Drop Capitals are frequently used in many newspapers, books and magazines in offline world. You will frequently see large capital letter sinking down into first paragraph of articles, stories and chapters in majority of publications you come across.

The drop capital gives page a nice finishing touch, and certainly adds a more professional looking feel.

Online, drop capital looks just as good on web pages as it does in print. The only drawback is that you can easily get whole effect wrong, and end up with a less than appealing result.

The wrong way...

When most people attempt to create a drop capital effect on a web page, they usually just enlarge first letter by a few font sizes and make it bold.

If you do this on your own web page, you will notice that instead of a 'drop' capital effect, you end up with an odd looking letter which sticks up above rest of paragraph, and just looks out of place.

The right way...

There are essentially, two parts to creating drop capital effect.

Step #1 -

You need to create a drop capital image using some graphic software.

You can use any standard piece of graphic software like Paint Shop Pro, Fireworks, or Photoshop.

The drop capital image should ideally be big enough to drop down between 2-4 lines of text, depending on your preference.

You should ensure that top of your drop capital image is level with top of text next to it. The bottom of image should also be level with bottom of lowest text next to it.

This is really hardest part of creating a drop capital effect. It can be very easy to make image just a bit too big, or a bit too small. You may find that it will take a bit of trial and error to make it look just right. However, extra effort will pay off, as end result will be worth waiting for.

So what is it about these sites that draw such huge crowds? One secret lies in constantly evolving content. Internet users feel need to check back throughout day because new auctions will be added to eBay; Amazon.com will offer new products and sales; and MSNBC will add and update news stories. Many local newspapers and television stations around country are on bandwagon too, staffed with online editors who keep their sites updated throughout day.

But majority of sites don’t have luxury of extra staffing or content to update. So what can they do to draw traffic? Webmasters have four key strategies at their disposal: search engines, traffic networks, links and articles. The best webmasters incorporate all four of these methods to increase traffic to their sites.

* Articles

Offering quality content on your site is one of easiest ways to draw traffic, particularly because of way Web searches work. For example, if your site’s purpose is to sell tools, don't just post your items and hope they sell. Provide your users with articles that give them helpful tips on how to use your products, and valuable information on related topics within your industry. Original content is great, but you don’t have to generate material yourself.

One popular option is to sign up for a free membership with Content Infusion, a syndicated feature article service that offers copyright-free articles on a variety of topics, including home improvement, business and careers, money and personal finance, gardening, food and entertainment and healthy living. All articles and photos are free of charge.