Free Tools for Your Web Site
It does not have to be expensive to get started with Internet
marketing. There are so many free tools available, including HTML
editors, graphics programs, and competition analysis.
Free Blogging Program
Blogs have become very popular, and the most popular blogging
platform is Wordpress. Wordpress is a powerful blogging program that is
also a content management system (CMS).
A content management system manages the content on your site. Why
is this important? It makes it simple for anyone to set up a site, add
content to it, and not worry about it any further. The program manages
the content for you, setting it up in archives, categories, and so
forth.
There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of free plugins available to
make Wordpress incredibly powerful and easy to use. One of the best
places to find free Wordpress plugins is at wp-plugins.net.
There are also thousands of free Wordpress templates available.
Many of them can be found at the Wordpress.org site under Themes. There
are themes that are 2 columns, 3 columns, that accept widgets (which
make it very easy to modify the sidebars), and themes of every color
and design.
Free HTML Editors
The two most popular free HTML editors are NVUdev.com and Notetab
Lite (available at Notetab.com). NVU is comparable to Dreamweaver. It
might not be as powerful as Dreamweaver, but provides enough power for
most of us who just want to create some basic Web sites.
Whether you use NVU, Dreamweaver, or Frontpage, having Notetab Lite
on your computer is highly recommended. Many people use it for editing
existing HTML files. It is quick and easy, and it is freeware.
Free Graphics Program
Probably the most powerful free graphics program is GIMP. With GIMP
you can edit photos and other graphics. Most people will find that GIMP
has all the tools they need.
GIMP supports the most popular file formats: GIF, TIFF, PNG, PSD,
and JPEG. It works with Windows XP and Vista, Mac, Linus, and Sun. You
can check it out at GIMP.org.
Tutorials for HTML, Wordpress, NVU, and GIMP
All of these programs have tutorials available. There is also a
Dummies book for Wordpress if you find it easier to gather information
in book format.
Some tutorials can be found at the sites listed above, or you can
do a search for "nvu tutorial," "gimp tutorial," or "wordpress
tutorial." A popular HTML tutorial can be found at BoogieJack.com. One
of the great things about the Web is all of the free tutorials
available.
Get Started Today
With these powerful free tools available there is no reason not to
get started online today creating Web sites. If you are completely new,
try setting up a Wordpress blog first. It is easy, it is free, and it
is a great way to get started.