In The Beginning There Was HTML…

This is the first part of a beginners' tutorial covering some simple terms about the internet and internet advertising. It is meant for those brand new to website promotion. These terms lay the groundwork for much of the material covered for promoting a business online. For those already versed in the subject, it may be easy to forget that first steps have to begin somewhere. The terms and the concepts are easy. A basic understanding will give you the foundation for further learning. This first part is about html, what it is and why it's important to us.

Html (spoken as the letters H-T-M-L) stands for HyperText Markup Language. That may not leave much to go on, but a little background can clarify things. You may already be familiar with the term link. You click on a word, usually highlighted in some way, and are taken to another web page or a website that the word is linked to. This simple concept, clickable words that take you to new pages, is called hypertext.

Hypertext, intended as a means of quick and easy information retrieval, was a very simple concept bought to fruition by the dawn of the Information Age. It is the simplest of concepts, however, that may well be the most powerful because by the very nature of their simplicity they can't be disassembled. They give a foundation which, rather than being outgrown, can be built upon. Though hypertext had been around for a while, it was the visionary founders of html who conceptualized the World Wide Web. In hindsight it seems almost an effortless step. You create something sublime, naturally you want to show it off and share it with the world.

To complete the thought, keep in mind that it is not only text that can be hyperlinked, but also images. The linking part is the information retrieval part. By clicking a link, you are able to retrieve the information that the hyperlink is connected to.

So now you know the hyptertext part. You could think of hyper text as the magic part of it, the part of the equation that set the world on fire. Markup language, well, that's the geek part. A markup language is a language of code, universally accepted, that when translated means certain things. It is a collection of letters and symbols, all from the computer keyboard, that in certain combinations create certain results. Html writers call these combinations tags. Tags are used not only for linking but also for formatting the text and images to make up the document, the part that you see.

Html is the foundation of our internet experience. And it is reachable too. Its seeming complexity lies not in complicated equations but rather its layers. With layer upon layer of completely simple commands, it's an example where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. All it takes is a little patience to learn html. Though, one doesn't even have to do that. It's easy enough to pick up pieces of it to use as desired. And there is something satisfying about getting under the hood of a webpage. Not to mention it sounds amazingly smart to be able to say things like, "I altered the code."

So now you have not just a definition of html but hopefully a look into the marvels of it. Keep that mindset on the wonders of these things that make up this world. These are the tools of our limitless opportunities. They are the allies of our potential. Take the mindset of wonder, add you, and your possibilities, and watch what happens. If something as simple as html could change the world, imagine what you could do.

© 2009 Louise Ciofalo

Profile: Wendy's Web Page Design

Graphic artist Wendy Ward does quality work at bargain prices. Wendy's Web Page Design is a one-stop shop for your internet design needs. Whatever your business is, having a web presence could help you make the most of your image, relay information to your customers, attract new prospects, and generate sales.

While there are plenty of services out there where we can automatically generate our own website, there is no substitute for professionally done work. A case in point is this website, a business blog with a template automatically generated from Blogger. There is a lot one could do with these templates. They're really great and with any amount of creative inclination you could really run to town with them. Of course, that's exactly what I have been doing, and I've been having a ball doing it too. There did come a point, very early on actually, where I knew I wanted some professional work done in order to give my blog a unique appearance. It was time for my brand.

Brand is a word I've been hearing a lot in internet marketing circles. Brand yourself is a common refrain of professional internet marketers. In effect, the theory goes the most successful internet marketers do not promote a product, but rather their brand. Coming from a background of being a musician, this was an easy concept to understand. In music we call it creating your image.

So whether you're going after a brand or an image on the internet, unless you're a graphic artist yourself, you could benefit from the services of one. Wendy Ward is both graphic artist and website designer, which greatly simplifies the process when it comes time to have some work done. Ward takes on a variety of projects and has found a niche with new and advancing marketers whose needs vary greatly. And while she could build you an entire website, she will tell you that no job is too small.

For myself, what I wanted was a header and some matching banners for advertising this blog. After viewing the samples of her work on her website, I e-mailed her explaining the work I wanted done and asked for a quote. Ward works surprisingly fast and, after taking a payment through PayPal, she delivered my work the next day.

Perhaps this may give some insight into Ward's artistry and professionalism. Just brimming with ideas for what I wanted, I sent her a long description of what I was looking for. I told her I wanted something fun on one hand, keeping credibility on the other, that I didn't want something overly formal, and particulars for certain scenarios. So how does an artist deal with the varied and sometimes conflicting needs and desires of clients and come up with something gracious? No problem for Wendy Ward. She understands the creative language. As a professional she knows how to translate clients' needs into visual perfection. She understood what I was looking for without missing a beat.

As an artist, she has a good instinct, a good judgment. Wendy's designs have a unique flavor. Her work does stand out. If you look at her work you will see an artist of versatility.

Here is a smaller version of my header…

Here you can see a scaled down version of one of my matching banners…

You can find more examples of her work on her website. And as you can see, if you are looking to create a look or feel that is your own, you can be confident that is what you'll get. For me, it was a pleasure meeting and doing business with Wendy Ward. Getting some design work from Wendy's Web Page Design was an easy and simple step to create a look to get my business blog noticed. And that's all it takes, folks. Doing the next thing to promote your business really is easy.

© 2009 Louise Ciofalo