Tips and Ideas for your Design World

It seems like everyone has a Web site these days, and some have more than one. If you are one of these connected types you can add a button to your site that allows visitors to contact you via Skype. You can also add a Skype Me button to your email signatures or forum signatures. Skype has made it simple to create a customized button; you don’t need to know HTML or any other programming language. All you need is a minute or two!

Create a Skype Me Button

1. Step1

   Navigate to the Skype Web site then click Share on the menu bar at the top of the window.

2. Step2

   Locate and click on the Skype Buttons link at the bottom of the page under the heading Skype Share.

3. Step3

   Enter your Skype username in the field provided.

4. Step4

   Select the Skype button you want to display then preview your button by clicking the “I’m not telling” icon.

5. Step5

   Select either the Web HTML or Email HTML button located near the heading “Copy & paste this code.” If you will be posting this button on a Web site, including a forum or message board, choose Web HTML. For email and instant message signatures, choose Email HTML.

6. Step6

   Select all of the text in the code box. You can do this by clicking just to the left of the first symbol and dragging your mouse to the end of the code.

7. Step7

   Hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard then press the C key once. This will save all the data you just selected to your virtual clipboard.

8. Step8

   Open a text file on your computer. To do this click the Windows Start button then click Run. Type the word notepad into the window that pops up, then click OK.

9. Step9

   Hold down the CTRL key then press the V key once to paste your HTML code into the notepad file.

10. Step10

    Save your document before closing it.

Add a Button to a Web Site

11. Step1

    Depending on the program you use to build your Web site, you may have to find the option that allows you to add HTML code to it. Select that option.

12. Step2

    Open the document you created containing the HTML code from the Skype Web site.

13. Step3

    Hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard, and press the A key once to select all the text.

14. Step4

    Hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard, and press the C key once to copy all the text.

15. Step5

    Place your cursor in the Web site design program.

16. Step6

    Hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and press the V key once to paste the code to your Web page.

17. Step7

    Save your Web page and take the necessary steps to upload your new and improved page onto your Web site.

Add a Button to a Forum or Message Board Signature

18. Step1

    Visit the message board you belong to and log in.

19. Step2

    Go to your Profile page.

20. Step3

    Find the Signature Settings menu and paste (CTRL + V) the code from your text file into your signature.

21. Step4

    Save your new signature and view it to make sure there are no errors.

Add a Button to Your Email Signature

22. Step1

    Create a button as instructed above, but choose Email HTML rather than Web HTML. Copy, paste and save the code in a text document.

23. Step2

    Open Microsoft Outlook or your mail program. From the main Outlook window, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.

24. Step3

    Under Signature, click the Signatures button and then click New. In the “Enter a name for your new signature box,” enter a name.

25. Step4

    Under “Choose how to create your signature,” select the option you want, then click Next.

26. Step5

    In the Signature text box, type the text you want to include in the signature.

27. Step6

    Open the text file containing your Email HTML code. Select all the text by holding down the CTRL key and pressing the A key.

28. Step7

    Copy the text (CTRL + C) then paste it (CTRL + V) into the signature text box.

29. Step8

    Save your signature then view it to check for errors.