which can also be downloaded from the macromedia site with a 30 day test license, and some knowledge of how it works. There are plenty of tutorials to learn dreamweaver, and even macromedia distributes it with a good but rough tutorial.

Frontpage Templates

Just like macromedia templates, frontpage templates speed the process of creating a website with multiple templates. Frontpage templates are more like a theme as you can apply it to existing pages and not use the template to create them. Frontpage is created by the Microsoft Corporation and is distributed with office package. You will need frontage to edit the templates.

PSD Templates

PSD files are the ones created by photoshop from adobe. Photoshop is one of the leading picture editing software on the market. Although PSD templates are very easy to modify, you will need extensive knowledge of what photoshop is capable and its commands. Usually, PSD templates include only one master file that you work with to produce many different web pages, and you will need to modify some graphics in order to alter the template to your need. PSD templates provide you with a great finished product that will look good on any browser. Photoshop, from adobe, is defiantly a require tool.

Fireworks Templates

As PSD templates, fireworks templates are made to work with an image editing software. The export capacity of fireworks allows you to have crispy clean layouts for your website. You will need, of course, fireworks from macromedia to modify them although you can get away with photoshop.

Full site template

Full site templates are templates that are sold with the most common pages already created. Your customizing is reduced to the minimum. Usually, you will receive a set of files, images, and some scripts, depending on the template and the provider. You will also need a HTML editor such as dreamweaver or frontpage to work with them. Full site templates are a little be more costly than other types of templates depending on the design, but it allow you to reduce creating pages and modifying images.

Ecommerce Templates

Ecommerce templates are templates that have a shopping cart with payment processors already incorporated, also depending on the provider and the template. It is a great solution to small to medium size companies that are looking to sell their products on the net. These templates are usually customizable with frontpage or dreamweaver, and you will only need to add your company information and the products. There is also a free ecommerce solution called Oscommerce. OsCommerce is an online shop free under the open source license and it works with a template system or theme. It features multilanguage options, and different payment gateaways. It is written in PHP, and works with most hosting services. The only conflict with Oscommerce is that every shop that uses it looks about the same. You will need to purchase an customized Oscommerce theme in order to obtain some uniqueness. There is minimal to non modification of the template once you implement it.

CSS Templates

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheet. It is a regular template ruled by an external file that has the colors, font sizes, font styles, and other information about the look of your website. It is especially useful when modifying the looks of a multi page website. If you are thinking on building a large website and changing the look if it when you want it, this is one of your best choice. The CSS file is editable with a text editor. You basically define the set of rules by what the website pages are governed.

Flash Intro Templates

Flash intro templates are templates that present a movie to visitors before they go into the detail pages of your website. Flash intro templates tantalize users with motion and information about your company. For some users, the flash intro is a turn off, and they skip the website which is the content that you want them to see since the intros usually takes time to load and finish. For some other users, flash intros amaze them. There is not between. Webmaster are also divided by the use of flash intros. In order to modify flash intros, you will need flash and a HTML editor.

Phpnuke Themes

Phpnuke is also another open source project that is free to the public. It can be a portal of information, or anything that you want. It works through modules, and presents the information in ?boxes?. There is a lot of add on features that you can easily include to a phpnuke website. It is better that you visit www.phpnuke.org in order to learn what you can do with it. Also as Oscommerce, it works with a theme or template system where you only select the theme that you would like to set your site, and it changes the whole look of the site at the push of a bottom. Themes for phpnuke need little to non modification. The very little modification that you need is done with image editng software such as photoshop of fireworks.

Forum Templates

Whether you are looking to set up a forum or have an established forum, you need an appealing look to your users and subscribers. We have the forum templates that you are looking for. You can select from flash headers or regular forum templates. Our forum templates work with most popular open source forums such as PhpBB. They will include all required files to put it into the template system of your site. Our forum templates are of great quality and design.

When designing or redesigning a website the most important part of the project happens before any graphics or code are created.

Start by determining the primary goals of your website. Are you using it to sell your products or services. Maybe it’s intended simply to advertise your offline business, provide support to your existing customers or build your company brand. Whatever the goals are, clearly defining them ahead of time will better guide you in the actual creation process.

Next, remember that first impressions mean everything. Your website design must be professional and portray the right image for your business. Most web surfers decide within seconds of reaching your main page if they will browse deeper into your site or click away to another. Studies have shown that this decision is usually made based on the appeal of the design rather than the text copy. This means that your site design has to grab their attention and convince them that you?re offering something of value fast.

