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Web sites are an essential tool that every business must have in today’s economy. Only 15 years ago, you could count the number of Web sites in the world with five or six digits; today there are between 15 and 30 billion active Web sites and millions more being added every day. Creating a Web site can be a great way to market a new product, promote your business plan, promote yourself, or simply share a few details about your life with the world.
The cost of creating a Web site has risen right alongside the number of Web sites created though and many people are nervous about being able to utilize this revolutionary medium without breaking the bank. This book has been created for just such people, outlining for you in perfect detail everything you need to know to create a traffic attracting Web site, while spending little or no money at all. There are countless resources available, and when you put them all together, they provide a complete toolkit that can make anyone a top notch Web site in no time flat.
You will learn how to buy a domain name and host your Web site for less than $15, with no additional fees charged to your account. You will learn how to use open source software like Wordpress, Joomla, and Mambo to create a platform on which you can build anything you want. You will learn how blogging has made Web site creation easier than ever and how sites like Squidoo, Facebook, and MySpace allow you more freedom to build traffic and draw more attention to what you are advertising at any given time.
You will learn how to use common software to edit and tweak your Web sites and how to read the basic code that all Web sites are created in. In addition, an entire chapter is devoted to teaching you how to promote your Web site and draw traffic to it, without spending a dime in the process. You will learn why information is the most valuable asset on the market and how you can become an expert in a niche of your choosing, making money to cover any fees associated with your Web site.
With the added resource of hours of interviews with web professionals you will learn which free resources not to use and which ones to outright avoid, as well as how to find and install open source modules and tools to enhance the look and feel of your site. You will learn where you can find copyright-free images to use on your Web sites and how to get free copy that will draw traffic and entertain your visitors. You will learn how to keep a free Web site from falling into the traps the major search engines set to stop spam and ultimately how to leverage new friends, business contacts, and interactions out of your Web site. If you are now, or have ever, considered starting your own Web site before, this book will map the way for you.
iwatson58
Posted January 19, 2011
This specific book spiked my interest because I've built websites and I've had others build them for me. Even so, I knew there is much more that I can learn and this book didn't disappoint.
I was pleased to see a section on "Developing a Successful Business and Marketing Plan & Finding Your Niche." So many people think they could just set up a website and millions of people will flock to it. I know that each one that thought this has been disappointed. This section covers the basics such as market analysis, business objectives, marketing strategies, public profile, etc. It's important that one is clear in all these areas before even attempting to create a website. Once clear, and only then, it is time to proceed with establishing a website.
Bruce C. Brown gives step-by-step instructions and information on deciding what format to use. In fact, the section explaining HTML is the most concise, yet user-friendly I have seen. Although you may not be coding yourself the knowledge gained will dispel any anxiety or questions of "why" and "how."
Although this book covers everything possible I feel that the section on "Optimizing Your Web Site for Search Engines" is extremely important. Fully understanding how this works will enable you to place your website on the first page, if not on the top of the list, with many search engines.
I could go on-and-on of the importance of this book. I feel it is one of the best on the market, and certainly one that isn't all techie-babble. The writing is very reader-friendly, especially for those that have very little knowledge of the industry. Highly recommended.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KH67
Posted August 14, 2012
I wish I’d had this book before I paid large fees to outsource my Web site design. Although I am a technophobe, I was reassured by the book’s clearly labeled layout. The writer doesn’t assume that the reader has any working knowledge, making sure that relatively simple concepts like Web hosting and domain names are covered at the start. More complex concepts are also covered, with plenty of screen shots to help. One unique feature of the book is its hefty “Interviews with Web Design Experts” section, which distills frank advice from people in the know to “the rest of us.” The site design success stories in Chapter 18 reflect real-life experience. If you are willing to take some time to venture into Web site design, this book could end up saving you a substantial amount of money.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.code7r
Posted May 20, 2012
“How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money” by Bruce C. Brown is a comprehensive guide on how to construct a website from scratch. There is a lot of information packed into this 720 page book and seeing Mr. Brown’s other books (How to Use the Internet to Advertise and The Complete Guide to E-mail Marketing) the reader can assume that the author is very knowledgeable about the internet and all the things that go with it.
I am the perfect audience for this book because I know practically nothing about designing my own web site. The author starts us off by giving us information about web site fundamentals including the difference between web site hosting and free web hosts, how to pick a good domain name and some things to take into account when planning what type of web site you will want.
He then goes on to the business side of web sites such as performing a market analysis, marking strategies, employer identification numbers and business licenses. I liked that Mr. Brown included this section. When you see a book telling you how to build a web site, you don’t think about the legal aspects such as business licenses and establishing your business. This book makes it so that the reader doesn’t have to go off and look up this information elsewhere.
