How to...Create a Webpage Part 3: So you say you've been around for awhile By: andy

Well, this is it, the long awaited third how to.... on creating web pages. Maybe not, but hey, let's just pretend. So, this editorial is aimed to help out sites that have been up 2 months, 3 months, 1yr, or even more. I am going to try and help you out a long the way. As usual, I am going to make rules. Let's get right to it.

1. After you have created your web site and it has been up for a while you may start to get tired of working on it. Web sites are just like all things, no matter how much you enjoy something, if you spend enough time around it then youwill eventually get sick of it. So, now what do you do if you begin to get tired of working on your web site. Let us look at the obvious, take a break. Spend some time away from your web site and after a week or so you will be ready to come back. Now I realize that a lot of you may think that if you don't update often enough than you may lose visitors. Ok, there are many ways to get around this. One answer could be if you have a partner or not. If you have a partner than you can take a break and your partner can pick up the slack- be sure to return the favor though if he is ever in your situation- and keep your page in line. Another thing you can do is to prepare a rather large update and post it the day before you take your break, this should keep all your visitors entertained while you are away. Or, I guess a very simple way would just be to post that you are taking a break and will be back in a week or two.

2. The next step involves examining your site. After you site is up and has been up for a while you want to sit back and take a look at your site. You want to examine where you want to go with your web site. Look at the different sections you have a decied what you want to add to them and when and wether you want to expand current sections. Also, you want to think of new sections that you may want to add. Remember not to try and take on to much at one time. You may decied that you want to work on four sections. Well, unless you have nothing else better to do, maybe, update two of the sections that week and work on the other two sections the next week.

3. Remember that new sections are always good. If you have a new section that you want to post, why not. Visitors enjoy new things and being able to view something new will attract more visitors. It will also allow you to work on something new for a change which is always refreshing.

4. Do this as a favor to me. No matter how big your site gets and no matter how many hits you get, don't you ever forget about the people who put you there. There are a lot of "elite" sites out there that treat their visitors like trash and that just is not right. Now I am not telling you to spend all day answering e-mail's, but show some respect for your visitors.

5. And for the final rule, after you site is up look for the sections that you don't work on or you don't really care for and eliminate them. Just because you have a million sections does not mean that your site is going to be good. If you have a section that you have not worked on since day one, than there is no reason to leave that section up.

What can I say, it gets shorter everytime. Hey, I got the point across and yet I may not of covered every rule, but I like to think that I helped out. Everyone who builds a site builds it in the hope of it remaining up for a long time. Well, that sounds a little confusing. I am just saying that when you build a site you want it to remain open for as long as it can. So hopefully with the three how to's... I gave you your site will run smoothly.