Chances are you’re not a graphic designer or web coding guru, so how can you develop a professional design? We get asked this question a lot by potential clients at BanPro NET, especially from owners of home-based or new small businesses.

You basically have two options, hire a professional designer or firm to create your website or purchase a website template. Templates are pre-made designs that allow you to just add your text and product graphics. Templates have the advantage of being able to go live with your website quickly and usually for a very low cost, however they also have the disadvantage of being seen on numerous websites, so you won?t stand out from the crowd as well.

Either way, keep in mind that your website design is what most online visitors to your site are going to judge your company on, regardless of your industry, so it must be as professional as possible.

Did you know that nearly 20 percent of all Web users have some form of disability?

Making your site accessible for all is a matter of courtesy, is good business practice, and is not difficult, explains Robert Roberts, a professional SEO who owns the SEO Toolbox (http://www.seotoolbox.com).

In fact, Roberts believes that Web accessibility issues are so important that he?s been having monthly chat sessions on the subject for students at the Academy of Web Specialists (http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/courses.html). He?s also created a special section of his Web site that?s devoted to accessibility issues (http://www.seotoolbox.com/htmlchat/accessibility.html).

Roberts states that disabilities can be anything from ?simple? color blindness to more severe disabilities.

The Use of Alt Text to Solve Accessibility Issues

Let’s start with image alt tags. You can use the alt tag to your advantage, not just for SEO purposes. The alt description tells those users with assistive technologies what the image is about.

There is the issue of lots of clear images meant to be used as spacers in layouts. Should you use an alt tag for every one of those? Yes, in a sense, you use what’s called the Null Alt, meaning an empty alt tag, like this: alt=”". Notice that there is no space between the quotes, which means that assistive devices will bypass the image and not try to explain it. But if you don’t use it, assistive devices will show a blank where the image would be or cause other display issues.

The alt tag for navigation images is critical. Actually, you should use text navigation wherever possible, as good SEO?s, but there are times when the layout uses buttons, which brings up another issue - that of navigation preceding content.?

Solving the Problem of Navigation Preceding Content

Roberts continues, ?When a person using an assistive device opens a Web page, he or she is usually greeted by lots of navigation before getting to the content. Furthermore, an assistive device like a screen reader will read ALL of the navigation every single time. One solution is to include a “skip navigation” link that allows the person to jump to the page content. This can be in the form of a tiny hidden clear image linked to an anchor tag.

If you would like to see an example, take a look at the source code for any page at SEO Toolbox (http://www.seotoolbox.com). The logo at the top of the page is linked to the menu, because the menu markup is actually at the bottom of the HTML code. You would be able to use this strategy with any assistive device or in a text browser like Lynx.

Why Accessibility Issues Are So Important These Days

One of the reasons all of this is so important,? says Roberts, ?is because of a lawsuit in progress that looks like it may get to the Supreme Court. A blind man in Florida is suing Southwest Airlines because he is unable to complete normal transactions on their Web site.”

By means of explanation, the Americans with Disabilities Act provides provisions on the accessibility of public accommodations to the disabled, and this is the Act that is being referenced in the case.

The plaintiffs in the case claim that Congress wrote the ADA so broadly that the Internet is covered, meaning that it ‘applies to Internet Web sites just as it does to brick-and-mortar facilities like movie theaters and department stores.’

The defendants (Southwest Airlines and American Airlines) have taken the position that Congress never meant to include the Internet, because cyberspace was in its infancy at the time the law was written. So, the argument is whether a Web site is a ‘public accommodation’ under Title III of the ADA.

But,” continues Roberts, “there is a precedent that will surely influence the outcome. In Australia, a similar suit was brought a couple of years ago by a blind person against the Olympic Committee because he could not get tickets online. The suit resulted in a win for him: a $20,000 damage settlement.

What all this means is that sooner or later, any Internet site offering goods and services will have to comply with accessibility standards.?

In Roberts accessibility section (http://www.seotoolbox.com/htmlchat/accessibility.html), he?s placed a link to the lawsuit, if you?d like to learn more.

What if you have an image that conveys information, such as a pie chart, graph, or schedule? A simple alt tag description isn?t sufficient to convey that information adequately. Roberts explains a work-around for this problem:

There are a couple of things you can do, with one being right in the tag itself: you can use the ?longdesc? element. The longdesc is actually a link to another page where you can lay out the information in text format.

