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Websites: A Manual for the Basically Clueless
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can go to Amazon and type in Website and get dozens of pages filled
with books. Many of them covering the same topics you have. Some are
backed by large publishers, some from industry experts, etc... Now
for some soul searching. Can you search Amazon and find a book that
covers most of your topics that is written better than what you would
do? If you can, why would someone pick your book over one of those?The most important part is why you are doing this. Are you wanting to get published, just make money, or have your own book?
I have just spent about an hour searching Amazon and couldn`t find any books that are exactly like what I want to write. I found three that were sort of similar:
"The Entrepreneuer`s Internet Handbook" by Barreca and O`Neill has a section on the basics of business websites, but their book looks at startups from a legal perspective. That`s valuable, but that`s not the angle I`m going for. I`m looking at more of a marketing perspective.
"Online Marketing" by Ravi Damani and others covers the basics of online marketing methods, but doesn`t talk about stuff like how the Internet works, considerations for websites, etc.
Then there is a book by John R. Geelan about Computer Basics, but considering that the used ones for sale start at less than a dollar, I`m thinking it`s not terribly well-written or helpful. Also, I think the author doesn`t pay much attention to spelling, which isn`t very professional.
Most of the website books assume that the reader wants to make their own website. My book would not be for those people. My target reader is a non-technologically-savvy business owner who would like to get up to speed on this whole Internet and website thing, but is maybe a little scared of the Internet, or doesn`t know where to start to find information. Keeping that in mind, it would be wise to market my book in offline channels, and Craig, I was planning to make it available in printed format. Perhaps not a regular book binding, but I would give people the opportunity to pay for it by sending a check and then receiving a printed copy in the mail, if that`s what they needed to do to feel comfortable.
My book would not set out to teach this business owner how to make a website. I don`t think he or she would want to put that kind of time into the matter. It would just set out to relieve them of their perceived ignorance, so that they could feel comfortable discussing issues related to creating or changing their company website and engaging in online marketing efforts.
Is there a good market for this book? I`m not sure yet. I`ve mentioned it to a few people who I perceived as not being very "up" on the Internet, and they were enthusiastic about it. I`ll want to get a few more opinions (which I was hoping for here, and I have gotten some good feedback).
And my purpose in creating this book would be to help these business owners to make good decisions--to empower them in regard to website decisions. I am interested in making some money, which is why I would sell it instead of giving it away, but any business person has to be interested in that.
selling crap and making a fortune from it.
There is a lot wrong with selling crap and making a fortune from it.
You should see my christmas tree... hmmmm I mean "holiday" tree. I decorate it with AOL discs
I had an experience yesterday that illustrates the kind of situation my target reader is in. There are two guys installing a new furnace at my house this week, and yesterday I asked how it was going. The man started going on about how they`re using 2 inch insulation and some type of metal for some kind of joints--I didn`t even understand what he was talking about enough to remember it. He said they like to do quality work. I just smiled and nodded, because I have no clue what constitutes quality with a furnace installation. He could be making that stuff up about forming joints and insulation, and I wouldn`t know.
Now, I didn`t choose this company--my grandfather did, because he`s acting as the property manager here. I don`t know how he chose them. But if I had been looking for furnace repair people, it would have been helpful to me to know a little bit about the furnace (maybe some key terms and the basics of the different parts) and to have some questions to ask different companies to help me choose one. Then I could discuss the issue with some intelligence, and felt confident making a decision.
Same thing with car repair. I have an excellent book that diagrams and explains different systems in a car, and also has troubleshooting charts for each section. It tells you whether the problems can be fixed by an amateur (and tells you how to do it) or if you need to take it to a professional mechanic. This has been very valuable to me since my car has a lot of miles on it. When I take it to the mechanic, and they start talking about belts and alternators and water pumps, I have an idea of what they mean, and I don`t feel like they`re fleecing me.
All this to say, my website book would probably come from a similar angle, and fill the same kind of knowledge gap.
I looked at the Professor`s videos. As far as interactive stuff goes, I would say that that`s great if you`re the kind of person who likes to learn interactively. You`ve all probably heard that there are three learning types--seeing, hearing, and doing--and most people favor one. For me, I like to read stuff to learn it. I`ve tried watching online seminars and listening to audio messages from marketing and small business people, and I get frustrated because I can`t skim through to get to the point. And a downside to using a video is that it`s not as portable--you wouldn`t really use it on the train ride to work or something, but you could read a book then.
