| Webmasters deal with a myriad of complex | | | | articles that can be found on the same Web site. |
| design challenges every day. This article will | | | | 5. Driving Traffic |
| discuss the top ten challenges and provide | | | | Webmasters shouldn't forget to announce your |
| solutions and tips for solving each problem. | | | | Web site. Accomplishing this is easy for Web sites |
| 1. Browser Compatibility You must design your | | | | that already have a lot of traffic, but even sites |
| Web site so that it is viewable on both browsers: | | | | that are starting out with 5 or 10 members can |
| Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet | | | | benefit from the viral marketing of online |
| Explorer (IE). Netscape Navigator is very strict | | | | recommendation software. Services include and |
| when it comes to HTML tag completion, but IE | | | | 6. Dealing with Spammers Unfortunately, the |
| isn't. You need to view your site first using | | | | reality of the Internet is that people will spam and |
| Macromedia Dreamweaver before publishing to | | | | flame on a daily basis. Web-based email addresses |
| the Web. Make sure you've run the command | | | | like the ones set up by are spam-proof. You can |
| convert to ensure your site is version 3.0 | | | | set up your account so that any emails sent |
| browser compatible. If you're using Netobjects | | | | without your address in the "to" box can be |
| Fusion to create the layout of your site, make | | | | directed automatically to the trash or spam folder. |
| sure that all layer objects are converted into | | | | However, flames and hate emails are a different |
| tables. This is highly recommended if you want to | | | | field. You shouldn't try to get even or retaliate. |
| reach a broader and wider audience. | | | | These people are not a joke. It might cost you |
| Online resources: | | | | your ISP or your e-life. Instead, check out It does |
| A) Dr. HTML, located at www2.imagiware.com | | | | the nitty-gritty work of automatically reporting |
| RxHTML/ | | | | misbehaving people to their postmasters. Usually, |
| B) Web Site Garage to check your links, located | | | | it's helpful to get the ISP, or at least the IP |
| at 2. Graphics Optimization | | | | address of the suspected person. |
| Web graphics play an essential part in your Web | | | | 7. Stickiness! |
| design, because it conveys the emotion and | | | | Webmasters are also faced with the challenge of |
| impact of your site. Always make sure that all of | | | | keeping their site sticky. is a good example of a |
| your graphics are in .gif and .jpg format. Unless | | | | sticky site. This stock/investment related site |
| your site deals with photography, minimize the | | | | contains timely news and excellent company data. |
| use of the .jpg format. You can use Macromedia | | | | The vast amount of information results in a good |
| Fireworks to minimize the file size, especially the | | | | number of page views per visitor. Plus, visitors |
| slicer feature if you need to place a large photo | | | | return on a daily basis to get the |
| on your site. Another option is the export | | | | latest-and-greatest market news and stock data. |
| preview of Macromedia Fireworks. This allows you | | | | Lots of page views per visitor AND repeat visits. |
| to remove unwanted colors in your graphics, thus | | | | now that's what you could call really sticky. |
| decreasing file size. | | | | Here are some additional suggestions: |
| You can also do this online by using one of these | | | | A) Make your site a portal of information. It |
| online utilities: | | | | encourages your visitors to return and stay. is |
| A) GIF Optimizer by Media Builder, | | | | one example of a one-page portal. |
| B) JPEG Cruncher and GIF Cruncher, | | | | B) Add games to your site. You can get some |
| C) Windows-based graphics optimizer, CyberView | | | | here: or at |
| Image Lite (JPEG Compressor), | | | | C) Make your site interactive with a guest book, |
| D) Advanced GIF Optimizer, | | | | forum, tell-a-friend link, webring, customizable |
| E) Photo Crunch (JPEG Compressor), | | | | news, contests, polls, e-card, and free for all links. |
| F) JPEG image compression FAQ, | | | | allows you to sign up for an account and place |
| 3. Keeping the Site Fresh | | | | the code on your site. |
| I think this is the bulk of a webmaster's work, if | | | | D) Provide links to freebies, get-paid-to-surf sites, |
| you want your site frequently visited. You can | | | | contests, incentives, jokes, quotes, mp3, and |
| keep your site fresh by really working on new | | | | gnutella. Just don't forget to opt in for at least |
| content on a daily or regular basis and by making | | | | their email address before they can actually |
| it interactive. As with content, you can make use | | | | download stuff from your site. |
| of and other content syndication sites to provide | | | | 8. Find Your Web Host |
| the content for your site automatically. Let them | | | | It's critical to find the right Web host. Although |
| do the hard work for you! If you place a tag, | | | | you may need to get your own server when |
| they will email you with new content. As for the | | | | your site gets one million page views per month, |
| interactivity, offer your visitors web-based email | | | | most sites that are starting out do not require |
| accounts, a message board with a chat room, a | | | | the complex and expensive task of managing |
| search engine crawler, and banner ad rotation. | | | | your own servers. There are many Web hosting |
| This is easy, and provided by Everyone.net. | | | | providers that are willing to provide starting at |
| Searching your site is another way to easily | | | | 40gb of Web space. You can also look and |
| provide information to your visitors. You can get | | | | compare different Web hosting providers on |
| a site search engine from and | | | | these sites: and I always recommend the |
| 4. Pushing Information to Your Visitors | | | | advanced search, which allows you to specify |
| A Web site is a "pull" promotion, but as a | | | | your budget and the specific features you will |
| webmaster, you also need to be thinking about | | | | need. |
| how you can "push" information to your visitors, | | | | 9. Think Globally |
| users, or subscribers. You can publish an ezine on | | | | Keep the site international in its appeal. allows you |
| a weekly or monthly basis just to let your users | | | | to place snippets of code into your site that will |
| be informed about the latest technology you've | | | | automatically translate your English site to a |
| added to your site. As for the mailing list, you can | | | | different language, such as Spanish, Italian, |
| get a free mailing list from or you can choose a | | | | German, or Polish. As webmasters, we must |
| paid service such as or As for the content, you | | | | remember that we cannot filter countries on our |
| can get lots of articles from | | | | site. We must be able to communicate with them. |
| bbs.weblord2000.com, or try one or more of my | | | | 10. |