Here is a sample tag:

The problem with the longdesc attribute is that it is not widely supported by assistive technology. As a result, an alternative convention is suggested, using a D-Link. This is a text link placed immediately after the image. It is a link to the same descriptive page contained in the longdesc attribute. This way, you are sure that it can’t be missed.

Here’s an example using the D-Link:

D

Some Accessibility Solutions Are Actually Beneficial from an SEO Standpoint

Since Search Engine Marketers often use alt text as an extra spot to place keywords, can it still be used in that manner?

Bear in mind that it should not be only for keywords, because it really is an assistive aid. What I’ve done is something like this: keyword keyword - link to description page, explains Roberts.

Roberts continues, ?A link to a more informative text explanation of a pie chart or whatever can only add to search engine relevancy because you can make the additional page focus on a keyword. Accessibility also applies to things like WAP, handheld devices, and telephonic devices.

People need to see what your information is and how to get to it. The matter of tables is important not only because of accessibility but because it will actually be easier for search engines to get around in them. There is a brief example of this on the regular SEO Toolbox site: http://www.seotoolbox.com/spider-friendly-tables.html. There is more complete information, with two examples, at: http://www.seotoolbox.com/htmlchat/tables_layout.html.?

After all, Roberts continues, which do you think will be better for relevancy? If a spider must wade through yards of code before getting to your content, or if the spider can see your content first thing? The answer is pretty obvious.?

If you aren’t using Lynx, Roberts recommends adding it as part of your Web development arsenal for seeing how your pages look in a variety of browsers. (http://lynx.browser.org/)

Lynx is a free, predominately text-based browser that will give you an idea of how those with disabilities view your site. Many Web visitors prefer it because it doesn’t support JavaScript, Flash, or DHTML and is free of popups.

For More Information

According to Roberts, one of the best books on the topic of accessibility is Constructing Accessible Web Sites by Jim Thatcher. The book just hit the shelves and covers what you need to know in an efficient, easy-to-understand manner.

And, be sure to keep a close watch on Robert’s accessibility section of the SEO Toolbox: http://www.seotoolbox.com/htmlchat/accessibility.html. He?ll be adding more information to the section as he conducts chat sessions at the Academy.

Academy students can attend any of Roberts’ upcoming chats, or even if you?re not an Academy student, you can read the transcripts afterward at the Chat Index area: http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/chat/chatindex.htm.

Once upon a time, in a small home office, a busy entrepreneur wondered why he wasn’t quite as busy as he would like to be. ?I market my business as much as possible?, said the entrepreneur, who has implemented many marketing procedures while running his business.

Our entrepreneur, we’ll call him Bob, runs a computer repair business. His services allow him to provide his clients with his expert advise, either in their offices, by email, or on the phone. Because of this, Bob has a large potential market, both locally and internationally.

Bob has a great brochure, filled with all his features and benefits; he attends as many networking events as he can; he advertises in the local newspapers; and he has a huge ad in the yellow pages. But, Bob doesn?t have a website. Why?

I don’t need a website, do I, asks Bob. I do everything else possible to market my business and I also get many customers by referrals. Why would I need a website?

Glad you asked Bob! Let’s see if we can?t outline some of the benefits of having a website? both locally and internationally?

Your website is a live brochure that is available for anyone to see from anywhere, no matter if they are 5 miles away or 5000 miles away.

For potential local clients, they may first find your company in the yellow pages but, if they are looking for more information about you and the services you offer, the Internet is one of the first places they will look to do their research.

Many potential long distance clients may be in different time zones or would rather not make a long distance call. Because of these factors, the Internet is where they would go for more information. Having a website enables your information to be available anytime and, by including your email address on your site, they have a cheaper and more convenient of contacting you.

Your website allows you to create and show much more of your information than a print ad or brochure. The more information you provide, the more likely a potential client will be to buy from you as they can see everything they need to know. You can even include a little something extra, such as tips and resources, to help your clients see your dedication to providing topnotch customer service.

Your website also allows you to be more creative in how your present your information than with something that is in print. You can add bells and whistles (but not too many) that show that can be creative in your efforts.

Many people use the Internet to find out more information about products or services that they are in need of. Your website is a means of offering information to those who may be researching online before buying. If you don?t have a website, how are they going to even get a chance to see what you have to offer?