Then we get to the fun stuff! Web Site Design 101 and HTML Fundamentals. I am the type of person who wants to learn from scratch how to do things. From the first step, Mr. Brown includes a screen shot of what it will look like as you do it. For example: Step 1: Open Notepad and type the HTML tags as shown below: then there is a screen shot of notepad with what it will look like when you type in the information. And we are only at Chapter 3 at this point and there are 20 chapters in all. That should give you a good idea about how in-depth this book is. Also interspersed throughout the book are side notes from others such as “You Must Do This Before You Begin – By Erin Pheil” on page 52 and “Generating Web Site Traffic – by Paul Pennel” on page 319.
I look forward to finally getting my own web site up and running. With this book at my side, I don’t think it will be as difficult as it seems! Mr. Brown seems to have taken into account all the questions I had plus others that I should have had. This is definitely a good book to have!
How to Build Your Own Web Site with little or No money
The complete Guide for Business and Personal Use
Bruce C. Brown
If you have ever tried to create your own website, then you know how hard it is to do. How to Build your own website is well worth the price, as it is very comprehensive. It has all the information that will help with how to create your own website, even if you have never built one before. A amateur like me, understands exactly what the book is describing.
There are tutorial with additional information on HTML and coding languages. You can learn HTMl by following the directions inside.
This is the best guide I have ever found on building a website, without being intimidating. It covers almost every possible section and no one can go wrong. If you own your business or just want to begin a business you need this book. Even if you just want to create a website go and get this book, everyone needs it, if only for a backup. I highly recommend this book, to everyone.
Vicki_Landes
Posted March 9, 2011
When I requested "How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money" for review, I expected the typical 'how to' book of basics of putting together a simple internet page. What I got, however, was well above and beyond my wildest expectations. The book is so much more than anything 'typical'; it's an honest to goodness 'Web Site Bible'. "How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money: The Complete Guide for Business and Personal Use" is *the* book to have if you are interested in building a Web site. Author Bruce C. Brown walks you step by step through every possible nuance related to the subject. What I especially liked about the book is that it didn't just tell you how to format content and graphics then send you on your way; Brown includes marketing analysis and strategy advice, search engine optimization suggestions, a Pay-Per-Click walk though, and utilizing blogs and social networking to your advantage. It's everything you'll need to make your Web site not only attractive but successful. Perhaps a bit daunting to read initially (720 pages!), "How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money" quickly puts your mind at ease when you realize Brown's language isn't just technical jargon. Readers with some computer experience will easily understand Brown's information but he also incorporates a glossary for those a little light on the lingo. Everything is organized and broken down to aid in the learning process and for effortless reference later. Whether you are building a site from scratch or improving an existing one, the book has something for any aspiring Web designer. The only 'off' thing I found about the book was the way it was printed. Each of the pages was printed at a slight angle instead of straight across; when opened, every left page slanted up while every right page slanted down. This made reading slightly irritating at first but it wasn't long before I quit noticing the slant. I've reviewed several books for Atlantic Publishing Group in the past and none have had this issue. So, I'm assuming my copy's printing problem was unique. Other than this minor point, I was extremely pleased with the quality and content. VERY well done! --Vicki Landes, author of "Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal"
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Have you ever wanted to put a personal webpage online? Have you ever wanted to expand your business by going online? How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money: The Complete Guide for Business and Personal Use is the book you need.
In the book, you will learn about website hosting, domain names, marketing your website, and website design. The author easily explains how to make HTML web pages, images, hyperlinks, tables and forms. You will also learn about JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheet (CSS). You will introduction into different software you can use to build a website, like - Adobe Dreamweaver CS4, Microsoft Expression Web 3, CoffeCup, and many others.
How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money is a whopping 720 pages. You do not have to be an expert in web site building to be able to follow the book. The chapters are written for anyone to understand them. I was already somewhat knowledgeable about the HTML code, but I found the chapters on CSS scripts to be interesting. The author lists free and paying site where you can host your site. There is even a chapter on Harnessing the Power of Blogs, and using social networking. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and learned some new things about web site building.
*I would like to thank the Atlantic Publishing Group for sending me a copy to review.
Anonymous
Posted May 6, 2010
What initially struck me about this book is how comprehensive it is. It certainly lives up to the title, providing a wealth of information on how to build a website without spending a lot of money and then how to get traffic to it. Bruce Brown promises that, even if you have never built a website before, the book has more than enough information to help you do this. A novice like me is, therefore, expecting to see step-by-step instructions on how to design, build and publish a website from scratch.
