WEBMASTERING - WEB SITE DESIGN, FREE TESTS, TIPS AND LINKS
WEB SITE DESIGN, VALIDATION, SUBMISSION
AND WEBMASTERING SUMMARY
Revised 27 August 2008 by
Jon Schweitzer
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WEBMASTERING - WEB SITE DESIGN, FREE TESTS, TIPS AND LINKS
• WEB SITE DESIGN
BEST SITE - The best site for design criteria, promotion and a lot more is at
http://www.bruceclay.com/ You should read every word on every page in every section of this wonderful site.
Quality Site Criteria - http://www.bruceclay.com/web_crit.htm
100 do's and don'ts, SpiderPro's StyleGuide - in PDF format at http://www.high-higher-highest-rankings.com/pdfs/styleguide.pdf
Do's and Don'ts of Web Design - http://www.katspace.org/Computers/WebDesign
Web design tips - http://webtips.dan.info/
HTML Tag List - http://www.ncdesign.org/html/list.htm
CSS Design Directory - http://www.alvit.de/handbook/
• WEB SITE CONSTRUCTION HTML EDITOR
TIPS - Try using the best free HTML editor - 1st Page 2000. Download it free at http://www.voodoofiles.com/4836 Look at a 1st Page 2000 tutorial at http://eastlrc.valencia.cc.fl.us/tutorials/1st_tutorial/index.shtml
Also try the new 1st Page 2006 NOT free editor. Download it at http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage/
A forum for both is at http://developers.evrsoft.com/forum/
• VALIDATION OF THE WEB SITE
Validation is the process of checking for errors in the HTML language of a Web page or site using free validation Web sites and installed free offline software. This will avoid problems with browsers. Proper validation requires that you place a "DOCTYPE" before the HTML.
TEST - Validate all the pages of the site at once at http://www.validator.ca/
• VALIDATION OF URL OR HTML
TEST - Validate up to HTML 4.0 using the URL at W3C HTML validation service at
http://validator.W3.org/
TEST - For a single page use the free online LinkScan at http://www.elsop.com/quick/ LinkScan checks links and the HTML.
TEST - Use Dr. Watson Version 4.0 Web site http://watson.addy.com/ to validate your site for syntax, Meta, spelling and links using the URL.
TEST - Use the free offline installed Validator-Lite obtained at http://www.webthing.com/software/validator-lite/
TEST - CSS Validator http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
TESTS - Use the Validators and Document Checkers at
http://www.htmlhelp.com/links/validators.htm
• VERIFY WEBSITE LINKS FOR A PAGE OR ENTIRE SITE
TEST - For a single page use the free online LinkScan at http://www.elsop.com/quick/ LinkScan checks links and the HTML.
TEST - For a single page use the free online Link Valet http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/valet/ Link Valet will check links and you may request the Validate at the end of page on the results page.
TEST - For the entire Web site use the free installed Xenu software obtained at http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.html The Xenu checks links and also makes a Site Map.
• SITE MAP
TIP - Use the free online Website Online SiteMap Creator at http://tools.webmasters.sk/sitemap-creator.php to make a Site Map.
TIP - Use the free installed Xenu software obtained at http://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.html to make a Site Map and check all the links.
• COUNTER
TIP - Not recommended. Adding a counter could slow down the loading of your Web site. Many
counter Web sites that supply the counter services are overloaded. Suggest you check counter sites at peak times for loading times. Ask your ISP if they have a counter for your use. Place the counter at the end of your Web page if you must have a counter.
• BROWSER COMPATIBILITY AND SUPPORT
TEST - Use the Watchfire site http://webxact.watchfire.com/ and
use the quality, accessibility, and privacy tabs on the results page to check compatibility of your site with different browsers.
TEST - Test your Web site on the Lynx View Web site at http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html
• MONITORS
TIP - View and design your Web site using a 14 or 15-inch monitor.
• MAXIMIZING META USEFULNESS
TIP - Review all pages about META tags in Volume 2 of the Web Page Design, Development and
Webmastering Red 3-Ring Self-Help Notebooks in the Los Angeles Family History Center.
TIP - Review Meta tags.
TIP - Make each Meta tag on one line without line breaks or "carriage returns".
TEST - Use the ABS - META Tag Analyzer at the bottom of the site at http://www.scrubtheweb.com/abs/meta-check.html
• TITLE META
TIP - Use at least 50 and no more than 60 characters ( characters
include spaces, commas and "carriage returns" ) and 10 words in the title.
Ref. The test results in the ABS - META Tag Analyzer above.
• DESCRIPTION META
TIP - Try to have at least 100 and no more than 150 characters ( characters
include spaces, commas and "carriage returns" ) and 28 words of description.
Ref. The test results in the ABS-META Tag Analyzer above.
TIP - Avoid using commas in your description.