In the same respect, if a potential client has heard about you but can?t find your business card, they may turn to the Internet to try and locate your contact information or to learn more about you.

Your website opens the door to a larger market of prospective clients. Even if your service is normally only preformed locally, there is always the potential to expand. And, you are more likely to increase your local client base if your website is available for them to research your service.

Even if you cater to only a specific clientele, your website can be a place for them to visit or where they can point others to who they are referring to you.

Your website is the one piece of marketing material that is easy to change without a huge cost. So, if you have a special event coming up or you want to include more information on a certain service, you simply have your web designer make the change. And, almost instantly, your information is fresh and visible, without the costs of re-printing new marketing material.

We could go on and on about the benefits of having a website. In short, having a website is the ?way to go? these days and, if your company does not have a website, are you losing customers? Are they finding your competition when using the Internet but not you? Are they wondering why you do not have a website when all of your competition does?

Your website is your company’s 24 hour advertising medium. Why wouldn’t you consider having one? 

Ever since I’ve been doing SEO work, I’ve always griped and complained about FrontPage and all the extraneous code it puts in the section of the page, etc.

Then recently, I had the opportunity to visit with a group of advanced search engine optimizers, and I was shocked to find that many of them use FrontPage and love it.

FrontPage

The first thing I learned is that there are ways to keep out the extraneous code! With FrontPage, you can remove the code, but it keeps comes back again and again and again. But, there’s a way to get rid of it forever.

How to Get Rid of Extraneous Code and Headers

Dave Barry, Webmaster of SmartCertify Direct (http://www.smartcertify.com), explains how:

• FrontPage 97 or 98 users:
• Click on Start, then Find, then Files or Folders. Search your hard drive (generally your C drive) for a file named frontpg.ini. Click on the file.
• When it opens, look for a line that says, Version 3.0.?
• Add this line under Version 3.0:
• HTMLREFORMAT=0

The next time you use FrontPage, remove the extraneous code and headers, and they won’t come back.

FrontPage 2000, 2002, or XP users:

• Look at the menu bar at the top of the Open Web. Click on Tools, then Page Options.
• You’ll see an option box. Under HTML Source, at the top of the page under General, you?ll have this choice:
• When saving file(s):
• Preserve existing HTML or Reformat using the rules below
• If you choose Preserve existing HTML, and if you delete any extraneous code and headers, you won?t see the code or headers on your pages again.

(To view an example screen shot showing the above, click here: http://www.academywebspecialists.com/newsletters/fp2.gif)

Dave added:

To disable the HTML changing of FrontPage 2000, a registry entry is also needed. This registry file (http://www.academywebspecialists.com/newsletters/noreformat.zip) will do it automatically. Just open the file with Notepad to verify its authenticity before using it.

The attachment and registry entry must occur on the server.

Or, if you want to edit the registry manually, here is the code:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftShared

ToolsWeb Server ExtensionsAll Ports]

“ReformatHtml”=”0″

Add-In that Generates META Tags

FrontPage also has an Add-in that will delete META tags without going into the source view. It?s called META Tag Maker 2002, and it will create and manage META tags through one dialogue box, without having to go into source view.

http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/downloads/addin/searchdetail.asp?aid=80

In fact, the FrontPage site has an amazing number of Add-ins for FrontPage that are free for the taking. http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/downloads/addin/def ault.asp

Some of the more popular Add-ins include:

Multimedia/Special FX, Windows Media Add-in, that will easily embed audio and visual into your Web pages;

Clear Teal Template, that is a 16-page easy-to-use Web template that lets you easily create a Web site;

Scripting/Database Tools, J-Bots Plus 2002 Trial. According to the FrontPage site, J-Bots components make FrontPage Web sites more customized by adding JavaScript-enabled features, but you don?t have to know how to write code or cut and paste. Simply fill in dialog boxes, click Generate, and the JavaScript is created for you.

Other Advantages for Using FrontPage

* Server side includes are easy with FrontPage. Before we go on, let me explain what ?server side includes? are.

Server side includes (SSI?s) generate parts of Web pages dynamically on the ?server side.? They allow you to add customization features to your Web pages, such as an e-mail form. Unlike other forms of dynamic content, or content that?s created on the fly, server side includes have a normal URL that?s easy for users to remember and doesn?t create problems for the engines.

In other words, SSI?s embed special commands into an HTML document that tells the server to perform specific actions when a user requests the page. The server then creates the Web page on the fly by merging files or inserting requested information.

