Make Your Web Site Stand Out

When visitors add your web site to their Favorites or bookmark your site, what shows up in their list of sites? There are at least two things you can do to make sure your site stands out on anyone's list of Favorites, including a great idea that very few sites use. If you have a webmaster, he or she should be able to make these changes quickly, and those who maintain their own sites can easily handle these simple tasks.

First, make sure each page of your site has a good title. When you view your site in Internet Explorer or Netscape, what shows up at the very top of the screen? If it says "Home Page" or, even worse, "Untitled," that is what visitors will see when they include your site in their Favorites. Use "title" tags and add a title that describes the page.

And here's the thing very few sites do: Add a favicon file so that next to your site title in the Favorites list (and in the address bar when they go to your site) your logo appears instead of the ubiquitous Internet Explorer logo. (In Netscape, your logo will only appear in the address bar. The Netscape bookmark icon will be next to your site name in the bookmark file.) This is easy and quick and adds a real professional touch to your site. To see what I mean, take a look at my site. Go to http://www.IdeaLady.com/ and click on "Bookmark this page." (Netscape users, press Ctrl + D.) Then, open your favorites file and click on the IdeaLady link. You should see my lightbulb logo next to the title in your Favorites list (in IE) and next to the URL in the Address Bar (Netscape and IE).

For a good how-to article about creating your own favicon, go to http://www.webdevelopersjournal.com/articles/favicon.html. There is software called Irfanview that can easily create the favicon.ico file for you. Download it free (commercial users are asked to send $10) at http://www.irfanview.com/ It is easy to use, and can be used for a variety of graphics functions, in addition to creating your favicon.ico file.

Make your site stand out from the rest!

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with inexpensive and free marketing ideas. Get free tips, articles and more at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

More Web Development Articles

Ten Quick Tests To Check Your Website For Accessibility
The Disability Discrimination Act says that websites must be made accessible to disabled people. So how can you check that your website is up to par? There are a number of basic tests you can make to address some of the main issues that provide a good start in increasing accessibility to your site visitors:1.

What Works and What not Works for Your Internet Business
"Build it and they will come."--Filed of Dreams (1989) If you are working on an Internet business, you may read a lot of information for how quickly you can make money online.

Let Your Customers Redesign Your Website!
When you purchase a new item from a Yahoo! Store, you are asked if you'd like to provide feedback on the transaction. About two weeks after the initial purchase, an email from Yahoo! Stores shows up, asking you to provide feedback for the vendor.

Build or Buy a CMS?
Creating a content management system either from scratch, or using pre-existing building blocks, may sound like the ultimate way to get the exact solution you require.However, careful analyses often reveals dangerous pitfalls and serious short comings with many custom built content management systems.

Web Designer? You Dont Need No Stinkin Web Designer!
RIVERSIDE, CA August 4, 2004 ?- ?Historically, small business owners have had a limited number of options to choose from when it comes to the development of an on-line presence,? says Pat Spinelli, owner of The Web Site Tutor, a Riverside, California 1. web site design and training firm.

Things to Consider Before Starting a Website
In the time that I have been using the Internet, (since 1996) I have seen a lot of websites.  I have seen a lot of good websites and I have seen a lot that were just plain awful.

The Power Is In The Pipes: How To Get Maximum Leverage From Your Website
What is the most important part of your online business?Many people would say: "my website". And that?sunderstandable ? it?s the most visible part of an internetbusiness.

Making Your Websites More Compelling
The Internet is a remarkable publishing medium. With just a little effort, you can make your web pages visually irresistible by playing with color, shapes and text.

Adding Word Rich Content to Your Website
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included.Adding Word Rich Content to your Website.

Optimal Website Design
Optimal website design is the art of logical navigation.It will offer consistency while providing useful, quality information that is attractive to the eye and easy to understand.