The other important thing is when you are writing the content for the web site, you need to think in terms of keywords. These are words that people type into search engines when they are looking for something. The keyword thing applies to the URL (site name) you choose as well. Dotsie has done a brilliant job with Boomer Women Speak. You want a word or set of words that are common, but not too common.

For example, the word author, brings up 2,680,000,000 in google, where divorced women author brings up 4,080,000 (still too many, but you get the point).

And JJ's points are absolutely dead on.

great suggestions! thank you!

thanks everyone for these great suggestions. I have been offline with family problems and was thrilled with all this advise waiting for me to get back to. I have set up a free website (just personal bits and pieces) that comes with our broadband provider, it is a good fun place to start and now I have some leads to try to set up a more 'professional' looking one. I am not doing it for any business purposes, only for personal development, learing and fun.

hosting. We host for $10 a month. We just provide hosting,
with the accompanying emails, databases, etc, however no templates. The sites that do provide you with 'easy start up, build a website tonite' will not allow you to take it with you when you leave. The site builder they use is licensed to them. So be careful whom you choose if you go that route.

I've done all of our sites myself, I do hand coding. I will someday learn css, mostly because I'm forced too, and some other forced-to tricks. The azreports.com site I did with a template, futzing around here and there. [azreports.com is not up-to-date]

jimworld.com is a great place to go for templates. Make SURE you know how to use one, they are all not that easy.

Check out annakea.com, I did that with a program called
'background magic'. The guy that makes it apparently got married and he's a LOT nicer now than he used to be. LOL
I love the way 'annakea' looks.

Too many irons in the fire though.

Janine

Janine...I'm laughing out loud here because I thought you said, "Too many ICONS in the fire." Hey, I think I just coined a new phrase! It's mine! It's mine! Copyright © 2006 Queen Jaw Jaw...teehee...

ROFL...that too prolly. I just read your blurb on face minerals and about putting BM on your face! LOL What a good laff for a crappy day.

Janine

Before you begin either designing the site or having it designed think about the purpose of the site. What do you want it to accomplish? Is it strictly an information piece (an electronic brochure), is it to sell something, is it a tool to build your database, etc.

Additionally, how will you promote your site. The challenge many people face is they get a website with no plan of promoting it or driving traffic to their site. That is similar to a brick and mortar business that opens its doors, does no marketing and then wonders why no one stops in.

You also want to think about what you will to capture people's attention once they are at your site. Some people go way overboard on this putting far too many bells and whistles up and slowing the loading time of your site.

Kathleen

Hi
I Just finished my third version of my website. The first one I found a cheap host site, registered my domain name and built the site myself using their template. I found the site very cumbersome (1&1) and frustrating. Then I transferred hosts (again 1&1 was difficult to work with) and found the new one much easier to use. Still, their templates were amatuerish and did not present myself in the best light.
Finally, all of this was within 6 months by the way, I went to a site called guru.com. They let you post your needs and professionals of all kinds come and bid on your project. Bids went from $150 to $15,000. I selected a professional that resonated with me and am very pleased with the results. It was not free, but fairly inexpensive, and I feel it was money well spent.
Check out my site and guru.com.
Let me know if I can answer any questions about the process.
Ann Osterhus
www.NoeticCoach.com

Nice site, Ann. It's very organized and "readable".

Here's an easy AND affordable way to go...

Web sites start at $14.95 a month for a 10 page website....

e-commerace is available and integration with ebay is also available.

http://www.EZwebs.biz

Denise or John can help you get up and running with ease!

Phone: 303-255-3571
cell: 303-478-8808

email: info@ezwebs.biz

(I know these two personally and HIGHLY recommend them! Be sure to tell them "Danita sent me!")

Danita