Many beginners have no idea what needs to be done to get a website up and running but they know they want one because everyone else has one.
So, if you're a beginner to website design and want to get a website created from scratch I'll go into some detail here to map out exactly what to do step-by-step, as well as the potential prices involved. I will also give you a suggestion of the best place online that is both beginner friendly and completely robust - filled with everything you'll ever need and more to create the best website possible for you and your readers.
The very first thing you need to do before you make a website is to decide what you want your website to be about. Sounds simple doesn't it but you'll be surprised by just how many people skip this first important step. "And how do I do this", you ask. Make a list of things you like. What are you interested in? What are your hobbies? What kind of things do you like to read about? Talk about? Think about? Put them on your list.
It's not necessary that you be an expert in the topic that you create your website about but I would suggest it be something that you're really interested in otherwise you'll lose interest in it quickly and your website will die. For your website to prosper, you'll have to write content and make revisions and changes fairly frequently and if you're not really a fan of the topic you've chosen you'll never follow through. So, look at the list you've made and chose the best topic for you.
It is also a good idea to be completely sure of the type of audience your website will be geared toward since this will have a lot to do with the type of website you'll ultimately build. Is your website just for your family and friends? Is it going to be geared toward a certain readership - such as purebred Akita lovers, people interested in vintage Camaro's, trout fishermen, etc? Or do you want to build a website business to make money online? Cost - $0, but some of your time.
For this article, I will assume that you are building a website geared toward one of the types of audiences as listed above. Now that you've decided what your website is about and who you plan to build the site for, it's time to start building the actual website. What I would encourage you to do first is to find a web host and buy a domain name. You can do these two things separately or you can do them at the same time, it's up to you. What I would suggest beginners do would be to get both at the same place to cut down on a few steps down the road.
"What are domain names and web hosts and why do I need them?" Good question. This is a very important step in the website building process. In answer to your question you can think of it this way: a web host rents you space on their computers to put all your websites files. It's kind of like renting an apartment or house to put all your stuff - you pay them a monthly fee to keep your website files safe and your website up and running all day long.
Even if you didn't know it, you do know what examples of domain names are. Have you ever heard of "ebay" or "apple"? How about "Google" or "Yahoo"? I thought so. Your domain name is a name that is unique to you and your website - kind of like a phone number, but in name form since most people can remember names better than a long list of numbers. This name is what visitors type into their browser windows to find your actual website.
If you don't have a website host or a domain name you can't have a website. It's that simple. You can get a free website but I would not recommend you ever going that route if you want to be taken seriously online. This boils down to an issue of credibility.
So, with that in mind, I suggest you go the paid route. Charges vary from host to host and among domain name registrars. If you shop around you can often find a reputable web host that will offer you a free domain name as a part of their plan. If you decide to buy them separately prices typically run anywhere from $8 to $30+ for domain names per year, while web hosting prices can vary from $6 to $20+ a month for a basic website, depending on which you choose.
Cheaper is not always better. Let me repeat that: cheaper is not always better, so research a few web hosts before deciding on a plan. Compare plans, email the host to ask questions ahead of time and see what kinds of responses you get. Good customer service and technical help is tremendously important and you want to pick a company that you can have a good and long lasting relationship with right from the start.
It's a real pain to have to switch around later if you don't make the right choice the first time out. It costs you time, effort, and can cost you money if you have a business website - so choose very, very carefully.
One company you might want to check out that is absolutely excellent in all respects of web site hosting is SiteBuildIt (SBI). SBI offers an all-in-one package that is fantastic for the website designer - whether you are a beginner or not.
They have it all - colorful website templates, the ability to create newsletters, blog functionality, brainstorming and research tools, domain name, unlimited great customer support, webmail account, point and click site-building, a form builder, a money back guarantee and much much more.
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