Think you have to be a technical wizard to build a great web site? Think again. For anyone who wants to create an engaging web site--for either personal or business purposes--Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual demystifies the process and provides tools, techniques, and expert guidance for developing a professional and reliable web presence. Like every Missing Manual, you can count on Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual to be entertaining and insightful and complete with all the vital information, clear-headed advice, and detailed instructions you need to master the task at hand. Author Matthew MacDonald teaches you the fundamentals of creating, maintaining, and updating an effective, attractive, and visitor-friendly web site--from scratch or from an existing site that's a little too simple or flat for your liking.
Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual doesn't only cover how to create a well-designed, appealing, smart web site that is thoroughly up to date and brimming with the latest features. It also covers why it's worth the effort by explaining the rationale for creating a site in the first place and discussing what makes a given web site particularly aesthetic, dynamic, and powerful. It further helps you determine your needs and goals and make well informed design and content decisions.
Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual includes a basic primer on HTML, working with JavaScript, and incorporating services like Paypal's shopping cart, Amazon's associate program, and Google AdSense and AdWords. It delivers advanced tricks for formatting, graphics, audio and video, as well as Flash animation and dynamic content. And you'll learn how to identify and connect with your site's audience through forms, forums, meta tags, and search engines.
This isn't just another dry, uninspired book on how to create a web site. Creating Web Sites: The Missing Manual is a witty and intelligent guide for all of you who are ready to make your ideas and vision a web reality.
Table of Contents
The Missing Credits
Introduction
What You Need to Get Started
About This Book
Part One: Welcome to the Web
Chapter 1. Preparing for the Web
Introducing the World Wide Web
Planning a Web Site
The Ingredients of a Web Site
Chapter 2. Creating Your First Page
The Anatomy of a Web Page
The HTML Tag
The HTML Document
XHTML
Chapter 3. Putting Your Page on the Web
How Web Hosting Works
Domain Names
Getting Web Space
Transferring Files
Chapter 4. Power Tools
Choosing Your Tools
Working with Your HTML Editor
Part Two: Building Better Web Pages
Chapter 5. HTML Text Tags
Understanding Text and the Web
Basic Text Tags
HTML Tags for Lists
Inline Formatting
Chapter 6. Style Sheets
Style Sheet Basics
Colors
Fonts
Text Alignment and Spacing
Borders
Class Selectors
Chapter 7. Adding Graphics
Understanding Images
Images and Styles
Techniques with Graphics
Finding Free Art
Chapter 8. Linking Pages
Understanding the Anchor
Image Links and Image Maps
Adding Bookmarks
When Good Links Go Bad
Chapter 9. Page Layout Tools: Tables and Styles
HTML Tables
Style-Based Layout
Chapter 10. Frames
The Problem with Repeating Content
Frame Basics
Building Better Frames Pages
Part Three: Connecting with Your Audience
Chapter 11. Attracting Visitors
Your Web Site Promotion Plan
Spreading the Word
Adding Meta Tags
Directories and Search Engines
Tracking Visitors
Chapter 12. Letting Visitors Talk to You (and Each Other)
Transforming a Site into a Community
Helping Visitors Email You
Adding Forums and Groups to Your Site
Chapter 13. Making Money with Your Site
Money Making the Web Way
Google AdSense
Amazon Associates
PayPal Merchant Tools
Part Four: Web Site Frills
Chapter 14. JavaScript and DHTML: Adding Interactivity
Understanding JavaScript
JavaScript 101
Dynamic HTML
Scripts on the Web
Chapter 15. Fancy Buttons and Menus
Creating Fancy Buttons
Creating Fancy Menus
Chapter 16. Audio and Video
Understanding Multimedia
Background Music
Video Clips
Animations
Part Five: Blogs
Chapter 17. Blogs
Understanding Blogs
Getting Started with Blogger
Part Six: Appendixes
Appendix A. HTML Quick Reference
Appendix B. Useful Web Sites
Index
