A web site with nothing but text would be pretty boring. Take advantage of the technology of the Internet and add some cool stuff to your site - graphics, audio & video, Java applets, web counters, guestbooks, and message boards.
Creating Your Own Graphics
You want to create your own graphics. Unfortunately, you have no artistic ability. Should you give up? The answer is a resounding NO.
You can become proficient at creating graphics. First, download Paint Shop Pro. Next, go through at least one of these excellent graphics tutorials:

1. Tips and Tricks for Paint Shop Pro
2. Web Graphics Tutorials: Create Professional-Looking Web Graphics

Obtaining Free Graphics
You want to use graphics in your web site, but you are either unwilling or unable to create your own. The solution is free graphics.
Before putting any graphic that you did not create yourself on your web site, check if it is freeware. If it is not, obtain permission to use it. For more information about copyright laws, visit The Copyright Website.

1. "Steal" graphics from other web sites. Let's say you come across a web page with a really cool graphic you like. First, click on the image with the right mouse button. Then, a menu will come up. Now, click on Save this Image As.
2. Use either Alta Vista's Image, Audio, & Video Search or Image Surfer to find the images you want.
3. Use a scanner to scan in your graphics. To learn more about scanners, visit A Buyer's Guide to Desktop Scanners. This tutorial tells you everything you need to know about scanners. It discusses how they work, what types are available, and the best scanning deals of the month.
4. Take advantage of custom graphics if you cannot find the image(s) you are looking for. High Power Graphics is a free custom graphics service for all webmasters. Their turnaround time is usually one week. Be sure to give a detailed description of what you want.
5. Capture screen shots (in Windows). Press Print Screen to capture the entire screen. To capture just the active window, press ALT + Print Screen. Next, start up your favorite graphics program and paste the image from the clipboard.
6. Visit Free Graphics Sites in Further Reading.

Audio & Video
Liven up your web page by adding multimedia content! Here are some good places to find audio and video files:

1. Alta Vista's Image, Audio, & Video Search
2. Lycos Music: MP3 Search
3. Sony Music: Audio/Video
4. Internet Underground Music Resource
5. The Classical Music MIDI Archive
6. Music Video Clips

1. Bringing Sound into your Web Page
2. Putting Video on the World Wide Web

Java Applets
Using Java applets, you can include cool things in your web site like Antony's Java Clock.
Good places to find Java applets:

1. Cool Applets from JavaSoft
2. Gamelan: Earthweb's Java Directory
3. Applet Depot

Web Counters
You might want to know how many people visit your site. To learn how to add a counter to your web site, visit Web Counter or Fast Counter.

Guestbooks
In addition to knowing how many people visit your site, you might want to know something about your visitors. The way to do this is through guestbooks, which are forms that people fill out. Here are some questions you can ask visitors to your web site:

What is your name?
What is your email?
Where are you from?
How did you find out about my web site?
Comments?

With Guestworld, you can add a guestbook to your web site in a matter of minutes - for free.

Message Boards
By adding a message board to your web site, you can encourage discussion among visitors about topics that interest them. They are kind of like newgroups, but much easier to maintain. You can get a message board for free from InsideTheWeb.