• KEYWORDS META
The keywords have very little value with the search engines now. You will have better results with SEO (Seach Engine Optimization) if you work on useful text content in your Website.
TIP - Include at least 650 but do not exceed 874 characters ( characters
include spaces, commas and "carriage returns" ) and 66 words in the Meta keywords field.
Use the Word Count feature in your word processor. Ref. The test results in ABS-META Tag
Analyzer above. Start by making all words lower case. If you have extra room you can add the most
important keywords with the first letter upper case. If you still have extra room add the
variations. Examples: Royal, Royalty and royal. Ref. step 6 at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
TIP - Use only keywords and key phases that are present in your page.
TEST - Use the META Tag Analyzer again and again until you pass at http://www.scrubtheweb.com/abs/meta-check.html
TIP - Obtain additional keywords using the Thesaurus at http://www.itools.com/
TIP - Add likely keyword phases to the keywords that might be used in the search engines. Ref. step 5
at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
TIP - Add variations of each keyword and do not exceed a total of 3 for each word and its variations.
TIP - Consider using "how do I" and "how to" keywords and key phases in your text.
TIPS - Add the site name from the URL at the beginning and the end of the keyword list. Example: from the
domain name URL on the next line you would use bruceclay.com Ref. step 5 at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
If you have an ISP URL, then use the "root directory". Example URL:
http://members.1stnetusa.com/a where a at the end is the "root directory". If you have multiple sites under the root directory like this sample URL: http://members.1stnetusa.com/a/genealogy where
genealogy is a separate Web site or sub directory you would use a/genealogy.
TIP - Consider adding misspelled keywords that might be entered in the search engines. Ref. step 7 at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
• SUBMISSION
TIP - Without submissions to the search engines no one except your friends will know that your Web site exists.
TIP - Prepare a list of necessary information for the submission process. URL, Title, and description of web site.
TIP - Register each individual page URL. Ref. step 8 at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
TIPS - There are four methods for conducting the submissions from the fastest to the slowest.
1. Have a service conduct the submissions to "search engines" for a fee.
2. You may use free sites or shareware submission programs that will automatically perform
the submissions to only the largest search engines. Try the Web site that will submit free to 5 search engines at http://www.uswebsites.com/submit/
3. Find each search engine and perform the submission or "Add URL" by manually submit the required
information to one search engine at a time. Only submit to free search engines.
TIP - Link to each Web site and carefully review the contents before making your decision.
TIP - A list of great submission sites is at http://www.smithfam.com/submission.html
TIP - I suggest that you use the semi-automatic submission Web sites for the major search engines
and submit separately, directly and manually to Yahoo. Search and use the Yahoo Index Listing at
the left side of the page at
http://www.chandigarhcity.com/domain/yahoo.htm
TIP - A complete submission program requires that you submit to many other Internet sites such as On-line directories and newsgroups.
TIP - Make sure that there is a submission to Google because it did and I hope still will get your URL or Web site listed as a secondary Web site with YAHOO!
• PROMOTION
TIP - Review all chapters of one of the best site on the Web starting with Definition:
Eureka! - "Secrets of Searching the Web & Promoting Your Website" at
http://www.gocee.com/eureka/eureka_i.htm
TIP - Review the "Publicizing Your Web Sites" at http://goldray.com/register.htm
TIP - See the Web Page "Visibility Tips" at http://www.site-see.com/ss/tips.htm
These Web sites below have large
selections of Web software tools for promotion.
• SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD
TIP - Look for only free freeware software at the "largest" software download site http://tucows.com/
TIP - A Web site that has many links to Web sites that have free downloadable software is http://www.smithfam.com/software.html
• UPLOAD YOUR NEW OR REVISED WEB SITE TO YOUR ISP USING FTP
TIPS - A clients FTP program will be needed to upload revised Web page files to your ISP and your Web site.
When choosing a FTP program, it must be one that can also UPLOAD. Some of the Freeware programs only DOWNLOAD.
TIPS - The best free one is WS_FTP LE and is explained with tutorials at
http://www.cadtutor.net/wb/ftp/wsftp/wsftp.html or for Win XP at http://cas.uah.edu/tutorials/ftp.htm
Download the free version of WS_FTP LE at http://www.frognet.net/help/archives/wsftple_downloadinstall.php
TIP - The FTP Explorer (FTP) Version 1.00.10 may be downloaded at
http://www.ftpx.com/
TIP - The FTP older free program FETCH 3.0.3 for the MAC may be downloaded at http://fetchsoftworks.com
• CHECK RANKINGS IN SEARCH ENGINES
TESTS - Download and use the software AgentWeb Ranking at
http://www.aadsoft.com/agentwebranking/ranks.htm
• IMPROVE RANKINGS IN SEARCH ENGINES
TIP - Repeat the look for ranking in InfoSeek using
Ref. step 7 at http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
TIP - Read the search engines ranking tips and use the links at step 10 at
http://www.bruceclay.com/web_rank.htm
• WEB SITE REDESIGN AND RECONSTRUCTION
TIPS - Try using the best free HTML editor - 1st Page 2000. Download it free at http://www.voodoofiles.com/4836 Look at a 1st Page 2000 tutorial at http://eastlrc.valencia.cc.fl.us/tutorials/1st_tutorial/index.shtml
Also try the new 1st Page 2006 NOT free editor. Download it at http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage/
A forum for both is at http://developers.evrsoft.com/forum/
TIP - Look at the best site for genealogy Web page construction on the Web.
