Create a Web Site

I am keen to create a web site, but don't have the foggiest idea about how to begin. Has anyone created a website and can get me off and running in the right direction please????

Hi, DebShines, I had to have help creating my website! All the content and pictures are mine, except for the template...Choose your template first and then fill in the dots...However, you have to know what to click and where to go and that's where I needed my help! If you can find a local person who hosts websites, bingo! That's what I did and he helped me with tech questions.
You can see my website at www.counselingzone.org.
Good luck!
Rose

Hi DebShines. I did my site myself using MS Publisher. There are other simple programs out there that you can use also, such as MS Front Page or Adobe GoLive. The beauty of these programs is that it's just like making any other document. You will need a hosting site - there are lots out there - and a domain name etc. Some of the hosting sites even have templates to help you design and create your site. I had many frustrations in creating my site, but I stuck with it and learned quite a lot. I would suggest that you have your content in mind before you start, copy/narrative, pictures, links, etc. Good luck!

Good advice from all of you! You will need a domain name - one of the cheapest is at www.godaddy.com. Runs about $9 per year.

"Hosting" is what you'll need once you've developed your site - as Rose said, sometimes if you choose a hosting company, they will provide templates and tech support to get you started.

Just google "website hosting and free templates" (without the apostrophes) and you'll find many results. Look for companies that have a phone number for tech support, and also for a free trial period. If no phone number, email tech support with a simple question and see how long it takes them to get back to you.

Payment for hosting is usually by the month, but if you pay for a year you save a little money.

Aslo, as yonuh mentioned, get your info together first. Do you have photos? What links will you want? What colors? I tell many of my new clients to browse around the web and make note of styles and colors they like, and also to visit their competition to see what links they have. That will give you ideas of what info you will have on your site.

And then (this should have been first) - why do you want a site? Will it be for sales? Will you provide information? Will you provide a service? How will people find you?

Many folks set up a site and expect to be bombarded with visitors, but that doesn't happen. For example, go to google search and type in Boomer Women. This morning there were 2.7 MILLION search results. You'll need a plan for how to get your name out there to get the results you want.

Good luck! Let me know if you have more questions.
Kathy

www.CrowningTouchGraphics.com

Interesting. I have just set up a service for low-cost web sites based on MS Front Page. Here's the link:

http://www.wisewomanshining.com/Painless_Web_Presence.htm

My intention is to help people get a web presence as inexpensively as possible, doing all the things that Kathy mentioned. Because I am a coach, I can coach you through some of the questions that she asked.

Let me know if you have any questions and good luck!

Personally I have found www.homestead.com to be the easiest user friendly software available. I have been with them for a long time and back then it was free. I just love their free 30 day membership for anyone that is wanting to try it without the worry of a long term commitment.

Deb, so glad you asked about this. I want a website for my book when I get it out (I'm still hopeful) and had no idea where to start. Thank you, one and all, for the great advice!

Deb

Microsoft offers a new program that helps you to create a site. It's worth checking out since it's free and you get to play.

http://officelive.microsoft.com/

What great ideas and suggestions - thank you!

I would like to say that keep in mind when you do your web site that this is your calling card. This is your window to opportunities.

Statistics show that most people stay 5 seconds, or less, on a web site. If it isn't appealing, if it doesn't have some EYE CANDY, or give them something they need, they're outta there. You get one shot to capture them. Make it a good one. I'm not saying sell the farm to get a web page, but what I am saying is put a lot of thought into what goes on it instead of just throwing some words out there on a free hosting site and calling it a web page. Lay it out, think about the purpose, short term and long term. Will you need to have it changed often? Do you want/need a lot of color? Do you have the time to learn some HTML so you can do some big or better things? Do you want sponsors? Links? Does the "free" host you get have popups? That one thing alone could drive people away from your site.

Just think it through, leave it alone for a couple of days, go back to it, then see if you're still happy with what you came up with.

Just some thoughts.

JJ

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

Thanks, Hannelore. That was my goal. Glad to see that I achieved that goal.
Anno

Casey & JJ--I keep hearing that the URl is so important for keyword searches. Can you recommend a good URL/keyword (whatever it's called) for freelance writing?

I would suggest you do a "google" search on writing sites and see what their URL's are. Play around with it. One thing is that many people already have sites for freelance writing so you will have to see if what you come up with is already taken. Doing the google search is a good way to determine this ahead of time.

What is the main message of your site? To offer your freelance writing services? Or is there other services offered? I just did a search and there are 11,700,000 for you to look at and see what they chose...NOTICE the ones at the top of the search engine....very important!

JJ

I nearly went cross eyed trying to read all the writing things offered. Have fun....

I didn't know a thing about creating my website, but was lucky that my daughter does it for a living. She built the website and I filled in the content using Dreamweaver. I really love that program because it allowed a non-tech person, me, to manipulate the site.

My daughter hosts websites, so I went to her, www.freelancemom.com for that and to GoDaddy for my domain name.

Parts of this was like a suicide mission, but now that it's up and running I'm loving it!

Your daughter has a nice site.Does she know about www.wahm.com? I've heard that's a great site for women who work from home.