Webmaster Tools and Resources
Webmaster tools will assist you in getting your website online. The following tools and resources are very popular and used by many Internet marketers.
HTML Editors
If you would like to create your own website, you will need a good HTML editor. An HTML editor is a software program you install on your computer. It is used to create and edit web pages.
Here are some popular HTML editors:
Macromedia Dreamweaver
https://www.adobe.com/products/dreamweaver.html
A popular WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) HTML editor. Great for beginners and advanced users alike.
Coffee Cup
https://www.coffeecup.com/html-editor/
A popular HTML editor that’s great for beginners as well as advanced users. Includes a built-in browser that will enable you to instantly preview your HTML as you go.
If you’d like to get your website up quickly and don’t want to do it yourself, Template Monster or Wix are good options. Template Monster provides website templates and will edit them for you, if you’d like. Wix will create a website for you or enable you to create it yourself within their editor.
Web Host
In order to get your website online, you will need to upload your files to a web server. Hostgator is a quality web hosting company that provides everything you’ll need to get your website online.
Text Editors
Text editors are another one of the top webmaster tools. They are software programs used for editing plain text that doesn’t add any special formatting. This is important if you plan on writing or editing any type of code, such as scripts. They’re also good for writing your website content.
If you have a Windows operating system, Note Pad is the preferred text editor. It should already be installed on your computer.
Although Note Pad is a great little text editor, it can’t handle large files and is much better suited for smaller jobs. You may find that you’d like an editor that is more powerful, such as:
NoteTab Pro http://www.notetab.com/
TextPad http://www.textpad.com/
FTP
File Transfer Protocol, better known as FTP, is a procedure used to upload and download files to and from your web server.
Although many HTML editors will enable you to edit and transfer pages to your server, an FTP program is still one of the most important webmaster tools. They provide you with complete control over the files on your server.
An FTP program will enable you to upload scripts, set file permissions, create folders and transfer files to and from your server.
In order to use FTP, you’ll need to download and install a software program on your computer. The most widely used FTP program is WSFTP Pro.
Graphics Editor
A graphics editor is a software program that will enable you to design and edit graphics.
Graphic design is an intimidating subject for many Internet entrepreneurs. Although this webmaster tool isn’t required, most of us must learn some basic design techniques in order to avoid the high costs of hiring a professional designer.
The most popular programs used by Internet marketers are Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. These powerful programs will help you design professional looking graphics.
Zip/Unzip Software
A Zip file is an “archive” of one or more files compressed into one file for easy distribution.
Zip files are used to compress and transport file archives over the Internet. It is the preferred method used for electronic file distribution, as rather than downloading several different files, you can simply download one Zip file. In addition, the download time will be minimized, as the files within the Zip archive are compressed.
Once a Zip file is downloaded, it can be easily opened and extracted (unzipped) with a Zip/Unzip software program.
Although there are many Zip software programs available on the Internet, WinZip is the most popular.
Although most Internet Service Providers include email accounts for their customers, these accounts aren’t adequate for an Internet business — especially if you get a large amount of email. Not only do the email addresses contain your ISP’s name, but they are also very limited on features and options.
The two most popular email clients used online are Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird. These programs will enable you to download email from your server and offers features, such as sorting and filtering and will enable you to easily organize your email messages. What’s more, your email address will be your own domain — not someone else’s.
Email Marketing / Autoresponder
Collecting your visitors’ email addresses is an important part of doing business. One of the best webmaster tool and most trusted email marketing/autoresponder services is AWeber. They provide a complete list management service at a reasonable price.
These webmaster tools will assist you in getting your website set up. Use them to your advantage.