There is indeed a excellent HTML tutorial with additional, if brief, information on XTML and a few other coding languages. If you have the time, you should be able to learn html by following the guidance provided. But for those who don't want to take the time to learn HTML, there's a chapter that describes the advantages and drawbacks of software products on the market that will do the HTML coding for you, such as Microsoft Expression Web and Adobe Create Suite 3. I would probably opt for these products and not spend time learning html. But they're pretty costly, so your decision is going to be based on your time and budget. Luckily, there's a chapter on free website design tools such as Joomla, Wordpress, and NVu that can be used to build websites.
It made more sense to me to have the chapters on web design fundamentals and web content appear before the coding chapters since you need to have a structure or blueprint in place before you start building the site, but both chapters do a good job of explaining in detail how to structure your site for easy navigation and create content that is search-engine optimized as well as user-friendly. There are also fairly comprehensive chapters on website graphics, web page formats, and electronic shopping carts, giving you just about everything you need to create a fully functional business website.
The rest of the book is devoted to SEO, how to generate traffic, PPC and Google Adsense advertising, affiliate marketing, blogging and social networking. Interviews with several web design experts answering the same questions provide additional tips and strategies. And the book includes real-life examples of how several individuals built their own websites and established successful web-based businesses with them.
I have to admit, I was a little intimidated and overwhelmed by what's required to actually build a website from scratch. There were a lot of terms that I didn't understand and had to look up, but I believe, with this book, some time and patience, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to pull it off.
Anonymous
Posted May 6, 2010
How to Build Your Own Website for Little or No Money is an instructive book written by Bruce C. Brown. Bruce C. Brown has written many other instructional books in addition to this one. This book offers much insight to the reader. All of the sources and expert opinions offer real tips to the new website developer. All processes necessary to build a successful website are outlined clearly and in consecutive order. The book does not stop there, however. The book also reviews many of the common inexpensive and free programs used to develop websites and even explains how to use many of them. The main problem with this book is its length. The book is over 700 pages long. Each page is full of information, so reading the entire book takes a long time. Occasionally, the expert interviews and information is stuck in the book at strange places. For example, some website don'ts according to one expert are placed in the marketing section. The business and marketing side of web development is also informative. Clear steps for establishing the business side of a site are outlined. The book tells the reader the different kinds of ads and marketing programs that are necessary to keep a site bringing in an income. The book covers every type of website, such as blogs, business sites, store sites, and informational sites. The technical information and terminology in the book may be confusing to some readers. How to Build Your Own Website for Little or No Money gives a very informative and honest look at everything requires to own, build and operate a website. Without paying for site design, the owner must develop the site on his or her own. This book outlines effective strategies for doing just that. This book receives 4 out of 5 stars.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.chantallia
Posted May 4, 2010
Bruce C Brown has written a wonderful book, which anyone wanting to design his own website, will certainly appreciate. The worldwide web continues to be an essential trend in the marketplace and more and more people are realizing the need to have a presence on the web. Brown in his book emphasizes how important it is in business to have this online presence.
Many do not know how to start, or are hesitant to invest in having a professional do the job. Brown advises that in order to build a highly professional and attractive Web site, one should hire a professional Web site designer, but he does not rule out the possibility of designing your own Web site at low cost. His tips and secrets are most valuable in this respect.
In the opening chapter you will learn all about the general structure of the Internet and Web site design fundamentals. The Web site templates in Chapter 5 deal with organization and navigational fundamentals and are truly of great educational value. Chapter 10 deals with successful search engine optimization. Once you get your website up and running, you would want to generate web site traffic. This chapter goes in depth on this topic, advising businesses how to use press releases for this purpose. You also learn how to publish articles and link exchanges and to use web directories. The author recommends these as proven techniques.
Blogging is recent times has become a popular feature of the Internet.In Chapter 15, you learn everything you want to know about blogging. He emphasizes how important blogging is and explains how to harness the power of blogs. He reveals a variety of design techniques and marketing tools which anyone can use at little cost and still achieve great search engine rankings and web site visibility.
The success stories from businesses and individuals who designed and built their own websites are a plus in this book, as they will certainly inspire you to design and develop your own.
The book also includes an index of professional web designers for those who with to obtain further help then the basics the book provides. Yet the author's copious lists about HTML formats, web site graphics, web page formats, Java Script, cascading style sheets and more, do provide a wealth of information which will enlighten anyone who has been in the dark about this modern day professional necessity. Bruce C Brown has done a good job in writing this book. How to Build Your Own Web Site with Little or No Money: The Complete Guide for Business and Personal Use deserves no less than a 5 star rating.
Anonymous
Posted August 26, 2010
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Web sites are an essential tool that every business must have in today’s economy. Only 15 years ago, you could count the number of Web sites in the world with five or six digits; today there are between 15 and 30 billion active Web sites and millions more being added every day. Creating a Web site can be a great way to market a new product, promote your business plan, promote yourself, or simply share a few details about your life with the world.
The cost of creating a Web site ...