How do I create a website you ask?
Here are the four basic steps to follow, and some sage advice at the end.
1. You’ll need a URL or in other words an online address where your website lives. This is also referred to as a domain name. Usually you’ll want to try to get a .com (dot com) domain, however other extensions are valuable as well. If you’re in Canada as an example a .ca extension will work just fine. It’s much harder to find just the right domain name than it is to actually register one.
2. Now you need to find a home for your website files to live. This is called a hosting service. It’s simply a computer that houses your files and information related to your website. When your domain name is entered into a web browser the host computer shares the files with the visitor. You’ll find lots of good hosting companies on the internet. I use HostGator for all of my clients @ about $10.00 bucks per month.
3. Once you’ve got your domain name and hosting nailed down, you’ll want to get busy on your new web design. If it’s a personal website you’re developing there are lots of free website solutions online. Some of these you’ll find within your hosting account. These templates are fun since they don’t require any coding knowlege at all, and anyone can put up a website. I don’t recommend this route if you’re website is for your business. Why? Well the fact is that businesses require targeted traffic in order to get customers from their websites. This is a skill that you’ll likely want to hire a professional web designer for.
4. Now it’s time to upload, or publish your website. This is simply the action of uploading your website files to your hosting computer. You likely won’t need this step if you are using the do it yourself quickie websites, but rather click on the “Publish” button to publish your website to the internet.
These are the steps in their most basic form. It’s important to remember that before you plunk your cash down to buy a domain name or get a hosting account, do a little research. Try to find a domain name that makes sense and contains an important key phrase. Be sure to shop hosting providers. I personally prefer HostGator.com but there are several very good companies available.
I hope this little article will help.
For more tips and suggestions about web design, visit Murray McFadgen’s site. Need help on how to choose the right web designer niagara. Give Murray a call.