Will a purely HTML/CSS-built site generate any traffic?

[xmjm924x]

Hi,

Well I have recently learned how to use Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 but I only know how to use HTML and CSS. I don't have a clue about anything regarding PHP/Coldfusion so I obviously wont be making a site in which the users upload items to my site because I don't have the knowledge to build that kind of site. My original plans were to build that kind of site but I was Ill-knowledged in knowing how much there is to know to run a site like that. It would probably take me years to learn.

So I am planning on now building a purely HTML/CSS site but I'm really not sure I can even generate a worthy amount of traffic with a site where nobody can upload anything. In fact I can't even think of one HTML/CSS-only site that even exists (unless it is ran by a well-built company).

It seems as though without knowing PHP and allowing users of my site to upload anything, that I really can't offer anything to anybody who visits my site because the majority of successful sites offer some form of the user being able to upload content (Youtube, Craigslist, etc.)

My main goal of producing a site is to base the site around something that I am interested in and at the same time generate enough traffic and interest out of it so that I can make some extra cash perhaps with Google Adsense or some other form.

So my question is...is there anything I can offer my visitors that will keep them coming back and attracting other new visitors? I mean to be honest I don't have enough knowledge on any one subject to produce one entire, site out of so that's kinda out of the question. And I don't have any products to sell so that's obviously out of the question too.

I had a million ideas before I learned that the type of website I built would be limited...obviously all those ideas sadly had to be flushed down the toilet.

Anybody have any suggestions/ideas? They would be hugely appreciated! If you want, I can tell you some of my interests and you can suggest a site for me to construct.

Thanks i advance,
-Mike

BTW, I hope this isn't in the wrong section!

 

[Barrucadu]

Well, PHP isn't really that hard to get a basic knowledge of, there are good tutorials online (w3schools et al), and people here can help you with any problems you have. As you say, not knowing PHP (or something similar) is a great limitation, so why not overcome that limitation?

 

[shockie]

1) you can always just use a content management system, and the fact that you already know html/css should make it easier for you than others.

2) html/css sites can generate traffic (thousands each month or more).

 

[xmjm924x]

1) you can always just use a content management system,

Thanks,

but I'm not quite sure what you mean by a "content management system". The main point I was trying to make was that..without knowing PHP/Coldfusion, I will not be able to allow users to have any kind of "interactivity" within my site (i.e they wouldn't be able to sign up, login, post videos/pics/comments, etc). Plus I dont know anything about "data entry systems", network databases, Apache, server operations, and all that really advanced technical stuff. The only thing I know how to do is put together a HTML/CSS-built site and uploaded it to the net (even that I'm still a little confused on).

Thanks for the replies from both of you by the way.

 

[shockie]

here are a few examples of content management systems (cms): www.wordpress.org, www.drupal.org, www.joomla.org.

because of the existence of "scripts" out there, you can easily add interactivity without knowing much about programming. for example, you can create a forum with the free forum script www.phpbb.com.

 

[Domagon]

IMHO, focus on adding quality content first, keeping the website itself very simple ... ie. html/css only.

Then once you feel the webpage content and presentation is ready for public view, then at that time work on adding a message forum, blog, gallery, etc.

I'd suggest putting such interactive features on their own sub-domain ... that way you can outsource those parts at the getgo and/or later on - there are many free / low cost services that will host blogs, forums, galleries, chat, etc so you don't have to - one less thing to worry about; security is a big issue, especially with message forums and content management systems.

Ron

 

[khuldun]

You can always start with a blog, easy to maintain and adds the element of interaction as you want. Alongside that, you can continue to learn php etc, which infact you can make a note about it in your blog daily about what you learnt and some examples, so that your blog would be getting hits, you would be learning and you can have a good launching pad set for yourself