Would an HTML tutorial benefit you? In other words, do you need to know HTML in order to position pages in the search engines?
Yes, you do.
In order to position Web pages in the search engines, you need a good, basic knowledge of HTML, the "language" of the World Wide Web. As a search engine positioner, you may not be creating whole Web sites yourself, but you will be designing information, or doorway, pages.
Also, you need to know how to make changes to an HTML document, how to use an HTML editor, and how to add tags that can help boost your rankings. You need to be able to recognize when a page is using tables, frames, or JavaScript, and you need to be able to recognize hidden text and other spamming techniques. You need to know how to use an FTP program as well.
HTML tutorial in action
Before continuing with this HTML tutorial, let's look at HTML in action, so to speak. When looking at this page at the Academy of Web Specialists' site, you're not looking at what the engine sees when it visits the site. The engine sees the "source code" or HTML.
If you're using Netscape, click on View in the menu bar at the very top of the page, then Page Source. If you're using Internet Explorer, click on View, then Source.
What you're seeing now is a "skeleton" of the Web page, which is what the engine sees when it visits the page. The engine doesn't see the pretty graphics or design--it sees the source code--the HTML. This is what we'll be learning about today.
The Web offers some excellent free HTML tutorials that will help you learn HTML in the easiest way possible. So, set aside a block of time, even an hour or two here and there, and go through these HTML tutorials. You'll see some duplication, but each time you're presented with the information, you're that much closer to learning and understanding it and feeling comfortable with working on HTML.
HTML editor
Do you have an HTML editor? Before you can take an HTML tutorial, you need to have a software program called an HTML editor. Sure, you can use Notepad to create your HTML by hand, but HTML programs make things so much easier.
Both Netscape and Internet Explorer come with a lite version of an HTML editor. Word does too. Or, you can visit Stroud's Consummate Winsock Applications, which offers a wide assortment of freeware and shareware HTML editors.
http://cws.internet.com/index.html
Examples of HTML editors include HotMetal Pro, Adobe GoLive, Dreamweaver, and FrontPage.
While at Stroud's, check out their FTP programs. Once you create a Web page, you'll need to upload that page to the Web. You'll do this through FTP. A couple of good shareware FTP programs are WS-FTP and CuteFTP.
Once you download the HTML editor and FTP program, take some time to familiarize yourself with them before taking an HTML tutorial. Read over the Help file and take the software's tutorial, if available.
Then, proceed to these free online HTML tutorials.
HTML tutorials
One of the Academy's instructors, Rhoda Schueller, created an excellent HTML tutorial for her students. It can be found at
http://country-art.com/class/basichtml.htm
HTML 4 Rookies Tutorial:
http://htmlprimer.com
Webmonkey's HTML Basics Tutorial:
http://www.hotwired.com/webmonkey/authoring/html_basics/
HTML Cheatsheet:
http://www.hotwired.com/webmonkey/reference/html_cheatsheet/
Visit A Beginner's Guide to HTML:
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html
HTML Testbed:
http://www.ash.udel.edu/ash/tutor/html/testbed.html
After Taking the HTML Tutorials
Once you've familiarized yourself with HTML by taking these online HTML tutorials, you're ready to enroll in an online search engine positioning training course through the Academy of Web Specialists. We'll help you learn how to work toward achieving top rankings for your site in the search engines.
This article was written by Robin Nobles, Director of Training at the Academy of Web SpecialistsTM. Over the past few years, she has trained over 1000 people in her online and onsite courses in search engine positioning strategies. Visit this website to learn more: http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/.
