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Site Management and Maintenance
The management and updating of any Web site is a time consuming business. It's also incredibly important and there are plenty of traps for new players. Here are a few things I never do with my quite sizeable Web site, Loadstar's Lair.
I never say that an area or section is finished. There's quite a simple reason; if your viewers in any way come to believe your site is not going to develop and grow, there's no point in giving you a bookmark and making a return visit. So just between you, me, and tens of millions other Netizens, don't give any indication at all that possibly you aren't updating Experience Breeds Complexity
Webmasters of large sites should remember
that as your site, and your experience grows, that site will become more complicated.
It's all very exciting. All of a sudden you can do Java ("let's put three on this
page, shall we?") and you know how to produce pop-up boxes galore (but please
consider your viewers and refrain from this).
Eighteen months ago I faced moving my Web
site, at the time it was around 400 pages and just the thought made me break into
a cold sweat. In my case it proved to be an easy matter, and I accomplished the
move in just a short time because I have my Web site mirrored on my local computer.
Help Them Find You Once my files were up, I created a page on my previous URL to automatically redirect visitors, using the following line:
<head> I then promptly forgot about it for around 18 months. When I returned, intending to take it down, I was stopped when a look at the server access files showed that people were still hitting the old URL. If you move servers, never forget that some people keep bookmarks for years, so try to maintain a redirect as long as possible — and notify referrers of your new URL. Be Persistent
Second, I run link checking software to search for dead links or graphics. At one stage my site had 1,800 outside links. Obviously I couldn't check them all manually. That's one of those problems peculiar to large sites. Open Communication Web site design can have a very steep learning curve. Every so often I come across an idea and mentally slot it away for adaptation on my own site. I suggest you do the same. It isn't stealing. Modify the ideas, make them your own, simply learn from other people who already know a bit more than you may at this stage. Even more than that, if you're curious about how something has been done on a Web site approach the Webmaster for advice, in most cases they'll give it willingly. One last thing. Perhaps the most important aspect of Web site management is that you enjoy yourself. If you ignore every other detail in this article, I at least hope you'll take my advice on this. Put your heart and soul into having fun with your creation.
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The Internet Brothers have implemented hierarchical menus for navigation. Easier done than said. The hierarchical menus were created using Peter Belesis' © Dynomat DHTML scripting tool from Webreference. Give them a visit, you'll like what you learn.
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I never put up "Under Construction" clipart
or signs. Every site is, or should be under construction constantly, therefore
these little flashing images tend to become irritating in stating the obvious.
more differences you'll find in the way they display. Don't ever let anyone tell
you it's only possible to code correctly for one browser; you can modify code in
minor ways and have your pages display perfectly for all of your viewers.
Two other things I did immediately after
my move, and these things I still do every single month. One, I run search engine
submission software. I won't get in-depth into this, it's a whole subject on its
own, but there's a fine line between submitting too frequently lest the search
engines take you to be "spamming" them, or timing it right to improve your listings.