But I might consider having some things demonstrated with video--interactive or not--for parts of the book that tell how to do something. An add-on feature, or bonus, perhaps.
Yes, I agree that most of what I will write in this book has been said here and there by various people, on various websites, in various books, bits and pieces everywhere. But my argument is, what busy business owner wants to put the time into searching for all the bits and pieces in a hundred books and websites? My book would have it all in one place, very convienient.
Also, for people who don`t know much about the Internet, they may also not even know what to search for, even if they had the time. Like one guy I was just talking to, who works with a general contracting company, he had never heard of spider bots that search engines use. He said, "If that`s a good thing, I hope Google is sending them to our site." Now this is an educated man, who I`m sure is brilliant at creating buildings, but like my book title says, is "basically clueless" when it comes to websites and how the Internet works. If I said to him, "Oh, you can just google it," he would probably be dumbfounded. He wouldn`t know where to start. He probably doesn`t know that this information is available to find.
Actually, to test my assumption, I think I`ll pitch the book idea to him, and see if he says it`s something he`d be excited about.
I agree, there is value is pulling that information into one convenient resource.
~Roland
Windows was an inferior product but soon dominated because it was marketed to the right people - Business.
But.... Apple still lives.... Steve Jobs has his business jet
My point here is that it`s all about marketing.
One thing to remember though. Your book will probably be subject to a variant of Moore`s Law and be obsolete in about 18 months.Pokerman2007-2-24 12:31:9
designer or consider buying an attractive template (there are some very
good simple sites that work try template monster.).Your site (not trying to be mean) looks far from professional or expert. You have your resume page linked in - also not expert looking. Then you have only two pages you have designed listed in your resume. You list eliminating white space at the bottom of YOUR design as an "accomplishment" and call the design complicated- it isn`t. So where are your credentials for writing this book? Why should someone listen to you? You`ll have to establish some sort of credibility. Or skip it completely and establish more journalistic creds. instead. Back to your idea. I certainly think the idea of creating a resource that clearly and effectively shows business owners the right way and the wrong way to go about building a website is a wonderful one. There are waaaay too many horrific websites on the market today that sour customers rather than woo them. Business owners simply don`t know how to navigate the website creation world.Is the best way to profit from that to sell an e book as an "expert"? Maybe if you`re listening to the "secrets" from the psychotactics site. But what about branching beyond the form letter "Dear Friend" kind of stance (which probably worked better when it was new to the web. How many people automatically click out because they know the formula- lot`s of big talk, not a lot of free info in spite of the claims, and there is always something to buy at the end. The majority of web users DO want free info and know they DON`T have to pay for it). The bigger idea is to create a community for your target. help them get excited and as passionate as you are about great websites. Give away e books with free membership. Keep your member coming back with a constant stream of new articles and mini lectures on video or something. This gives you the opportunity to later sell them a bigger book or package (while generating ad revenue on your site). Build a "solutions station" where you partner with web designers and logo creators and copywriters etc who offer special rates to your members (as a mutually beneficial arrangement with you of course). Create forums for owners to learn simple coding together and critique each other`s sites. Offer prizes for the most improved, best design etc most traffic. These kinds of sites can become huge successes like babycenter.com, web md, i village etc. (startupnation!). They offer the free info people need while creating revenue in creative ways.Keep working on it and good luck.
Stephanie--I`ve done a little reading on split A/B tests, but I can`t find info that says how to actually set one up! Can you direct me?
Red8ii8--Several comments:
Not to be harsh BUT you shouldn`t claim a site is all your own design while leaving a copyright from someone else and someone else`s remarks in the code.
I have no idea what you`re talking about here. Of course I have a few articles from other authors in my articles section, and they have their own copyrights with their text, but those are articles that were available for republishing. I also don`t know what you mean by "someone else`s remarks." The only comments (I`m guessing you mean) are either notes I made to myself to distinguish the different sections of the page or on a page or two I see that I left the little note from CuteHTML, which is the HTML editor I use, talking about their Hitbox. I`ve never used the Hitbox, but I`ve been using CuteHTML for so long that that comment has sort of become invisible to me. But you`re right, I should make sure it`s not in there.
