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What Not to Do When Building a Website

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Things You Shouldn't Do - honest

Building a website can be a rewarding experience. Depending on your chosen topic, or topics, you can gain a lot of know-how on web site creation and additional knowledge on your subject.

Things you shouldn't do when building a website

It is probably better for now, to outline a few pointers on what you shouldn't do before moving on any further.

Ok, you're fired up and ready to get on with building the site. You have had a look around on the internet and seen other web sites you like the look of.

Time to copy some of their material, right? Wrong!

'Borrowing' Material

Researching your subject is part and parcel of building a website. Reading around your chosen subject is essential. Copying the research of others word for word onto your own web site is not only wrong, but can land you in all sorts of hot legal water, can get you sued, and can result in your website being shut down. This applies to images as well as text.

People who build sites are usually smart enough to search for particular phrases they use from time to time, to ensure their hard work isn't being stolen. Theft is, unfortunately, not an uncommon practice.

Original material is more likely to get hits to your site

Most people who surf the net like to read original material. The better it is, the more likely they are to return to your website. They are also more likely to recommend your website to others, and to link to it from other sites.

Coming across material the visitor has read elsewhere will most likely turn your visitors away from your website!

'Borrowing' Graphics

'Borrowing' graphics for your site is the same as stealing text. You shouldn't do it. Far better to come up with your own, even if it is from a template you do have permission to use, than to steal someone else's material.

Whistles and Bells

When you first build a website, it is very tempting to use every possible feature you can build into it. Bouncing text, little banners that follow the mouse around the screen, inappropriate or annoying effects in the wrong places. Don't do it!

WooHoo! I can do text effects!

Color Schemes

Another big switch off are garish color schemes that strain the eyes of the viewer.

By avoiding these elementary mistakes, you will help create a web site that people will want to spend time reading, and will want to come back to.

Next: Seeking Inspiration

| Choosing a Web host | Domain Names | Web Hosting | FrontPage | Server Side Includes | Web Authoring Software | Graphics Software | What NOT to Do | Seeking Inspiration | The Basics | Types of Web site |