Creating a Website ─ The Missing Manual

Think you need an army of skilled programmers to build a website? Think again. With nothing more than an ordinary PC, some raw ambition, and this book, you’ll learn how to create and maintain a professional-looking, visitor-friendly site. With step-by-step instructions and hundreds of examples, the fourth edition of this Missing Manual gives you all the tools, techniques, and expert advice you need.

The book’s clear, knowledgeable guidance takes you from the simplest Web-creation task—writing their first line of HTML—all the way to building complex web pages, with components like interactive page elements, audio, video, and e-commerce capability.

The important stuff you need to know

• Plan your site. Create web pages by learning the basics of HTML and HTML5.
• Control page design with CSS. Format text, images, links, tables, and other elements.
• Attract visitors. Ensure that people can find your site through popular search engines.
• Build a community. Add forums, fresh content, and a feedback form to encourage repeat visits.
• Get smart. Use free tools to identify your site’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Create your own blog. Post your musings with a free blog-hosting service.
• Bring in cash. Host Google ads, sell Amazon’s wares, or push your own products.
• Add pizzazz. Include audio, video, interactive menus, and more.

Matthew MacDonald is a developer, author, and educator in all things Visual Basic and .NET. He's worked with Visual Basic and ASP since their initial versions, and has written over a dozen books on the subject, including The Book of VB .NET (No Starch Press) and Visual Basic 2005: A Developer's Notebook (O'Reilly). He has also written a number of Missing Manual titles on Excel 2007 and Access 2007 (O’Reilly). His website ishttp://www.prosetech.com/.