Cyber Skill #6                                
Creating a graphical/html ezine.
 

                               Looking for someone to assist you in career advancement or transition? 

                                              Why not call me for a Complimentary Coaching Session!  There's no strings attached
                                                     770-922-6007  
ThinkTank Coaching
www.coachbrian.com
brian@coachbrian.com

                                                                                                                                                           

Cyber Skill #6                                

Creating a graphical/html ezine.

Introduction
The future of ezines is HTML.  Until about 3 years ago, most ezines were text-only.  But now writers, publishers and advertisers prefer the HTML variety because it gets the attention of the reader, graphic ad banners can be used and even streaming video is now being included to REALLY get the reader's attention.  At EzineVille.com, where we broadcast ezines nearly 3 million subscribers a day, 20 out of our 23 ezines are now HTML/graphic-oriented.   This Certified Cyber e-course is one example of an HTML ezine (called such because each issue looks a bit like a web page).

Ready to learn how to create an HTML ezine of your own?  Here are the simple steps.

Step 1
Create a web page in Front Page
This web page will "be" (meaning contain/display) your ezine.  Remember an HTML ezine IS a web page.  What you are reading right now -- this Certified Cyber Lesson that I have emailed to you -- was creating using Front Page. (If you don't know how to create a web page, look for another Certified Cyber lesson on that topic.)

Step 2 
Come to understand a little about "full-file paths" for images
In order for images to display in email, these images MUST be stored at a website.  (You COULD attach your images to your ezine but nobody would like that.) Because when the subscriber receives your emailed ezine, the text appears right away, but the images/logos/photos take a couple of seconds to come into view because they are 'downloading' -- just like a web page -- from where the images are stored on some web server.  The text part of your ezine doesn't need to be stored on a web server; just the images (photos, logos, graphics).

So, every image in your ezine must have a full file path to that web server -- something like:  http://www.yourwebserver.com/images/thisimage.html.  So, you'll need a web site or web hosting company,  and ftp your images to this server.  (Most ISPs give you some free room to store images/pages on their server -- ask them if you're not sure.)   Not sure how to FTP?  That was covered in another lesson.

Step 3
Verify that all images have a full file path
The easiest way to do this is to place your cursor over every image in your ezine/web page, and right click.  When you do, it brings up this box:


Select Picture Properties

Step 4
Is it full file path? 
The image below is correctly typed, because it begins with http://etc.
If you see that only the image name itself displays below (i.e., 'headergif.gif') then you'll need to type in the correct full path starting with http://etc....


Step 5
Click OK 
Does the image appear correctly in your ezine/html page?  If so, excellent!  If not, have you remembered to FTP the image file to your webserver?  Remember, the moment you make the image "full file path," it won't appear correctly unless that image has already been uploaded to the server.  Why?  Because it can't find it until it's been uploaded.  If it can't find it on the internet, it can't display it.

Step 6
Repeat procedure for all images in your ezine
Every single one...

Step 7

Repeat procedure if you have any "links"
Often in your ezine, you'll have links to other websites:  (http://www.somewhere.com).  As long as you have the http:// as part of these links, the reader of your ezine will be able to click and visit just fine.  Sometimes, however, you may want to include a link to a web page that 'continues' the story you've included the beginning of in your ezine.  Perhaps like this:

If you look at the link underneath "full description is here" you'll see that it reads: 
http://www.coachville.com/fullpractice.html.  It's full file path.  It's correct.  (You can see what it reads if you move your cursor over the "full description is here" link above and then look in the bottom left of your browser window and you'll see the text of the link displays there.)  Make sure that EVERY single link you have in your ezine is full file path (meaning that it starts with http://etc.) and that those html files are also on your web server.  If you are also link to a PDF file or RealAudio file or any other file, these need the full file path:  http://etc.


Step 8
Save your html file...
...after you've double checked every image and every link to make sure they are full-file path.


Step 9
Paste your html page into a blank email
So, Control A and then Control C your html page in Front Page (make sure its on Normal view, not HTML view -- look at bottom of Front Page window).  
Then, go to Outlook, and open a new email message.
Insert cursor in the body area of the blank email.
Control V and that will place your HTML page into your outgoing email.
Note:  Make sure your settings for your emails is set to HTML, not Text-only. (New>Format>HTML)

Step 10
Send this email to yourself, first.
I ALWAYS do this.  Why?  Because you can't really tell that the images are properly file path'ed until you send yourself the ezine/html via email.  You'll find out soon enough - and better you than 10,000 subscribers who can't see the image, or the text/font is messed up, etc.

Step 11
Look OK?  Now broadcast this email to your list.
Open a new, blank email and Control V again to insert your html page into the new, blank email.  If you're using an e-broadcasting service like webvalence.com or topica.com, they'll have given you a TO: address to email your ezine out to.  Just put that correct address in the TO: area of your email and add the subject line and send!

Comments
1.  If you have AOL subscribers, only those AOL subscribers who have upgraded to AOL 6.0 and above will be able to view your HTML ezine and only if your ezine is under 30K in file size.  So, you will probably have to have two subscriber lists -- html (non-AOL folks) and text-only (AOL folks).  It's up to you if you want to take the time to do this.  (We do, for our larger or more important lists.)
2. I've found that Front Page and Outlook work well together when pasting in the HTML page into Outlook.  I haven't been able to copy and paste using Dreamweaver (html software) or Eudora or Netscape Messenger (email softwares) , but maybe you will have more luck than I did.

HTML Ezine Examples
Here are some examples of HTML ezines:
http://www.todayscoach.com
http://www.coachingscoop.com
http://www.teleclassleader.com/news/2001/071001.html 

Wondering how to create a nice template for your ezine?
We don't have a cyber lesson on that one yet.

 
Was something not clear?  Was there a typo or other error?
While we aren't able to provide 1-1 tech support,
  please email confusion-questions-corrections-improvements to reply@coachbrian.com  Again, we won't reply to your email but it will be read and this course will be improved as a direct result of your assistance.

                                Click here to subscribe to my newsletter, "The ThinkTank"