Useful internet software, websites and blogsites.: Create Beautiful Web Pages In A Snap With SnapPages

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Create Beautiful Web Pages In A Snap With SnapPages

via MakeUseOf.com by Sam Guzmán on 11/30/08

Whether you want to advertise your business or share news and photos with your family and friends, having a website just makes sense. Many people realize this, but they don't know how to go about creating one. SnapPages solves this problem by giving anyone the ability to create a great looking site in very little time.

SnapPages has two plans to choose from: a free plan and a premium plan, which costs $50 a year (about $4 a month). The free plan gives you access to lots of great features, but if you want to use your own domain or have access to more themes and options, you will need the premium plan. For a comparison of the two plans, check out the SnapPages site. If you want to try the premium plan before you buy it, no problem—there's a 30 day free trial.

Once you've selected a plan, you can begin building your site. Don't know any code? No problem—SnapPages is easy to use. The control panel is simple and aesthetically pleasing, and its WYSIWYG interface makes changing the layout and design as simple as drag and drop. Even if you've never used a website builder before, you can figure SnapPages out in a matter of minutes.

Updating your site's look is a lot of fun - seriously. Browsing for a new theme is done through a really nice coverflow-style browser. All the themes, free or premium, look great so you're sure to find one to suit your needs. Customizing your site's look doesn't end with selecting a theme, though. You can also change your theme's colors and fonts, or add a logo, graphic, fill, or background image. All this is done effortlessly through an intuitive interface.

Second, you have lots of options when editing your site's content. After choosing a page layout, you can drag content blocks where you want them on the page. Examples of available content blocks are photo galleries, YouTube videos, Google maps, a contact form, text, and an iFrame for your own HTML.

One of my favorite features is the customizable flash billboard. This feature lets you create a rotating flash banner on your homepage using images that you upload. You have lots of control over how your billboard looks, including the ability to change transition effects, text, and image order. This feature is great for businesses and organizations, and it adds an extra touch of class to your site.

The best part of SnapPages, though, is its emphasis on design. While there are lots of site builders that can get a site up and running quickly, they usually look like the fast, cheap solutions they are. Not SnapPages. Every one of the available themes, free or premium, looks great and they all have the hand crafted look of a professionally designed site.

In summary, SnapPages is a great web application for those with little or no web design skills, but who still want a great looking site. It's packed full of great features, and yet it doesn't compromise usability. I'm convinced that anyone could learn to use SnapPages quickly and have a great looking site online within minutes. If you don't believe me, sign up and try it yourself!

Does anyone have another free website builder that they prefer, instead of SnapPages?

(By) Sam Guzmán is a college student studying English. In his spare time he enjoys writing, reading, and running his freelance business, Sam Guzmán web solutions. You can follow him on Twitter.

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