Develop Website
Developing your website
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Developing your website should be a deliberate processThe development of a website should be a complete and deliberate process. You will have many files and graphics that support your site and they need to be kept organized as you develop your website. This way whenever a change or update is necessary you can control the process much better.
Develop a website outlineOne of the best ways to do this is by the construction and maintenance of a website outline. This is where you will keep track of the physical data that comprises the website and it helps you to keep control of your growing website structure as you develop it.A website outine keeps things organizedAs your website grows it will become more and more difficult to remember where everything is, therefore time spent on organizing and developing a website outline will make the job a whole lot easier. The following example of a website outline will give you an idea of how to accomplish this. |
The importance of a website outlineA website outline is just what the name implies...a written outline of the content of your website. Even though you feel as if you know every title and sentence on the website you are creating over time memory becomes hazy.Keeping track of your website contentOnce a website is online it can be very difficult to remember the actual order of things. Having a website outline helps provide a mental picture of the site, the sections, subsections and content pages.A guide to navigationThis will also serve as a valuable guide when you setup your navigation scheme. You will be able to better visualize the path that you wish your visitors to follow. A comprehensive website outline is a must for the serious webmaster. |
Example outline: website content
| My Homepage: |
Index.html |
| Main page #1 |
Subpage A
Detail page
Detail page
Subpage B
Subpage C |
| Main page #2 |
Subpage D
Subpage E
Detail page
Subpage F |
| Main page #3 |
Subpage G
Subpage H
Detail page
Detail page
Subpage J
Detail page |
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Keeping track of graphics and linksIt is a good idea to list all the graphics and links and on what pages they are located. When you decide to change any of them, having the file names will save you a lot of time.Website development and written documentationI realize this may seem like a lot of paperwork for something that is going to be on the internet. But l can tell you, from painful experience, that you will appreciate having written documentation and you will use it more than you can imagine as you develop your website. |
Example outline: website graphics & links
| Webpage Title: |
My website |
| Filename: |
(i.e. index.html) |
| Links on page: |
link 1 - main page
link 2 - subpage
link 3 - subpage |
| Graphics: |
image1.gif
image2.gif
image3.jpg |
| Comments: |
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Develop a website journalYou can create a website outline in any way that is most meaningful for you. A website journal, ledger pad, or even a data spreadsheet would work great. Use whatever works best for you. Just remember to keep it simple. |
Website file organization
1) OrganizationKeep your website organized on your hard drive just as you organize it on the internet. This simple step will save you hours of wasted effort.
2) Root directoryKeep files used on your index page and files used repeatedly in your root directory. But don't overload your root directory. Make use of sub folders that link to main pages in your root directory. (see website diagram)3) SubdirectoriesCreate a subdirectory for each series of related pages. Keep all relevant information together in individual sub folders. This will help you and the search engines find threads to follow and provide easy access to information for your visitors.4) ExpansionPlan for expansion. If you think a page on a particular theme will expand into a number of pages, create a subdirectory for it. And populate it with relevant data on that particular subject.5) Directory linksKeep files that belong on each page in the same subdirectory. Don't put files from your root directory into these folders, keep them separate and link them to the sub folders.6) File namesName your subdirectories and files in an easy to identify manner. Make good use of your keywords when naming sub folders and files. This will unite the content of your website. They should all tie together in a logical way.
Preventing broken linksDon't change your subdirectory or file names (and HTML page addresses) after the fact. Name and address them now in a manner that you will be able to maintain in the future, no matter how much you expand as you develop your website. This will help to prevent broken links. |
Using redirect pagesIf you do have to change an address after your website is up, then place a redirect page or link in the old location. This will help your repeat visitors find the information they are seeking with a minimum of effort and direct new visitors to the modified address.Broken links and search enginesSearch engines are critical of broken links. They will downgrade your search position if they detect too many dead links on your website. So, from the beginning, as you develop your website, be sure to name your webpages in such a way as to insure they will not have to be renamed in the future.
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