A part of web development is copywriting. Excellent copy means it has to be appealing to both readers and to search engines. This combination will help websites to rank highly. A problem occurs when there are space constraints to a site, page layout requirements or other issues.

Because appealing to both readers and search engines is so important, you don't want to sacrifice one for the other. Adding a big block of copy to the middle of a page may not be the best answer, however, if a page needs content, adding a couple of sentences to the bottom of each section is a good option. Your copy will still be readable and the additional content will appeal to the search engines.

There are some things to remember when writing content for a website.

• Web users are active. One click and they have left your site. If they don't see a reason to stay, they won't. There is a 10 - 15 second window available to capture a visitor's attention.
• The longer the text is, the less likely they are to read it. With long text, they will skim it, if they bother to read it at all.
• Web users don't believe in hype. If you want a web user to believe you and to believe in you, you must back up your claims.

Four questions must be answered on each page:

• What am I doing here?
• How do I do it?
• What's in it for me?
• Where can I go, next?

If your design and navigation isn't obvious, then you need to explain it in the copy. Most visitors will not take the time to figure this information out. If a first time visitor cannot find their way around your site, they will likely never come back.

Unless your visitors are expecting to read something on your page, don't expect that they will read more than one or two lines of copy.

Understanding your copy is as important as length. Don't make the copy so complicated that it is difficult to comprehend or make it so the customer will have to think about it because they won't.

What this means is you want to convey one key idea in just one or two lines. Don't try to add a third line because if you say too much, then even the first idea won't penetrate. If your site needs more content, break it down into sections that are one or two paragraphs each. Say what you want to say in the first sentence and then expand the thought into the paragraph. Use meaningful headers. Most people will only scan the headers to the paragraphs and not even bother with the copy on the page, unless it is something that appeal to them. It is better to write only one or two lines with links to another page with the longer copy.

Even when users are expecting to find text heavy content, don't expect they will take the time to read all of it. Longer copy doesn't have to be as abrupt as shorter text, but it needs to be as easy to read.

Make your copy clear, but not boring. Lively writing with an unassuming voice is best. Boring writing will turn your reader off and nothing you say at that point will make it through.

I am using the time I alloted today to work on the real estate investor marketing in the Learn To Be Rich on-line game to lay out a framework of the steps we need to follow to get this new feature implemented into the game.

First, I will need to access the Php MyAdmin control panel and manually add in some of the sample types of marketing so that I begin to play with those with my test player in the game. My intention is to add 3 or so different ones like classified ads, bandit signs and door to door flyers.

Next, once I have those three in the database, I will need to add some code so that there is a chance each turn to learn that from our in-game Marketing Consultant. This includes adding the type of marketing to that players database table as something that is available. It also includes making sure that it shows up on the Real Estate tab as something you can work on.

Once I have it in the players database table, I need to add the code for the player to be able to modify how much to spend each turn on that type of marketing.

Next, I will need to write the code to determine the number of new houses that appear for you to look at based on the marketing you are spending money on.

Once I have this basic system working, then I will go back and add more types of marketing and tweak the interface to get the right balance in the game.

So, that is the plan right now to make the game have that new feature for modeling the marketing to find motivated sellers.

Things which exist on one's personal computer are referred to as "client side", and on the web host as "server side". The average internet user might have first heard "client" in the context of applications installed on the personal computer, such as "email client". Those mail systems which can be used from anywhere are "web mail", and exist on the server side.

In practical terms, all your office suite programs, media players, programs to edit images, most games, and so forth, are probably client side, although "utility" type functions are evolving on the server side. For example, users can now share data on server side spreadsheets and word processors.

Most browser function is defined on the client side, perhaps with some JavaScript add-ons for interaction, calendars, multi-level menus, animated graphics, et cetera.

Business enterprise level content management, databases, store systems, and much more are on the server side. Server side programming can range from simple CGI scripts ("Common Gateway Interface") written in a variety of languages, such as Perl. Large databases can be built in the popular open-source MySQL, and accessed through interfaces programmed in PHP.

First embodiments of such CGI functions started a new copy of the executing module for each command request. To avoid server shutdown from excessive workload, host programmers have evolved better ways, but these need not concern us ordinary mortals.

Fortunately for this author, a web site builder does not need to be an expert in all those server side tools in order to use them. Most hosting companies now offer access to pre-installed modules. Persons wanting better features can purchase modules from third parties to upload and install, such as shopping carts, which are backed by support staff, user, or similar.

If the site builder lacks a very fast connection to the server, s/he can install client side copies of operating systems for SQL, PHP, other... to emulate behavior on the host. Sometimes the emulation is less than perfect, such as with different release generations, so adjustments may be needed after upload.

Why would anyone bother to do this? One reason is that PHP can take over parts of HTML coding, such as with "include files" which represent often used sections of header, footer, body, or serve more robustly than JavaScript for interactivity and utility functions.

If the connection is fast, however, present day "shared hosting" and "virtual private/dedicated servers" make it very difficult for one domain owner to break the system for other users. And only privileged employees have access to the power switch. VPS allows power users to get more behind the scenes than can the SH customer.

Caveat: Whether your HTML writing is done directly on host account or on personal computer for upload, keep an off-site copy against the day your hosting company drops or back levels your content. It will happen.

What ever the approach a person uses for working on the internet, all these elements are examples of "distributed processing", a concept which some large mainframe computer manufacturers had hoped would never be realized. Now that the small guys and gals have forced the issue, by using ever more powerful personal computers in place of dumb terminals, the big dogs have learned to love and profit from it.