You know how you want your site to look like, which information it should include and are all pumped to start.
You choose a template, create an account, but – alas – there are a few features in the editor you’re not 100% sure of.
Here’s our Editor 101, to help you take full advantage of what our editor has to offer.
Elements – All the different parts of the site which when combined, create the content of your website. Elements include areas, lines, pictures, text, videos, widgets and more.
Widgets – A software gadget you can add to any website which has a specific function. Many companies create a widget you can download and add to your site. Widgets can display information (like social feeds or counters) and interact with the visitor (like forms and search bars). For more information on adding cool widgets to your site, see here.
Favicon – A favicon is a small logo or symbol that appears on the window tab of your web browser, next to your site’s title. The favicon is usually a simplification of your logo or a symbol that can be identified with your business. To add a favicon see our tutorial.
HTML – All sites built on IM Creator’s platform are HTML-based. This code is the main language used to build websites. When you are working on a WYSIWYG editor, there is no need for any coding capabilities. The editing is done using drag-n-drop and every change you make is visible right away in the editor.
SEO – Search Engine Optimisation. SEO is important since it’s not enough to build a website – you want people to reach it too. Optimizing SEO helps control the ranking of your website in search results. There are a few tips to push your site higher in results so you will have better exposure. See more here.
Google Analytics – Great! Visitors are pouring to your site. But who are they? Where do they come from? Adding IM’s Google Analytics widget (or any other analytics tool you’d like to use) provides information on your site’s visitors. This can be useful especially for small businesses who want to target a specific audience or have ads and banners leading to their site. With an analytics tool, you can see what your traffic sources are and make smart marketing decisions. To connect your site to Google Analytics see our post.
Padding – When you are editing you will see each element when selected has a border around it. This border, or box, is used to move the element, change its size and even change its orientation (for a menu or line element). The border can also help you align the elements and decide on a layout before adding the actual pictures and text. The distance between the border and the picture/area inside it is called padding. You can control the padding by clicking on Box Settings in the black editing bar.
Arrange – All the elements on your page in IM’s platform are set in layers. The “arrange” feature, found when you right-click on elements, allows you to set the different elements in front or back of other elements they are located on. This is especially important when you add clickable elements (contact form, link to external website and more) as the clickable element should always be arranged to be in front of any other elements it is located on.
Presets – Presets are ready-to-use background designs. When adding a preset, it will appear as the background of your website on each page of the site. If you wish to have a different background for each page, you can add a picture and choose “stick to sides”.
For more information, check out our tutorials on our YouTube and Vimeo channels.
Image credit: AIGA/NY Letterring WorkShop by AIGA/NY