How might you use SSI?s on your Web page? Let?s say you want to add a form to your Web site for your users to complete to sign up for your newsletter. You could create the form using SSI?s.

For more information on creating SSI?s with FrontPage, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/using/default.htm and click on FrontPage Server Extensions.

* Dave Barry, who recently created two major sections of the Dell Web site using FrontPage, manages 40 to 50 Web sites at SmartCertify, and he easily moves back and forth between those sites using FP. With that many sites, there is a lot of duplicity, and he can effortlessly share objects with FP or edit multiple Web sites. With FrontPage, you can cut and paste between the sites, use shared borders, and easily drag and drop files, thus saving a lot of time versus handling each site separately.

If you?ve ever wanted to experiment with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), FrontPage also makes using them a breeze. You can even create DHTML using FrontPage.

Dave created a video on how to copy and paste, how to use Cascading Style Sheets, and how to use shared borders with Front Page:

http://www.smartcertify.com/seo/frontpage.asp

(Author Note: When viewing these videos, make sure you have the latest version of Microsoft Windows Media Player. To download the latest version (7.1), click here (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q299321). Also, I found that I was unable to view the videos if my firewall (Zone Alarm) was running.)

* Another benefit to using FrontPage is being able to create virtual directories with ease. As you know, when you specify a home directory, all of the subdirectories beneath than home directory automatically become subdirectories of the Web site as well. However, you can also designate a folder located elsewhere on the system as a subdirectory of the site by creating a virtual directory out of it. A virtual directory is a directory or folder on a server that is not in the actual server directory structure.

Again, Dave created a video on how to create virtual directories using Front Page:

http://www.smartcertify.com/seo/iis.asp

* If you want to create a database, it?s no problem with FrontPage. It will virtually create a database for you and import data without any database knowledge at all. The program works with Access, SQL, Oracle, and ODBC, and you can set up an SEC-compliant database within 30 seconds and begin working with asp pages with no prior knowledge whatsoever.

Click here for Dave?s video on how to create a database using FrontPage:

http://www.smartcertify.com/seo/dwizard.asp

* To Lee Davies of #1 Internet Marketing (http://www.1-internet-marketing.co.nz), the main advantage to FrontPage is that you can so easily manage all your html pages from the folders section.

For example, ?If you were to rename an image, which is something that needs to be done when optimizing, it will rename the links to the images from every page,? he explains.

* What I kept hearing again and again as I interviewed users of FrontPage is that FrontPage saves you time in creating Web pages, because it?s so easy to use. Don Hammond with DonOMite (http://www.donomite.com) explains,

?Straight HTML pages are a breeze with FP. I know a lot of programmers scoff at using it, but it means I can crank out a basic HTML page in seconds rather than minutes. And when I get paid by the job, it means more $/hr to me.?

* Dawn Rowlett with Web Submission Services (http://www.internetmarketingwebsites.com) explains further:

?From the first day that I was introduced to FrontPage, I was instantly able to catch on to some of the many features because it was so easy to use. I think the most beneficial factor to the program for me was that I was able to go in and design a page, knowing nothing at all about HTML. I could include hyperlinks, tables, images, change colors, backgrounds, insert text, create paragraphs, etc. with absolutely no background in coding. I was able to do all of this on my first day with the program!

?I remember one time in the beginning when I was involved in a discussion with a designer who was using another HTML editor and was completely stuck on the coding of how to create a simple table. My first thought at the time was, using Front Page, that is such a simple task.?

* Many professional SEO?s also like to use FrontPage because it?s a program that?s simple enough for their clients to use. So, when the SEO turns the site back over to the client, the client can easily make changes with FrontPage without having to know HTML. As Tom Altman with RSM McGladrey, Inc. (http://www.rsmmcgladrey.com) explains,

?Most of the folks already have the office suite, so they are used to using Word and the like. FrontPage is not that much different, and it lets them maintain their own site.?

Make FrontPage Work the way YOU Want it to!

At the Microsoft FrontPage Server Extensions Resource Kit, you?ll find links to all of the possible ways to make FrontPage work for you, instead of the default values after installation.

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/frontpage/wpp/serk/apndx03.htm

Take a Free Course in using FrontPage!

Dave Barry at SmartCertify Direct (http://www.smartcertify.com) created a free course in using FrontPage. Simply register at the following URL, and take the free course:

http://www.smartcertify.com/seo/register-seo.asp

In Conclusion

As you?ve seen, some very experienced Web designers and search engine optimizers use FrontPage as their ?editor of choice.? Its ease of use and variety of ready-made templates make it a program that?s easy for beginners yet has the functionality that advanced designers need.