The great Cyndi's Genealogy Home Page Construction Kit is at
http://www.cyndislist.com/construc.htm
TIP - The Web Developer's Virtual Library also has 100's of links at
http://wdvl.internet.com/
TEST - Analyze the keyword frequencies in the entire Web site using http://www.designerwiz.com/test/keyword_density_check.htm
TIP - Use the "So, you want to make a Web Page!" at
http://www.pagetutor.com/pagetutor/makapage/index.html or download the free WebTutor
1.4 MB zip file.
• BOOKMARKS / FAVORITES MANAGEMENT
TIP - You need a program that will allow you to organize the
sites that you wish to visit again. The sites should include the search engines and
other Internet sites where you have submitted your Web page.
TIP - Try Compass at http://www.softgauge.com/compass/
• MAC USERS
An excellent MAC Tools or Macintosh Web Publishing Tools site is at http://www.callihan.com/webtools/mac/tools.htm
• WEBMASTER NEWSLETTERS
Subscribe to the emailed free newsletter SiteProNews at http://www.sitepronews.com/ and more newsletters at http://www.technewsletters.com/InfoBase.asp?CatID=171
Also subscribe to the emailed free newsletter Websiteservices at http://www.websiteservices.com/?xcmpx=2289
And subscribe to free DevWebPro at http://www.devwebpro.com/
• WEBMASTER TOOLS
http://www.softwareqatest.com/qatweb1.htmlhttp://www.softwareqatest.com/qatweb1.html
http://www.webmasterfree.com/software/WebAuthoringTools/
http://www.stefan-pettersson.nu/site/table2html/
http://www.stefan-pettersson.nu/site/html2table/
http://home.hccnet.nl/s.j.francke/t2t/text2table.htm
http://www.hostm.com/css/
WEB SITE DESIGN, VALIDATION, SUBMISSION AND WEBMASTERING SUMMARY
• URL
TIP - Do not have any underscores in your URL.
• HTML WEB SITE DESIGN
Include the HTML language (DOCTYPE) version before the HTML tag.
Try using the FREE #1 free HTML editor - 1st Page 2000. Download it at http://www.voodoofiles.com/4836. Or try the new NOT free 1st Page 2006. Download it at http://www.evrsoft.com/1stpage/
• HEAD
Identity your top ranked competition and closely copy their titles, descriptions, keywords and keyphases.
The order of the META tags in the HEAD should be: Title, Description and
Keywords.
Use words for the title that accurately and completely describes the site.
Use up to 60 characters and 10 words for the META title.
Characters are letters in words, spaces, commas, punctuation and carriage returns.
Each META tag to be free of line breaks - no wrapping of text from one line to next.
Make tags upper case and attributes lower case.
Later check the Web site ranking and if required, change your title and resubmit.
Use up to 150 characters and 28 words for the META description.
Place your unique part of your URL or the Web site name at the beginning of your description. An example would be the "smith.com" from the http://www.smith.com from the domain name OR "a/smith"
from
http://members."ISP".com/a/smith from your ISP's domain name.
Use all words and phases in your META keywords that pertain to the category of your Web site. Examples of phases: ball family history and ball family genealogy.
Use up to 850 characters and 66 words for the META keywords. Include misspelled words and words that have initial lower and uppercase letters. Separate all words or phases with commas and do not
add a space between words or phases.
Add the unique part of your URL or the Web site name at the beginning and end of your META keywords. An example would be the "smith.com" from the
http://www.smith.com from the domain name OR "a/smith" from
http://members."ISP".com/a/smith from your ISP's domain name.
Practice "stemming" when adding words to your keywords, i.e. optimum, optimize and optimized.
Be careful with the keywords not to "Spam" by repeating the same words more than 3 times.
Do not include the keywords in "comments" in the HEAD section
No META refreshing.
No optional tags unless required. An example of a required optional tag would be the "robot" tag telling the robots not to index and/or follow the links in the database or index.
• BODY
Place a different wording of the description in a "comment" at the beginning of the BODY section and before the text heading or image. Use up to 40 words.
No Java or JavaScript.
Don't overdo the navigation.
