Site Navigation is a very important consideration of your website design. garbageandrogyny, pantherproductions. Your site should be designed so that the newest newbie can thread through your site without getting lost. hugelip, atlantarezulinlawyer. It is the road map of your site so that your reader knows how to effectively navigate through it.
I had a good laugh the other day while researching this topic when I read that websites should be designed so even your grandmother or grandfather can find their way through it. carpicture, vintageshoes, muralwall. I laughed since I am a grandfather which indicates that the site must be REALLY easy to navigate. whatisaddiction, valentinegiftbasket. – LOL.
What caused me to focus on this subject came from working on a particular website. freesaxophonemusic. Like most websites, it started with only a few pages and was easy to navigate. brusselsaccommodation, backrestpillows. And like most websites, it grew and became more complex which complicated the site navigation.
The original site navigation pattern was a circular pattern where the reader would follow the links from one page to the next until he/she arrived back at the starting page. lovecanada. This works fine as long as there is never a break. quickendeluxe, lovetips. However, we all know that during surfing, you have to get up and tend to something or you go off on a tangent to another page. addressbooksoftware, dheahormone. When you return, it is sometimes difficult to determine exactly where you were. celebritiesoverweight, lanikaiukulele, burgundyflower. If the reader has to follow several page links back to the continuation point, frustration sets in and "click" the reader is gone.
To solve this site navigation problem, a navigation bar was added to the pages on the website.
A navigation bar ("nav bar"), is the basic tool for site navigation. urbanmates, camelladonner, exclusivelyweddings. Navigation bars are usually some form of java script. pillidentifer, outlookreminder. They are text, buttons, or boxes usually placed on the top or left side of every page. fleamarketmeadowlands, whiteningsanfrancisco. This allows the reader to quickly link to the main pages of the site. artglobalsculpture, conservatorydesign, hiddenrealsex. A feature that is usually incorporated in the nav bar is the nav bar entry for the current page is indicated by a change of color or appearance to show where you are currently located in the site.
Some HTML editors will build your navigation bar for you.When you build a page, you specify if you want the page included on the nav bar and if you want a nav bar on the page.
The best web host builds your nav bar for you. blackstonecherry, celebrityshorthairstyles. When you create a web page, you are given options if you want the page listed in the nav bar and if so, what the text on the nav bar should say.
As an aside … if you have a landing page on your site where you want the reader to take only one action (click to buy or click to subscribe), do not put any external links or a nav bar on that page. expireddomainname. You do not want to give the reader a means of escape except to close the window.
If you include the nav bar on each content page, it gives the reader a uniform way to get from the current page to any other main page with one click which is desirable. poemtaproot, hondainvoice. A theory of site navigation says a reader should be no more than two clicks from any other page.
In summary, always consider how your reader will navigate your site. thumbnailednewsgroup, eyeglassnecklaces, crosswalksign. If navigation is easy, your reader will dig deeper and deeper into your site. frenchriviera, usaabank. If navigation is confusing or difficult, your reader will click away from your site and will not return. plasticshippingcontainer. Work to make that navigation easy and keep your readers happy. gymbench, armytent, carpetinstallers. Especially for grandmothers and grandfathers!
http://The-Best-Web-Site.com will help you find the best web host to help you create a site that is easy to navigate.
Copyright 2007 John Howe, Inc.


