Page 47 - Payout Magazine Online Volume 9.6

apps using PHP scripts that can be interpreted
on servers with PHP installed.
However, there are also many computer
programming technologies with numerous web
frameworks written in them that are easier to
read and write; therefore, many webmasters
simply opt for one of those instead.
3. Knowledge of Database Technology
Web applications also have a storage tier,
which is used to store various data, such as
contact and credit card information.
There are various database technologies to
choose from when it comes to storing data in
web applications; however, no matter which you
choose, you still need to be sure you understand
the fundamentals of your chosen technology in
case it encounters any issues, you will be able to
repair it.
Some popular database technologies include
MongoDB, MySQL, and PostgreSQL.
4. Knowledge of Good Web Design
� The Site Should Look Good
A good site will look good on any device or
browser being used, no matter if the user has the
latest plug-ins, the latest browser, or the latest
computer, which in turn makes visitors want to
stay on the site.
� It Should Have Effective Titles
An effective website also contains a good title
on each page that enables the page to be found
by search engines, which helps increase the
website’s ranking. The titles also alert visitors as
to what’s to come and entices them to click on
the site, which helps increase web traffic.
� It Should be Easy to Navigate
A good website is also fairly simple to navigate,
which means users are able to access hyperlinks
and various pages within your site with ease,
which helps keep them on the site longer and
encourages them to take action. The graphics
should also be compatible with a wide range of
users so everyone feels welcome.
� It Should Have a Good Style
The chosen style of the site, including the
color, also helps make it more attractive to visitors.
Therefore, the background and font color should
be designed so that they complement the texts,
which helps encourage readers to stick around
longer and take in your message.
� It Should be Equally Balanced
The site’s pages should also contain the right
balance of content and blank space so that it
does not appear too cluttered, which can deter
visitors. This means large blocks of texts should
be kept at a minimum.
The texts also need to be relevant and provide
value to readers in order to increase the site
rankings and attract more readers to the site.
� Copyright Your Work
Lastly, as the web designer, don’t forget to
add a copyright notice or at least your name and
contact details so that people know that it is your
work.
5. Knowledge of Website Hosting
Once the website is complete, the next step is
to publish it on the internet so that it can be seen career, and more, even just acquiring a technical
by other viewers, in which case, you will need to
find a service to host your site.
As a webmaster, you don’t need your own web
server to host your websites. In fact, there are
many web hosting services, some of which are
free, that will host your website for you.
However, if you plan to promote a business
or sell products using the website, then you
may consider using a commercial web hosting
service, which offers many advantages over basic
web hosting services, such as large bandwidths,
unlimited number of visitors, CGI programming,
your own domain name, and more. Commercial
web hosting services also charge a fee for their
services, but remember, you get what you pay for.
6. Knowledge of Website Promotion
Simply finding a place to store, or host,
the website isn’t enough. You will also need to
promote it in order to generate traffic. Therefore,
you will also need a knowledge of website
promotional strategies, such as social media
marketing, search engine listings, website SEO,
reciprocal linking, and more to help increase the
website’s chances of success.
Do You Need a Degree to Become a
Webmaster?
You do not have to attend any type of formal
training to become a webmaster; however,
as we saw, you will need proficiency in many
web-based skills, such as layout and web
design, programming, internet security, content
development, and more, in order to be an effective
webmaster.
Therefore, the skills and knowledge acquired
from a two-year college degree in Applied
Science in Computer Science or a technical
certificate can be useful, especially if you plan
to work for a company who typically requires a
higher level of skills, talent, and expertise to suit
their complex needs.
On the other hand, even if you choose to
simply work on your own as a self-employed
master of the web, or you just want to develop your
skills as a webmaster to build your own effective
website for sharing a skill or hobby, to promote a
cause or charity, or just promote yourself or your
certificate can only help you become better.
Whether you choose to earn a college degree,
a technical certificate, or just simply teach
yourself webmaster skills, you should be sure to
practice the various methods in order to become
more familiar with the details of both constructing
and maintaining a web site, including testing and
repairing broken links, updating site content, and
more, to ensure you are well-prepared for any
technical issues that may arise.
In fact, the more you practice webmaster
skills, the easier it will become to build websites
and handle more complex issues concerning
maintaining and repairing them, which will help
keep you in demand should you choose to master
websites as a career.
Conclusion
In the end, your reason for learning webmaster
skills may vary, but the basic skills and principles
of becoming a webmaster are still the same.
In fact, as you can see, there are many levels
to becoming a successful webmaster, so be
sure to both understand and practice each skill
as much as possible in order to become a real
master of websites, which is sure to benefit you
when building your own site or when building and
managing websites for a profit.
PayOutMagazine 47