Text content is king.
No banners at the top of the page.
Make the first text a Heading H1. Use up to 14 words.
Use the best keywords that describe your Web site in the first 30 words of your Web site.
Make a content-rich Web site packed with keywords.
Include all your keywords in the BODY text.
Use up to 750 words per page/section.
No gaudy, dark or complex backgrounds and light text.
No spelling errors.
Use a spell checker in your computer or on an Internet Web site.
Have an attractive Web site.
Use high contrast backgrounds and font colors.
Make the Web site easy to read and understand.
No "under construction" signs.
Keep graphics to a minimum.
Keep the total Web site directory size as small as possible.
Use small graphics file sizes. Convert photos that are GIF to JPG. Condense or optimize all your graphics by using a good graphics software program or a TOOL on a Web site.
Repeat the use of the same graphics file in the Web site.
Use heights and widths for graphics to increase loading speeds.
Use percentages of widths in tables and not fixed widths.
Do not specify font faces.
No animated graphics or scrolling text.
No high tech "tricks".
No music.
No video.
No frames.
No counters.
Include an E-mail pop-up somewhere in your Web site.
Analyze the keyword frequencies in the entire Web site using http://www.designerwiz.com/test/keyword_density_check.htm
Use keywords or different descriptions text in the "ALT" tags for your images. Use up to 30 words for all the "ALT" tags.
Have some internal links and many external links in your Web site.
Use up to 176 words for all links.
Include links in each of your Web sites to your other Web sites.
Have a "HOME" link on each of your pages.
No underlined words or lines unless they are links.
No more than 80 characters per line.
Never place any punctuations at the end of an URL or e-mail address.
Make the color of unvisited links blue and visited links purple.
Make the screen resolution or screen width size 800 x 600.
Be careful not to "Spam" by repeating the same words too many times.
No group of keywords at the bottom of each page. Instead make sentences out of them.
Have a "SITE MAP" on a very large site.
• OTHERS
MAC monitors have a narrower and brighter screen display. Design from the right side of the screen. Design for a lighter screen display if using a MAC so it wouldn't be too dark on a PC.
If you use a 17" or more monitors, they show more pixels horizontally than 15" or less monitors. You have to design a narrower screen display on the wider monitors so the display will fit on the
screens of the narrower monitors.
Design for IE browser and it will give you 80 percent of the business.
No doorway pages.
Each page should not have a file size greater than 50 KB.
No more than 3 screens per page.
• VALIDATION
Download the wonderful freeware offline PC program CSE HTML Validator Lite v2.50 at http://www.htmlvalidator.com/lite/
Open your HTML file in this program in your own computer and validate and much more.
Use META validation service Web sites.
Use Web site validation service Web sites.
Use Web site links validation service Web sites.
• SUBMISSIONS
Identify your competition.
Establish reciprocal links. E-mail the top sites in your category and see if they will trade links with you.
Manually submit all of your Web pages in your site to at least 12 major search engines and directories or use a fast free submit service Web site. Manually submit to Yahoo.
Make sure that there is a submission to Google because it has and maybe will get your URL or Web site listed as a secondary Web site with YAHOO!
Submit your URLs to Newsgroups in your category.
Submit your URLs to E-mail lists in your category.
Submit your URLs to Special Interest Groups.
Resubmit your URLs every 6 months to the 3 above.
Submit only 5 URLs every 48 hours.
Make at least a tiny change in the description before each submission. You will use the tiny change when checking rankings of the site.
Resubmit your URLs every 45 to 60 days.
• WEBMASTERING
Check the rankings of your Web site using several of the Internet ranking Web sites Position Agent. You can also use the freeware AgentWebRanking (must have IE 4 or 5 or greater) to make changes to your site to improve your rank.
Update your Web site regularly.
At least change the date in the HTML BODY and resubmit EVERY month.
Check the Web site ranking and if required, change your HTML title and/or description and/or keywords and/or Web content and resubmit.
Read every word on every page (about 50) in every section at the Bruce Clay Web site at
http://www.bruceclay.com/
Use all the special tools to analyze your URLs at the SEOToolSet Sample Page of the Bruce Clay Web site at
http://www.bruceclay.com/
• OTHER ITEMS
Money Saving Hints about INKJET PRINTERS and Refilling Cartridges at http://www.encinojon.com/inkjet/
WEB SITE DESIGN FOR BEGINNERS CLASS Web Site
WEB SITE DESIGN - INTERMEDIATE CLASS Web Site
WEB SITE DESIGN - ADVANCED CLASS Web Site
Send comments about this Web site to Webmaster
Jon Schweitzer at E-mail: jons@1stnetusa.com
or Click Here to E-mail.
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated.
Copyright © 2001-2008 by Jon Schweitzer. All rights reserved.
This site and any internal links are copyrighted.