Publishing Power Points
Building Websites, New Techniques and Profits
It's been a while since I went into the market looking for web site development tools.
There are a couple of tools I've used for years that serve me well and didn't really think of
replacing any of them until I decided to ramp up my production.
I bought Norton Utilities in 1999 and included on the CD that came with it was an
WYSIYWIG HMTL tool called "Visual Page" as a free bonus. They stopped developing
the tool so they gave it away free with the purchase of the Utilities.
I love it and I've used it daily. It does just about everything I could want although it tends
to mess up my javascripts by adding or subtracting unwanted code.
No matter... it's a good solid tool and it's pretty darn stable.
Another tool I use daily is Adobe ImageStyler, a graphics program. ImageStyler is no
longer sold and was incorporated into one of Adobe's other products. The original
product sold for $89. I purchased a used copy that was never registered, still in box, on
ebaY for about $25. It's a great program.
Still, I wanted to know what developments had taken place in the last few years to help
make web site building easier, faster and cheaper. I found some very interesting
alternatives to what I've been using and discovered many tools that will help fulfill my
goal.
But my real reason for doing all this research was to discover to what can be done in the
area of digital product development. As most of you know, I sold many sites on ebaY and
for lots of money. (Read Little Idea Makes Pretty Big Profits...
I've been really busy with other projects so I haven't done much with selling sites lately,
but if I ever need a big chunk of cash sometime I know where I can get some ;-)
I'm breaking the new tools I discovered into three areas:
1. Pre-Made Website Template Providers
2. All-In-One HTML Editors/FTP/Site Management Tools
3. Online Website Building Services
Pre-Made Website Template Providers
This is becoming a very large category on the Internet. It seems that the number of sites
offering web site templates has doubled in the last 6 months. Signs of a good market?
Can't say. But competition lowers prices and I've seen prices go lower and lower and the
quality of the design work go higher. Could be over-saturation or just a temporary
shakeout. We'll see.
Some examples and comments:
http://www.templatemonster.com/
Comment: Very nice templates, leading edge kind of stuff. I created a web site using one
with TemplateMonster as the affiliate program over a year ago at: ToolsDigital. It took
me maybe 30 minutes to sign up for the affiliate program and build the site. I haven't
done much with the site in over a year and it still generates some income for me, but not
enough. So I put the site up for sale on ebaY. Results: Sold for $228.
The template I used for ToolsDigital I got free from FreeLayouts.com. Total investment:
$.35 (for the ebay listing)
Total Return: $222.50 (after ebay's and PayPal's cut)
I think someone can do very well creating web site designs using the free templates,
joining affiliate programs and selling the site on ebaY.
I'm very impressed with a template site called BoxedArt.com and joined them for $24.95
a year. They have really nice templates and seem to upload new one's aon a regular basis
and there is no limit on the number of templates you can download. (Warning: Use the
latest version of Netscape or Opera to download templates. I used Mozilla and it didn't
work.)
All-In-One HTML Editors/FTP/Site Management Tools
There are some really nice programs that will mkake your site creation and code editing
easier than maybe what you're using. Here are the best I found:
Trellian WebPAGE
Comments: Fast free and stable. WYSYIWG editor. Worth looking at.
Cute SiteBuilder
Comments: Used to be Trellix, but is now Cute SiteBuilder and it's a very nice program.
Includes a number of built-in templates and 'site mapping' functions. It's $69.95. Not free,
but the trila version goes for 30 days and isn't limited so you have a real chance to check
it out. (If you do buy it, makes sure you select "digital" download otherwise the price is
$114!)
I downloaded 20 different HTML editing programs (tried every one of them!) and of all
the one's I downloaded, I liked HTML-Kit the best.
HTML-Kit isn't a WYSYWIG HTML editor, so you have to be comfortable editing raw
HTML code, but it's incredibly stable, doesn't tax my systems resources.
Online Website Building Services
These are 'services' that you use over the Internet usually through a web browser to build
or maintain a web site.
123TurnKey.com seems to be the leader in price and functions.
What's different about these guys is the ability to include Flash(tm) into your site as you
create it. You can create the site right online, then if you like your design, pay $10 and it's
yours.
Another very interesting concept I found has to do with creating turnkey websites online
utilizing a complete backend system for clients and customers at Kemford.com.
Here are a few details:
Kemford's Private Label Reseller Program:
* Private Label Ready
* Free Sign Up
* Quick And Easy Set Up
* Secure Online Account Management
* Price & Billing Control
* Complete Customization
* Multilingual Capability
* Free Upgrades
I signed up for their program (it's free) but I got bogged down in their setup. They need
you to change the "A record" in your hosting account in order for you to use their private
label program and I just never got around to it.
I like the concept- they are one to watch.
During the course of my research I came across 100's of schemes and outright scams.
Many services were far more expensive than they should have been and they looked very
attractive, but were no better than the least expensive.
Your next report is about "The One Business Secret That Could Make You Rich Forever"
See ya next time, take notes and take care :)
Original content (c) 2003 by David Vallieres. All rights reserved.
Additions (c) 2003 by Tim B Miller All rights reserved.
Tim B. Miller
support@discoverebooks.com
http://www.discoverebooks.com/InternetMarketing.html
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