And by the way, CuteHTML is not a design program. It merely color-codes the HTML so it`s easier to work with.
It makes it very clear where you got the ideas from (http://www.psychotactics.com/websitesecrets.htm</A>).
Again, I`m seeing false accusations. I like the guy of Psychotactics. He has good ideas. I`m not going to say that his work has had no influence on me. I`ve done a lot of learning from many sources. I have not bought or read this course "Website Secrets" that you posted a link to. I did not get the idea for my company from his work. I DID get some ideas about how to improve websites from his work, because that`s what he`s about. I get his newsletter. When I see good ideas, I will use them, or save them for later. I`m sure that most good businesspeople out there get some ideas from other people. That does not mean that my website design or company idea or web page text is "copying" from him, as you seem to be suggesting.
In the next couple of paragraphs of your post, you proceed to tell me that my website does not look professional and that I would do better to buy a template. You`re entitled to your opinion, of course, but it would be more helpful if you would at the very least give an example of a website whose design you think IS worth looking at.
You have your resume page linked in - also not expert looking. Then you have only two pages you have designed listed in your resume. You list eliminating white space at the bottom of YOUR design as an "accomplishment" and call the design complicated- it isn`t.
First, I agree that the resume site isn`t amazing. I did it a while back when I was thinking of finding a full-time job somewhere. I may redo it eventually.
Second, I worked with one website for over 5 years. I did not pursue other clients at that time. Hence, the lack of multiple website examples.
Third, you apparently didn`t read very carefully. There is no place where I claimed that the design of www.momausa.com</A> was my own. I clearly stated--twice--that the architects drew the design and I created a website out of it. And you don`t think the design is complicated to make into a website? How would YOU do it, if you know of such an easy way?
I certainly think the idea of creating a resource that clearly and effectively shows business owners the right way and the wrong way to go about building a website is a wonderful one. There are waaaay too many horrific websites on the market today that sour customers rather than woo them. Business owners simply don`t know how to navigate the website creation world.
Amazing! We finally agree on something! The bigger idea is to create a community for your target. help them get excited and as passionate as you are about great websites. Give away e books with free membership. Keep your member coming back with a constant stream of new articles and mini lectures on video or something. ... Create forums for owners to learn simple coding together and critique each other`s sites. Offer prizes for the most improved, best design etc most traffic. ... They offer the free info people need while creating revenue in creative ways.
These are some interesting ideas. But this brings up one issue I`ve been struggling with lately, which is that I`m sort of looking at two target markets. One market is the business owner who wants a reliable person/company to create and take care of his/her website and online marketing. The other market is people who want to make their own websites, and would like some good information about how to do a good job at it. I actually want to focus on the business owner who needs someone to "do it for me," not the "do-it-yourselfer," so perhaps I need to streamline my website to reflect that more. I don`t feel that I`m up to "guru" status in giving out "how to do it" information--and there are hundreds/thousands of other "experts" out there who offer this information.Danae2007-2-27 16:35:8
Craig, you tend to have a decent take on things and share some interesting thoughts. This really wasn`t one of them. What a strange sentiment from the lips (or rather "quill") of a philosopher. Aren`t philosophers supposed to uphold ethics rather than mocking them? Sorry, I know it`s off topic....
Best,
Ralf
I am a newbie and I look for a bit of "Dick and Jane". I look for most bang for meager bucks. I don`t know all of the things that are being recommended as lacking because "I don`t know!!" I like the chatty, she`s learning while I`m learning and I am going to get a bargain because of that.
Yep, I know that I will end up paying more in the long run, but right now I want to have a partner in learning.
My business is helping people create effective company websites that attract visitors and make sales. Hence the name of my company, Effective Websites.-snip-So, I would like to ask you all, does this sound like a product that you or someone you know would find valuable? What other topics would you like to see included in this book? Does the price of $17.50 seem too low or too high?
I appreciate all feedback.Hi Danae:I think that it is a good idea, but you may want to make the first few chapters available for free, or available if people sign up for a newsletter.Also, I would take off the hotlinks to non-working pages on this page of your site:http://www.danaecowart.com/webdevelopment.htmlAll the best and good luck!Andrew Darlow