Website Planning

10 Recommended Resources for Learning Web Design

2011-09-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

"A lot of people want to learn web design, but where do you start? It’s great if you’ve got the motivation to trawl the web for free videos, tutorials and articles, but we don’t all have that level of confidence. Sometimes you need a helping hand, or you’re just not a self-learner.

If you’re interested in learning web design, here’s a handy list of places to start."

Good resources.

Planning a Website and What to Expect

2010-08-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

"A successful project begins with careful planning. No matter what the size of the task at hand ..., ample thought needs to be given to the task as a whole before the work begins. This is especially true for website development. Planning the strategy for the site and how the website fits into the larger vision of the project beyond the scope of the online presence is an absolutely essential phase for both the website developer and the client."

Some solid thinking on Website Planning.

Guide To Website Planning | Your Articles

2010-06-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

"Everyone wants to have a successful website. Successful entrepreneurship often depends on building an effective website, especially for those with a strictly online business.

To create a successful website for yourself, you must first define ’success’. To have a successful website, you must decide how you intend to use it. Below are the most basic purposes a website can be used for."

Good basics on Website Planning.

Planning a successful website | Sites That Sell

2009-10-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

"I believe that success is in the plan. In everything I do, I always make a plan and then work out the plan. A while ago I stumbled on some great information and tips to help you on planning a website project…"

Couple of tips for Website Planning.

How to build a business website – Part 2 | Earn Huge Online

2009-10-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

"Website Planning. Before starting to build your website you should first develop a plan in line with your online objectives, target audience and resources."

Good thoughts on website planning.

Mind Maps – A great approach for planning a website | Stellar Web Works

2009-09-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

"The idea behind mind maps is that you start with a central concept, write it down in the middle of a page, then add nodes as you think of different ideas around that concept. This approach can be used for planning a website..."

Website planning is an essential step. Whatever tool you use to plan - project planning, mind maps, outlines, brain storming - will work. This is a good overview of using mind maps.

Building your reputation online

2009-09-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

"Paragraph upon paragraph of text, large picture files, heavy-handed Flash animations, generic stock-photo images and static content. These are some of the common mistakes businesses make when establishing an online presence."

Good solid advice for planning websites.

Use Webdesign To Make Your Website Look Professional — TheTechEdition

2009-09-20T01:16:00.000-07:00

"One of the common mistakes that people make is to put up a website, and then wonder why money is not coming in. Another common mistake is to waste a huge sum of money in advertising before learning the fundamentals of website design and development."

The website should match the business.

Strategic planning is more important than a budget | PerthNow

2009-08-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

"'People don't understand the concept of online,'' Mr Bishop said. 'Online opens up a much broader field of customers but it also opens up a much broader field of competitors.

'You've got to figure out what the role of your website is going to be and build around that. A lot of people just end up with online brochures.'"

It is important to have a plan for your website.

Bring New Life To Your Website - Educational Weekend Webinar Event Aug 21 - 23

2009-08-26T12:06:00.000-07:00

"New Life Event - Free Webinar Series"

This event is over, but you can still see the recordings of the sessions. Lots of good information.

SiteProNews: The Plan - 4 Steps To A Website Brand

2009-01-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

"Let's say you need a website, so you develop a plan, present it to a bunch of website designers, and get quotes or proposals. You're not going to get caught with your pants down like the last time by some nerdy geek, you know the skinny kid with the scraggly beard, whose techno-babble gave you a headache, or the bizarre young lady dressed in gothic chic with the black lipstick and tattoo to match - yikes, no thanks, not this time, this time you got a plan. ... But before we tell you the four steps to creating your very own Website Branding Plan, let's talk about Don LaFontaine."

Excellent approach to website planning.