It also allows the designer or SEO to get a page designed quickly and easily, and time adds up to money for a busy SEO.

As Nancy Nelson with Search by Design! (http://www.search-by-design.com) said,

?Is it a perfect tool? Certainly not, but FrontPage combined with minor HTML knowledge can take you a long way…?

So FrontPage users, don?t be ashamed to admit that you use FrontPage! Some of the best Web designers in the industry use it, with good reason.

Special Thanks to Dave Barry

Dave Barry with SmartCertify created the videos, screen shots, and free tutorial available in this article. Plus, he gave me the work arounds for getting rid of extraneous code, and he verified the accuracy of the content. Thank you Dave ? there?s no way I could have created this article without your help.

Copyright 2002 Robin Nobles and Dave Barry. All rights reserved.

The first immutable law of effective navigation: It’s gotta be readily available.

Visitors should not have to hunt for your navigation or wonder where to find it. If you’ve done your job right, it will be right there when they are ready for it.

The struggle in creating good navigation is to figure out what type of navigation the visitor is going to need, when he is going to need it, and where the most effective placement will be.

Basically, you have to anticipate your visitors needs and have a solution ready.

Here are four key areas where you can squeeze out the most effectiveness:

1. Global navigation.

Global navigation is a set of links to all the main areas of your site that is available on every page of the site in the same place. Global navigation is a must-have, because it gives visitors ready access to the key areas on your site.

If you don’t have this type of navigation, visitors tend to get lost. They lose their ability to easily move around between the main sections.

When you use global navigation, visitors develop a sense of familiarity with your site because the site is consistent. When they need to find something, they know right where to look for it.

Global navigation should be across the top of the page or down the left side, since these two places are where visitors will look first.

Also, it’s crucial that global navigation be in the first fold of the page. This means it needs to be visible in the first window the visitor sees before they scroll down. Since these options represent the most crucial sections of your site, it’s imperative that visitors see them immediately. Never put your main navigation below the fold.

2. Spotlighted navigation.

On many sites, there are a few navigation options that get the spotlight in the center of the main page. The concept is great–hook visitors with the key areas right up front.

However, many people completely miss the boat because they focus on the wrong links. Frequently, they link to the company history or the mission statement.

Wrong focus. Visitors don’t care.

You have to concentrate on what’s important to your reader and what they want to see. What are the most important places visitors are likely to go on your site? Which pages are really crucial? Put those things front and center.

As with global navigation, all spotlighted links should also be above the fold. This point might seem obvious, but I’ve seen quite a few sites recently that almost hide the important links. They are buried too far down in the site.

One site in particular placed the two most important links at the bottom of the page, completely out of site. Big mistake: visitors just won’t see them.

Although navigation usually shouldn’t be the primary focus of your page (that honor belongs to content), it should be given a prime position.

3. Contextual navigation.

Contextual navigation refers to links that give more info about something specific the visitor is trying to do.

On every page of your site, you’ll have to anticipate the questions a visitor is going to have. Figure out what kind of additional information they might need. Then provide links to that information at the precise place that they will have the question.

One good rule is that any time you refer to information on another page of your site or on a third party’s site, link directly to that info. Don’t make them hunt and peck trying to find it for themselves. Make it readily available.

4. Bottom-of-the-page navigation.

Whenever the visitor gets to the end of a page, they are left hanging. They have finished whatever it is they were working on, and now they need somewhere else to go.

This is a critical moment, because it is terribly easy for a visitor to leave if you don’t give them somewhere to go. It is your responsibility to point them in the right direction.

Never, never, never leave visitors without suggestions at the bottom of a page.

If possible, you should try to decide on 1-3 places that the visitor is most likely to want to go next. Think about your most important goals for them. Then guide them in that direction.

Always make sure there is at least one link at the bottom of a page.

You must make it easy for visitors to do what you want them to do. Always ask yourself…

Where are my visitors going to need a link and how can I make that link really obvious to them?

The great debate: how much copy you should have on your site, particularly on the home page?

