Whether you’re in the preliminary stages of planning a site or you’re looking to improve the look of an existing site, this reference book covers it all. Now updated with the latest site tools, design techniques, and commerce options, this new edition of the bestseller offers a solid framework for building a Web site from scratch. Packed with all the essentials to help make your site the best it can be, this resource goes beyond just basic design and page building to show you how to incorporate both of those elements into a successful site.

Veteran author David Crowder spills the secrets to planning and creating an effective site from the ground up. You’ll decipher ways to transform a bunch of seemingly random web pages into a coherent web site and you’ll discover myriad ways to make your site look and sound amazing.

This updated third edition features content on designing with CSS, using the latest version of Dreamweaver, and applying Web analytics and promotion techniques. In addition, the book covers topics such as:

• Keeping a site fresh and exciting
• Designing a look that appeals to your intended audience
• Determining your Web page structure
• Incorporating color, images, graphics, music, and video
• Merging CSS and HTML
• Planning usable navigation
• Providing guestbooks and message boards
• Designing for e-commerce
• Getting set up with PayPal, Google Checkout, E-cash, etc.

The accompanying CD-ROM provides trial versions of software that is used in the book as well as sample templates and graphics for Web building. Once you start referring to Building a Web Site For Dummies, 3^rd Edition, you’ll wonder how you ever existed without this invaluable information!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

If you're just getting your feet wet in Web site construction, the first big hurdle is figuring out where to start. Building a Web Site for Dummies lightens things up with humor and makes the challenge of building a site far less daunting.

This book doesn't zoom you right into coding HTML, although it covers the markup language quite well. Instead, it offers a much higher-level look at site design by examining the general questions of navigation principles, affiliation possibilities, building communications with your users, and other wide-ranging topics. For this reason, the book covers a lot of ground and offers a broad perspective on site design that transcends simple page coding.

A couple of the more useful sections on Web site tools and e-commerce cover useful utilities, such as NetMechanic, Statbot, and Spinwave. The chapter on e-commerce helps you get to know the ropes of selling stuff online, and points you to online malls, fulfillment services, and currency converters.

The companion CD-ROM contains evaluation versions of useful tools, such as Paint Shop Pro, HomeSite 4.5, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver. You won't find all of the knowledge that you seek to become a Web site guru in this book, but you will gain perspective and learn tons of useful tips and tricks. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered:

• Designing a Web site plan
• Web page construction 101
• Using scripts and applets
• Site navigation
• Graphics handling
• Multimedia
• Site tuning
• Using content providers
• Message boards
• E-commerce
• Affiliates programs
• Publicity