SiteProNews: 10 Vital Tips for Choosing the Right Web Hosting Company

2008-12-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

"The Web hosting firm you choose can make or break your small business. Good ones can run things smoothly, are easy to reach, and fix problems efficiently. But bad ones can have more problems than they are worth, be unreachable at critical times, and bring your business to a screeching halt. Finding a good one is crucial to your success."

Some tips on picking a Web Hosting Company.

Good Avocado - Professional Eco-Hosting

2008-08-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

"Professional Hosting Scalable cloud hosting solutions Unlimited domains, databases and emails all backed by rock-solid stability and service, combined with a total commitment to sustainability."

This looks like a good option for a green webhosting company.

100 Awesome Webmaster Videos on YouTube - Inside CRM

2008-06-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

"While many people see YouTube as a fun and mindless distraction, the fact is that it's really quite useful. The video site is full of educational tools for just about anyone, webmasters included. These 100 videos for webmasters include clips with subjects ranging from SEO (search-engine optimization) to domain buying."

Website tutorials on YouTube.

The CMS Matrix - cmsmatrix.org - The Content Management Comparison Tool

2008-05-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

"This site is provided as a community service to everyone interested in looking for a means to manage web site content. Here you can discuss, rate, and compare the various systems available on the market today."

Compare content management sites.

CMS Review - Content Management Systems

2008-05-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

"The mission of CMS REVIEW is to give you the resources you need to choose the right content management system for your organization. We manage a network of content management related sites and community mailing lists and we link you to the top CM sites in the world."

Do you need content management for your website?

Wire Frame Your Site [Design Practice]

2008-05-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

"We've all heard it time and time again: 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail'."

Good introduction to using wire frames to plan your site.

Perform Card Sorting - Design | Usability.gov

2008-05-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

"What is card sorting?

Card sorting is a way to involve users in grouping information for a Web site.

Participants in a card sorting session are asked to organize the content from your Web site in a way that makes sense to them. Participants review items from your Web site and then group these items into categories. Participants may even help you label these groups."

Another tool for your website planning toolkit.

NetworkSolutions Domain Name Scam ~ Scam Busters Blog

2008-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

"NetworkSolutions, one of the original ICANN registrars, is running a phishing style domain name scam that boggles my mind."

If this is correct, please be advised. Checking a Domain name on NetworkSolutions causes NetworkSolutions to grab the Domain name so you have to buy from them.

Online Business » Building a Website for Your Online Business

2007-08-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

"One of the biggest parts of starting an online business is building a website for it. After all, you can’t really even be online without some sort of website. Thus, I am going to cover the basics of building a website in this article."

Shopping Carts vs. Stores

2007-06-29T16:09:00.000-07:00

"Do you know the difference between a store and a shopping cart?"

An excellent discussion of the difference between a shopping cart and a store and the ramifications for SEO.

Web Strategy by Jeremiah » Web Strategy: How to evolve your irrelevant corporate website

2007-06-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

"But we’re tired of the corporate website and all it’s happy marketing speak, stock photos of smart looking dudes or minority women crowded around the computer raving about your product, the positive press release, the happy customer testimonials, the row of executive portraits, the donations your corporate made to disaster relief, the one-sided view never ends."

This is a must read for someone planning a corporate website. Corporate websites are losing credibility because they are full of standard corporate puff.

Web Host Magazine and Buyer's Guide: Web Host Reviews, Web Host News & Resources

2007-05-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

Web Host Magazine and Buyer's Guide:
Web Host Reviews,
Web Host News & Resources

Web Host Reviews
Shared Hosting Reviews
Non-Shared Hosting Reviews
Review a Host"

Domains by Proxy®

2007-02-22T13:39:00.000-08:00

"Did you know that for each domain name you register, anyone - anywhere, anytime - can find out your name, home address, phone number and email address?"

Domain by Proxy fixes this issue.

10 Things That Will Make Or Break Your Website

2006-11-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

"10 Things That Will Make Or Break Your Website"

Things learned by someone attending the "Future of Web Apps Conference" in 2006.