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Here’s a question from this blog I’d like to answer. (Ask your question in the box to the right.)

Helen asks:

“I am a teacher working with kindergarten children for 50 years. I would like to publish books relating to children and others. I have no knowledge how to start. Can XSite Pro help me who knows nothing about website or the internet? Please advise, Helen”

My answer:

One of the great things about XSite Pro is that

there are ready-made templates you can use “right out of the box.” You get 200 choices of website templates (i.e. designs you can use as is), so if you like any of these, all you do is choose them, add the name of your site, add some copy, and publish your site. (You do have to have a domain name–the “web address” where people will find you online–and a web hosting company where your website “resides.”)

XSite Pro has very good instructions. If you’re in the middle of a task and you don’t know what to do, you just click the ? at the top of your screen and a screen pops up with detailed help.

And I mean HELP. They don’t only show you how to use their features, they educate you about how to create a website.

If you’re serious about creating a website, XSite Pro is a great way to start.

I just watched a webinar (which you would have access to if you get the program) that laid everything out very clearly. Two more to come. You can snag a brochure that tells a lot about what XSite Pro can do, here.

I honestly have never been more impressed with any product or company than this one. Any product. Any company. Not only is the product top-notch, but the support to use it is phenomenal. They have a walk-through tutorial to get you started, 260-page Instruction Manual with the “essentials.” and a 100-page Reference Guide which you will dip into as you grow in your knowledge.

Also, their help desk is prompt in answering questions (they work 24/7), and there’s a forum that’s comprehensive.

Having said all that, Helen, if you truly are not at all familiar with the Internet or web sites, I suggest you take some time to get a little more comfortable with the Web. (You did find this blog and fill out a form, so you’re not that much of a newbie!)

Go to google.com and type in some words on topics that interest you. Look at the sites that pop up. Take a few notes on what you like, what you don’t like about web sites you visit.

This will be very helpful when you are ready to create your own site.

You have to use the Web to communicate on it. So don’t try to build your own site until you feel comfortable with the Web, and develop a sense for the kind of site you might want to create.

Then when you , you might want to get XSite Pro.

Having a web site is a great way to start testing ideas for your books. Start with articles and information that you think is needed, see what the response is. Another great thing about XSite Pro is that there are easy, built-in tools that show how to make your site both reader-friendly and search-engine friendly. So people will be able to find you much easier than a site you tried to build without these tools.

One more thing. A friend recently told me, “I don’t want to be a webmaster.” MY answer to her was, “I don’t either. With XSite Pro, I don’t feel I need one.” A lot of people are intimidated by the idea of “creating a web site,” because it has been complicated in the past and web masters who make a living at it have a vested interest in making you think you can’t do it.

If you can create Word documents, if you can write emails, I believe you can create and manage web sites with XSite Pro. I don’t think you ever do anything more complicated that point, click, cut and paste. Ever.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 25th, 2008 at 10:37 pm and is filed under Productivity tips, Resources, Writing/Publishing/Promoting Questions Answered. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.