Let us take a look at a simple page, and how Microsoft disregards any standards for clean, proper code.

This is not to necessarily bash Microsoft. It is simply to show you the reason so many techies and geeks and designers recommend not using Microsoft for website design.

Some random links to free/donation-ware programs

Free Photo tools:
http://www.photoscape.org/
http://www.picnik.com (online editor)
http://fotoflexer.com

I was asked to throw up a quick site for someone to make it easier for people to find that alleged secret tape of Marilyn Monroe.

Interesting site in that it currently has nothing but links to where you can download the video. I didn't check out the video, but it might be explicit, so don't be downloading if you don't want to see some ancient old black&white stag film.  My friend says it looks like her, but you never know with technology these days.  

Since this is potentially 'adult material', and I didn't want to any porn hosted on my servers, I made sure the content is on some file sharing sites. One can argue that it's actually newsworthy, since it is being discussed in the news.

One of the easiest way to increase your website traffic it so make sure you are listed in the major Search Engines.  Google and Yahoo will probably find your site eventually, but to make sure they know you exist and that you have something someone is searching for, it helps to let them know.

Submit your sites to both Google and Yahoo just to remind them to come visit and index.

• http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl
• http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/submit

Even if your website is already in the search results, it doesn't hurt to add a sitemap to your website and resubmit that sitemap to the search engines.

Found on the web:

I can't afford to pay for hosting, so I have been looking for a free host. I was using “zzz-free-host-zzz.net”, but all of a sudden they disappeared, along with my sites. Luckily I had copies of most of them. After that, I have found a few, but the support from the ones I have tried has been... well, for the most part, non existent.

Non-existent support? Well, that matches the non-existent cost, doesn’t it?

Google has posted in a recent blog that they will ‘Score’ fast websites higher. At first, this will affect advertisers who use Google’s AdWords, raising their costs if their website does not download fast enough.

But the inevitable fallout should be that we will see a needed separation from ‘professional’ websites, and those put together with non-web tools like Microsoft Word or Publisher.

Professional Web Designers know to optimize images, monitor total page download size, and not over-burden a web page with graphics. Proper web design reuses images from page to page, so the company logo is downloaded once to a visitor’s browser and then re-used on each page. Even basic web designers should know this, but it seems there are a lot of so-called web design tools that have no idea of proper design.

Every year, just about this time, we hear from clients asking "how can I get more hits on my website?" And every year, we check to see what the latest techniques are (since they tend to change frequently).

Seven Sages can give the basic tips and advice. The same advice that's available on many websites, with good and bad info. But we prefer to recommend using professional services for professional results. Last year, we did a little research trying to find good, honest marketing companies to partner with. One company we found is Adaera Search Engine Marketing Service.

One of our Partner/Referral websites put out a press release about their updated design and services.

Wpromote Launches New Website and Comprehensive Suite of Search Engine Marketing Services

Wpromote, an Inc 500 Company, proudly announces the January 1, 2008 launch of its next-generation website, along with two new services to complement its industry-leading suite of search engine marketing solutions.

El Segundo, CA (PRWEB) January 1, 2008 -- Wpromote is proud to unveil its next-generation website and suite of search engine marketing services, the first bottom-up redesign in over three years. With cutting-edge features and a flexible, user-friendly interface, it is built to fill the needs of its clients in the rapidly evolving search marketing industry.

Not just another pretty face, the launch of the new website is also the public release of dramatic new service offerings from Wpromote. Wpromote's suite of search engine marketing products helps clients spending hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars per month achieve maximum results in their online marketing. Offerings now include: