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10 Essentials for Building a Solid Web Site:
Content
Your content is the backbone of your Web
site I don't care how good it looks, or how
well designed it is, or how snazzy those
rollovers are. If it doesn't have good content,
then it simply shouldn't be there.
When putting together your content,
you should
reflect on the planning stage and specifically
your mission statement. Every bit of
content
should be in some way related to the
mission
statement, or it shouldn't be there.
If your
mission statement is to make people
laugh,
then anything that isn't funny should
be
left out. If your mission statement
is to
inform people about whale mating habits,
then you shouldn't be talking about
browser
updates.
Don't create 'filler' content. Don't
write
something or put something online just
for
the sake of having something online.
Plan
your content as you planned your site.
There's
nothing more irritating to us more
than visiting
a site only to find mindless banter.
When
writing, be direct and to the point.
Use
short sentences if necessary. If you
need
help writing, pick up a book at the
library.
The best writing is usually the most
researched
writing. If you have the time, research
what
you're writing about. If you don't
have the
time, either make it or have someone
else
write for you. We probably sound like
a broken
record, but use the library or the
web.
We shouldn't have to say this, but
DON'T
STEAL CONTENT. Do your own research,
or give
your own opinions.
Keep the content going. Update your
site
and your content regularly. Don't put
something
up and leave it there for years. Everything
changes, and as we in the development
business
know, things are changing faster now.
Keep
up on it. If the world passes up your
content,
the users will pass up on your site.
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