Don’t get fooled. HTML can be easy, and it can be hard. You can write code from scratch in notepad or you can use Adobe’s Dreamweaver, Microsoft’s Web Expression, Coffeecup HTML
or any of dozens of other web page creation software to create and maintain your website but no matter what, if you don’t understand some basic code, and have a grasp on how to read a little advanced code, you’re going to ruin more website versions than you make stable.
Understandably then need for information never ends for webmasters. Are your websites to standard? Are they viewable equally on a 32″ LCD monitor as a 2″ mobile phone screen? Should you be designing for men or women? Do colors and font type matter? I could try to answer all these (and more) questions for you but the goal of DatingB2B.com is to get you working, and profitable, right now. So get yourself a beer or a coffee, and start clicking and reading. I’ve tried my best to sort these links and resources into their proper categories but with so much overlap and duplication you have to give me some latitude.
Anyways, let’s read some basics and start surfing for deeper information to create memorable and visitor friendly websites that are profitable.
Link and Resource Categories
HTML Basics: If you’re unsure where to start, these web sites have what you need to get over your HTML fears.
Mouseover code for status bar message
Code to show a message in the status bar during a mouseover, when someone hovers their mouse over a link and a message displays in the status bar of the browser instead of the link url.
Click Here for My Domain
Copy and paste the code above to show a message instead of the link code when your mouse hovers over the link. Works well in hiding affiliate links to other sites. Replace the text “Dating B2B Home Page” with your message or modified URL.
Go back one (or more) page form code
Go back where you came from code.
Quite simply, this is a button that allows your visitor to go back according to their browser history. makes a great navigational aid.
Change the VALUE text to be the wording on the button. Change the history value, example: history.go(-2) would take someone that clicks on the button twp pages back, for how many pages your visitors can go back. Place the code anywhere on your page that you want this link to be available.
Bookmark Your Site With Your Web Site Icon
This is a favorite for everyone once it is set up on your site. Quite simply, you’ll create an icon, 16×16 pixels exactly, and name it favicon.ico, again exactly. Now when someone bookmarks your page it will display the web site icon that you created in their bookmark list and address bar. Provided that the following steps are taken:
1. Use a proper icon creation graphics program, just renaming a .gif image to .ico will not work.
2. Save the favicon.ico file to the same place as your home page (or known as the ‘root’ of your website) this way it can be found by any browsers that are capable of displaying it.
3. Use the following code between the <head> and </head> on the page:
The code isn’t completely necessary, but it will help! Sometimes there is some unusual behaviour by the browser and the icon will not show up. Be sure that you have no other bookmarks to your website and that may help the icon appear. If all else fails, close and restart your browser.
I like FavIcon From Pics creator here. It’s a free generator, easy to use with your regular site logo image and a little bit fun too.
JAVA TIPS
Create a Pop-Up window on your page as it loads.
Great for advertising a special feature or event at your service that is sure to be seen. Be sure that the page it loads is small in size so it loads fast, or it will just be closed by your visitor before being seen!
Copy and paste the above complete code into the <HEAD> </HEAD> portion of your web site. The 0 means that the function is off, the 1 means that the function is on. Play with these settings for different page types. You can also change the size of page it loads by changing the width and height numbers.
Open a Pop-Up window when your visitor arrives or leaves your page.
Here is an easier to work with version of the above code. And you can have the window pop-up when someone enters your page or decides to leave it and surf on. This type of window has exceeded most banner clicks as the best way to advertise and direct traffic to where you want them to be. Expected conversion rates should be in the high 20 percentile, where the regular banner ads may get you a 1 or 2% click-through rate.
Copy and paste the code into your <BODY> insert code here</BODY> tags. Replace the http:// with the complete url of the page you want to open. The page can be one that you create yourself or another url that you want to generate traffic to and make some money. Be sure that this page ONLY has the content that you want to be acted upon, this is very important to see high click rates! Feel free to change the height and width sizes to match the size that you want the page to open. Change the event=”onload” to event=”unload” if you want the page to open as the person clicks away from your page, instead of it opening when they arrive. As an exit traffic generator, this works much better. You may want to consider creating a graphic and sizing your pop-up page to the size of window that you want to open.
HTML Goodies – We’ve followed this website and newsletters since 1998. Still a great starting point when you’re stuck on some code and excellent tutorials to get you ready for the next stage of your HTML creation abilities.
W3 Schools – Basic understanding of HTML functions are here is an easy to follow tutorial. When you’re not sure where to start, start at the beginning, right?
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): This is web evolution at it’s best. You need to understand CSS or at least get a big bite on the basics to make your page format easily readable by a multitude of browsers and platforms.
CSS Basics – CSS isn’t that hard, it’s just a matter of looking at the web page creation as a different animal. But you’ve got to get started and fats. Here’s the best tutorial we’ve found online yet.
CSS W3 Tutorial – Get to the root of CSS and reference materials complete with a test and graduate certificate at the end.
CSS Navigation Builder – Online tools for CSS menus (among a host of other great free online tools!)
RSS Feeds: Really Simple Syndication is a way to push your website information out to visitors that have an interest in your website updates. And you can even use RSS feeds (or XML feeds, Atom Feeds) to display other website RSS feeds on your own website as new content. It’s really not that confusing, but get ready, this is simple but involved. We will explore the basics but don’t blame us if you end up way off track and reading about totally different things as you click.
Display RSS feeds on your site from other sites using Google APIs. Again, not that hard to follow, this is a well-laid out article and should be the gateway to providing new content to your website with a minimum of effort.
Feed Validator – Does your RSS feed load properly? Is it to standard? Are the problems/issues with your feed? This is where you find out.
RSS To HTML Tools Info – One of the more comprehensive (and ad-loaded) pages of RSS information you need to know.
News Is Free – This is a RSS newsreader. You need to see how newsreaders display your RSS content feeds and this is just one feed-reader of the hundreds that are available. Start with News Is Free and work your way around from there.
Java Scripts: Generally a scripting language to handle simple mouseovers and page functions, object related actions with text and images, a general understanding of javascript is required for even simple webmasters.
CGIScript.net – Free javascripts allow you to jump in and get started with javascripts. easy to follow code and plenty of scripts to get your “coders hands” wet.
Hotscripts Javascripts – Not a website hosting free javascripts but a directory of submitted javascripts. Some links are outdated and non-functioning. Don’t download anything you are unsure of. But enjoy surfing this site and the scrip possibilities that you don’t have to write and develop yourself.
PHP Scripts: Without a question at some point you will use PHP in your website. Whether a form submitter, a tracking unit or a completely manageable website product, PHP is your sure platform language.
PHP Maniacs – A worthwhile visit to this website will reward you with plenty of scripts to wet your imagination of all the website possibilities you have available.
Recycled Talent – I am familiar with the script products of this website and recommend them fully. These are not free scripts, but they are worth the price you’ll pay, and there may be some free scripts in the future.
PHP Arcade – Need a simple to install and almost complete game arcade area for your website? This is a great place to start. Some advanced PHP programming needed to customize the script to your website, but as a stand-alone section of your site this is great.
PHP Form to Email: I use this script on many of my websites and it’s worth the price every time. Go Pro!
PHP Guestbook – Works great, both the free version and the paid versions. I did have some problem because the “GD Image” was not properly installed on my server, but beyond that the script was easy to install and easily functional and protects my email address from spammers. Support for a problem that was not the scriptwriters fault was top-notch, A-one.
