Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News

      Web Presence Made Simple(r)

      Written by

      Michael Caton
      Published August 5, 2003
      Share
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Linkedin

        eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

        Anyone who wants a primer on how difficult it is for the lay person to effectively use technology should watch someone with a small business try to figure out an accounting package or design a Web site. After all, what does a carpenter care about accounting or the Web?

        A lot of people think that accountants and consultants are the answer, but the reality is that there is only so much work the entrepreneur is willing or able to pay someone else to do. Of course, one of the biggest problems with using technology to, say, get the books in order, is that technology rarely answers the question: “Where do I start?”

        For putting together a Web presence, Yahoo Web Hosting (webhosting.yahoo.com) tries to solve that problem with a new tool, Yahoo SiteBuilder 1.0. The tool, which became available last month, is free as part of any of the Yahoo Web hosting offerings. Yahoos Web hosting services start at $11.95 per month.

        The software does a good job of getting Web neophytes over the “where do I start?” hurdle by using effective templates, although it cant solve every problem a Web newbie will run into.

        Although wizards are supposed to take the place of consultants by asking the smart questions, they rarely do. Instead of wizards, Yahoo SiteBuilder includes a useful help system and a raft of templates that enable users to avoid the blank page phenomenon that so many people cant get beyond.

        Templates can only go so far, of course—even the 200 or so that Yahoo includes with the software. But the Yahoo templates are instructive in the way a good Web designer would be when it comes to putting together a cohesive marketing message about products and services.

        Wizards can help people make better decisions, and some decision-making tools to help pick the right template would undoubtedly be helpful to some. For example, I would like Yahoo SiteBuilder to include a tool, such as a series of questions, to help determine which templates are best suited for selling products, services or both, for a given industry. A series of questionnaires or tools to help customize or personalize the art elements in some of the templates would be a nice help as well.

        SiteBuilder does have a number of other features that nicely fill the void between product and service. Because this is a Yahoo property, simple integration with Yahoos other features and services isnt a surprise, especially as a way of building brand loyalty. Nevertheless, some of the features could be useful to anyone serious about building a Web presence.

        For example, the software makes it easy to add presence awareness to the site for those using Yahoo Messenger. Yahoo Map and Yahoo Search are other features that can be easily dropped into a site.

        The other process that SiteBuilder tries to nail, with decent results, is the idea of creating a Web presence rather than merely putting a bunch of Web pages together. The help system and templates are designed around putting a site together, previewing it and publishing it.

        Although, on the whole, technophiles hate tools that integrate with services, the idea of one-touch publishing to a Web site is quite compelling. Publishing to a Web site can be a daunting task for anyone who doesnt know about FTP. Of course, this is another brand-loyalty feature, but a useful one. It would be refreshing to see ISPs give their customers better publishing support via add-ins for Web authoring software.

        Discuss this in the eWeek forum.

        Technical Analyst Michael Caton can be reached at [email protected].

        Michael Caton
        Michael Caton

        Get the Free Newsletter!

        Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

        Get the Free Newsletter!

        Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

        MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

        Artificial Intelligence

        9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

        Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
        AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
        Read more
        Cloud

        RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

        Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
        RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
        Read more
        Artificial Intelligence

        8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

        Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
        Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
        Read more
        Latest News

        Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

        James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
        I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
        Read more
        Video

        Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

        James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
        I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
        Read more
        Logo

        eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

        Facebook
        Linkedin
        RSS
        Twitter
        Youtube

        Advertisers

        Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

        Advertise with Us

        Menu

        • About eWeek
        • Subscribe to our Newsletter
        • Latest News

        Our Brands

        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms
        • About
        • Contact
        • Advertise
        • Sitemap
        • California – Do Not Sell My Information

        Property of TechnologyAdvice.
        © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

        Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

        ×