Do you subscribe to the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words–and therefore images, not a lot of text, should be the main thrust of your home page? Or do words have more power to capture a visitor’s attention and compel them to buy–meaning you should aim for powerful copy? As a graphic designer, my natural inclination is to create graphically-rich, light text websites. Since I’m focused on what a site looks like visually, I like using impressive images, bold splashes of color all over the page, and not very much copy. The end result is an attractive, visually-appealing site, with very few words. However, I’ve learned that I have to balance this inclination with a cold hard reality: what appeals to me as a designer is not necessarily the same as what visitors need.

The main problem with websites that don’t have any copy is that they fail to quickly and effectively communicate the three points that all commercial websites must get across: You must explain what your company does, what the benefits are of using your product or service, and why prospective customers should purchase from you. These important pieces of information can only be conveyed vaguely, if at all, through images. While pictures are often very useful in reinforcing a message, it’s difficult to succinctly drive home these important points solely through images.

On your website, visitors want specifics, and they want them quickly. They want you to tell them exactly what you can do for them, and they want to know right now. You must specifically state what you do and explain how your product or service is going to make your customers’ lives better. You have to spell out why people should buy from you versus your competitors.

Particularly on a home page, you must catch a visitor’s attention and give them a reason to stay on your site. If you don’t do this immediately, they’ll be gone.

For this purpose, words are far more effective than images. In almost all cases, pictures cannot communicate the message nearly as specifically or quickly as well-chosen words can.

It’s important to remember that the web revolves around information. People use the web to find out what they need to know, to be informed on topics that are important to them. That almost always means they are looking for text. They want explanations, answers, reasons, and motivation.

I firmly believe that pictures and images enhance a website, but they should be used to provide a tasteful, professional frame for your copy, not replace it.

It is true that web users are notorious for having short attention spans and not wanting to read large amounts of copy. However, the problem is that most of the copy on websites today is vague and not enticing. It’s focused on the company rather than the customer. So it should be no surprise that visitors avoid reading it.

The solution does not lie in eliminating text-based communication; it means we have to work harder to capture interest with copy. People DO read copy that catches their attention.

If visitors are met with paragraphs that are focused on them, that are rich with benefits, and that are formatted in easy-to-read chunks, they are much more likely to be drawn in and to act on your offer.

Don’t focus strictly on graphics. Go for copy.

Never put form over function. Why? Because it’s crucial that visitors actually be able to USE your site. Everything you do must be designed to be as easy for the visitor to understand as possible. Everything should be functional first.

If you put form before function, you sacrifice your visitor’s best interest for your own preferences. By definition, putting form over function means you sacrifice function–you make it harder to perform whatever task is supposed to be performed. You give up ease of use or simplicity in order to make it look nicer. Basically, you wind up with a lot of icing and no cake.

Don’t get me wrong–form often accentuates function, just like icing accentuates a cake. Something that is visually pleasing often increases the usability by making it more attractive or by using visual elements to increase understanding. Creative design can often be used to make a task easier to perform. It can entice the visitor to take whatever action you want them to take.

However, on the web, there are frequently contests between form and function. Designers make choices between whether to make something look nicer or make it simpler and easier to use. For example, these are common ways of sacrificing function:

• Using an uncommon style of links that makes it hard to recognize the links.
• Putting a textured background behind the copy, even though it will make the text harder to read.
• Choosing a font color that doesn’t have enough contrast with the background color.
• Using a font face that is difficult to read.
• Using an uncommon name for a common link. For example, “Talk” instead of “Contact us”.
• Placing elements in unexpected places. Like putting the logo on the right side of the page or placing the main navigation along the bottom of the design.
• Using a splash page on the site because it looks neat, even though it keeps visitors from getting to the real information in the site.
• Using a lot of fancy images that make the page load more slowly.
• Opting for a totally graphical design with no copy on the main page. Regardless of the fact that visitors won’t have a clue what the business is all about until they get further into the site.

These are all examples of choosing form over function. Unfortunately, if your design looks great but is hard to figure out, your visitors will be gone. They don’t come to your site to admire the looks; they come to use the site–to find information or to accomplish a task. Anything you do to stand in their way is a no-no.

Most of the time, a visitor’s attention span is about as long as snake fur. They have no patience. If you complicate their lives, they’re outta here. Other sites are ready and waiting to meet their needs, so there is no reason they should struggle through your site. If you opt for form over function, you’re likely to opt yourself right out of sales. Not good.

When you’re designing your website, don’t think about looks first. Always make function a priority. Think about what’s going to be easiest for your visitors to use and understand. Then create an attractive presentation to accentuate it.