Operation Manual

88 Web Design from Scratch
In general, Web page headers and footers need to contain more
information than those in a conventional publication. The Web site
title, which appears immediately in the browser’s title bar as the first
page loads, should convey your site’s identity accurately, and even with
a touch of wit. The top matter should include a logo or other
identifying motif, as well as a page title (so users know they’ve come to
the right place). Visual cues as to section and level can also be part of
the top matter.
The bottom of the page is a good place to include elements that help the
page stand on its own as a self-contained unit. For example, it’s good
practice to include a date stamp so users know how current the
contents are (use Insert/Information/Date or Time... and uncheck
Update Automatically). If you don’t have a separate “Reply” or
“Feedback” page, consider placing a return hyperlink with your own
e-mail address at the bottom of each page. It’s not a bad idea to spell
out the page’s URL as well. That way, if a visitor saves a page as a text
file, or prints it out, they’ll have a record of where the page originated.
A copyright notice isn’t out of the question, either.
The above advice on top and bottom matter applies equally to your
Home page, section menu pages, or any other pages. It will help you
build in a page-to-page consistency that respects the way people view
Web sites.
In general, consistency is good: if you choose a graphic theme, by all
means use it throughout your site. But too much of this good thing can
lead to blandness, and you should also work on differentiating the
various levels of your site from each other. In other words, the Home
page should appear unique, and section menu pages should resemble
each other, while looking distinct from pages at other levels. Besides
adding interest, these variations also serve as navigational cues.
In using WebPlus to design the publication, take advantage of the
master page/page distinction. Think of the background as a sheet of
preprinted stationery with its own elements. For example, you can
design a colorful background header—perhaps incorporating a main
logo—on the master page, which will then repeat on each Web page.
Individual pages can add “local” information such as a section name or
page title, which will be visually merged with the background when the
page is published. (See the tips in the “Graphics” chapter on combining
foreground and background elements.)