what this book is...and isn't Whether you're building a site for a local restaurant, a multinational corporation, or your gardening club, this book can help. It's based on the idea that all web sites succeed for the same reasons. The principles that help the big dogs stay ahead of the pack can also help the little guy. Now most web books are specialized, covering design, technology, or specific topics, such as community-building. But this book is for people who have to think about everything. It was written for web producers or anyone who bears the primary responsibility for a site's success. And it covers a lot of territory, because they have to. In this emerging industry, everyone wears multiple hats. You have to know a little bit about a lot to create a successful site. So this book covers the entire development process, from planning your site to designing, building, and maintaining it after it launches. The focus is on practical solutions to real-world problems from increasing traffic to improving site speed to setting up an email list in organizations that may or may not have money to invest in a solution. What this book is: A reference guide for web professionals that fills in the gaps in your knowledge, reminds you of things you already know, and offers persuasive arguments for following or avoiding particular development paths. A do-it-yourself workbook that breaks down tasks like improving site speed or increasing traffic and gives you a step-by-step approach to effecting positive change on your site. A glimpse behind the scenes of web sites that face challenges similar to yours. An introduction to web development for professionals who are new to the field or for business owners who are bringing their organizations online.
What this book isn't: It isn't a technical manual. There are many, many books and web sites that will guide you step-by-step through the technical procedure of creating a site. I don't try to replace their work here. Instead, I offer an overview and point you toward more complete reference guides. It isn't a design portfolio. There are many books that offer lush examples of beautiful and innovative sites. They're great for inspiration and ideas! But in the interest of saving space, I've limited my use of images. It isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. I can't promise you there's a pot of gold at the end of your Internet rainbow. But this book can help you create a site that meets the needs of your customers and your organization. Maybe this will make you rich! But it probably won't overnight.
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