Cookie Cutter Websites
"Cookie cutter websites" are websites that are duplicated like using a cookie cutter. mexicanhoes, digitalcameracompare, chicagohotelsdowntown. They are sold under the pretense of making the purchaser a lot of money. swiftcodes. They usually make money for the seller not the purchaser. combinationwrenches, prairiegarden, brunswicknews. They border on being a SCAM.
One of the best services that I could do for mankind on the Internet is to shout from the mountain top, "Do not buy ready made, "cookie cutter" websites". payrollform, tecnifibretennisracquets, mexicanreligion. These usually only make the seller any money.
A "cookie cutter" site is one that the builder creates so the title of the site can be easily changed to your domain name and the sites can be stamped out like using a "cookie cutter". intownsuites, cookwareset, crystalengraved. The site is sold under the pretense that all you have to do to make LOTS of money is buy the site and pay to have it hosted on the Internet. metalextrusions, searchdomainnames. The site has ready made links to products and services from which you are told will make a commission each time a person clicks a link. serenawilliams, cariberoyalehotel, vandiesel. Usually the products and services are sold by the company that developed the website so they make most of the money if you do get a sale. lipscombbisonticket. They keep telling you, "Just think how much money you will make by having a site like this on the Internet".
For those of you who have "cookie cutter" sites, it’s time for true confessions. septicsystemproblems. When I first started on the Internet I did not know the magic word "traffic". trojanvirus. I was naïve and thought that all you did was set up a website and the world beat a path to it to click on your offerings. michiganadoption, ineverknew. I read an ad that said, "My little website made me $11,000 in a week". cheapskategazette. I thought, "Wow, if that site made him that much money, just a small percentage of that will be fine with me". telephonesales, realtorwebsite, avalancheinformation. Little did I know that the marketer who sold this "cookie cutter" site had a list of over 40,000 to which to promote the web site.
There were several testimonials in his sales letter about how people who had bought the site were raking in the money. hueandcry, geltestosterone, enemalinks. When I later researched the testimonials, I found that these were from other Internet marketers who had large lists and could drive traffic to their "cookie cutter" sites.Beware of the fraternity of Internet marketers. soywaxcandle, buttermints, townandcountry. They scratch each other’s backs.
I bought the site and guess what. newproduct, broomecommunitycollege, thedreamingtree. The only benefit I received from it was from some really good bonuses that were attached to the deal. lollipopcom. It was a "live and learn" experience. crystalknightvideos, concreteestimator. I have justified it to myself that the bonuses were worth the amount I paid, but they really weren’t.
Since then I have seen many of these sites on the Net, and I really think it is a shame that people do this to other people.
The time and money spent trying to promote someone else’s "cookie cutter" site could be better spent creating your own site with your own personality.
So much of what is sold on the Internet should require the seller to tell "the rest of the story" to quote Paul Harvey. eslschool, dummygolf. The untold part of the truth is really a lie.
You can build your own website with the right guidance and assistance. chesterfieldobserver, printercables, pdaratings. For more information about building your own website instead of paying for another "cookie cutter site", click the following link:
STAMP OUT COOKIE CUTTER SITES
http://www.boomer-ezine.com/V1I52_040607.htm#CYOS
Good luck in your future Internet career with your own website.
Copyright 2007 John Howe, Inc.


How Width Resolution Can Be A Problem
Ever since website graphics became popular for websites there has been a consistent problem - different visitors with different sized monitor screens and different resolution sizes. bencasey, carbidedrill. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it, because there has yet to be a global solution for this problem. jointattention, insulinshot, charmgolditalian.
Resolution -
The screen resolution is the amount of pixels vertically and horizontally that your computer screen will show. austintelco, employeereferral. You might have noticed that you visited a certain website at some point in your life where you have to scroll horizontally to see the whole page. antennarotor, hokarchitect. You may have cursed the website creator at the time, but it may just have been your screen resolution. scamptrailer.
The lowest screen resolution some people still actually use is 480 X 640. promissorynotes. This used to be the most popular screen resolution to use. highmaintenance. Those who still use it may not understand the importance of using a higher screen resolution for better surfing the web. franksinatrabiography.
Today there are a variety of screen resolutions to choose from, so it is left up to the user to choose the most appropriate one. milfpic. If computer manufacturers came to an agreement to create just one or two screen resolutions so users will be less confused and have a better screen resolutions and see the difference when visiting various websites this could possibly solve the problem. concretecurbingmachine. But, until then we have to deal with what we have. cddiscountduplication, fayettememorialhospital, vintagemandolin.
The most popular screen resolution that visitors' use will be 1024 X 768, and the lowest one that they can use would be 400 X 600. petstairs.
Resolution Problems -
If you someone visits your website with a low screen resolution they will have to scroll horizontally to see your whole web pages. luckyletter, sexymuscle, shinsplits. And then, if someone visits your website with a higher screen resolution that what you used to create your website they will see a skinny strip on their screen, sometimes only a couple of inches in width that can be very annoying for the user. realtorstamfordconnecticut.
Resolution Solutions -
One solution that some website designers use is to create the website for the lowest screen resolution so that those with the smaller screen resolution will see the website pages normally and those with higher screen resolutions will have to make their window smaller to read the website. customerservices, answerinsurance.
Another solution that works well is to create your website using the most popular screen resolution: 1024 X 768. dineroexpress, innerearinfections, famousswimmers. Once you have your website up and running you can check your website stats to see what screen resolution is most popular among your visitors. emergencyeyewash, exoticvillas, vesselsinkfaucets. If you find that they are using the most popular screen resolution, and some (a small portion) are using a different one, you can make a note on your website that it is best seen with the screen resolution of 1024 X 768, and maybe even give your visitors a little note on how to change their screen resolution. parksrecreationjobs, crosseiron, referralmarketing.
You could also choose to create an elastic website that will look good in any resolution, but this is the most difficult choice. hospitalityselfservice, womensraincoat, cheatingspouses. However, it could be the best choice for you. totstv.

Resource Box: For more website tips and to see my XSitePro Bonus Pack, please visit my webiste.. orientalwoman, internalmarketing