Putting Your Small Business on the Web

Maria Langer has written more than a dozen computer books, including two Macintosh Bible Guide books (Word 6 and Excel 5) and many Visual QuickStart Guides (PageMill, America Online, MacOS, Word, and Excel). She's also the author of the Quicken "Official Guide " books for Osborne/McGraw Hill and the author of FileMaker Pro Companion (Claris Press). She was an editor for The Macintosh Bible, Sixth Edition, and writes a monthly column for Computer User magazine. She also serves as a consultant, Webmaster, applications trainer, and regular speaker at major computer conventions.

I. OVERVIEW.

1. Internet Basics.


Internet 101. The World Wide Web. Web Usage. Food for Thought.

2. What the Web Can—and Can't—Do for You.


What the Web Can Do. What the Web Can't Do. Food for Thought.

3. What It Costs.


Site Design & Construction. Server Setup. Food for Thought.

4. Web Hosting Options.


ISP Web Hosting. Two Methodologies. Server Co-Location. On-Premises Server. Food for Thought.

II. BUILDING YOUR SITE.

5. Site Content.


The Bare Minimum. Meeting Your Objectives. Product or Service Details. The Four “A”s. Staff Information. Other Resources. Site Revision Date. Content Responsibility. Keep Information Current. Keep Information Accurate. Respect Copyrights. Food for Thought.

6. Interface Elements & Features.


Basic Elements. Formatted Text. Hyperlinks. Graphics, Images, & Multimedia Elements. Form-Based Elements & Features . E-Mail Forms. Database Interactivity. Search Capabilities. Guest Book. Other Features. Hit Counters. Online Chat. But Wait—here's More! Food for Thought.

7. Site & Page Design.


Developing the Right Look. Effective Navigation. Food for Though.

8. Saving Money by Doing It Yourself.


Building Web Pages: An Overview. Web Authoring Tools & Techniques. Tips for Doing It Right. Food for Thought.

9. Working with a Web Designer.


Finding a Web Designer. Staying In Control. Communicating Your Needs & Preferences. Dealing with Ownership Issues. Reviewing Work in Progress. If You Lose Control. Food for Thought.

III. GOING ONLINE.

10. Uploading Your Site.


All about FTP. Uploading & Updating Your Site. Uploading & Updating Your Site. Uploading & Updating Your Site. Uploading & Updating Your Site. Uploading & Updating Your Site. Food for Thought.

11. Directing Visitors to Your Site.


Promoting Your Site. Getting Found. Food for Thought.

12. Maintaining Your Site.


Updating Site Content & Features. Keeping Content Fresh. Adding New Content. Adding New Features. Test, Test, Test! Monitoring Usage. Log Analysis Software. What to Look At. Food for Thought. Appendixes.

Appendix A: Bibliography.
Appendix B: Web Sites & Pages.