Building a website is an important part of any successful online marketing strategy. But what if you have no idea where to start when it comes to building one? Or even worse - you don't know anything about HTML whatsoever? Fear not! There's plenty of help out there, both from professional designers as well as from independent developers who love their craft but aren't paid professionals (yet).
In this article we'll be taking a look at everything that needs to happen when creating a new website, whether that's for a local business, a personal blog, or a corporate brand. And most importantly, we're going to show you how to get started with all the tools needed without breaking the bank.
The first thing you need to do before starting on a project like this is to figure out exactly what kind of web page you'd like to create. It should include some form of content, which could take the form of text, images, video, audio, etc. You also need a navigation bar that lets visitors find different areas of the page they were interested in. Finally, every webpage has something called "HTML" code that controls how things appear on screen. The three major components of a webpage are header, body, and footer. They may vary slightly depending on the type of website being built, but generally speaking these will remain consistent throughout.
There are two basic types of websites: ecommerce sites and informational sites. An ecommerce site sells products through either a physical storefront or a digital storefront. Examples of ecommerce sites might include Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Shopify. In contrast, informational sites offer information or services over the internet. Sites such as Wikipedia, IMDb, and Google Maps fall into this category. Both types require a lot of work to design properly, so let's go ahead and cover each of them separately.
eCommerce sites tend to rely heavily on technology to function correctly. This means that the majority of your time is spent working on the backend -- making sure that the software running behind the scenes works smoothly. If you've ever shopped online then chances are good that you've used some sort of shopping cart service, otherwise known as an e-commerce platform. These platforms allow customers to purchase items directly from your company, usually by paying via PayPal. Once payment goes through, the customer receives an email receipt letting them know that their order was placed successfully.
For the uninitiated, an ecommerce site is really just another way of selling products using a computer. So why would someone choose to use one instead of a traditional brick and mortar shop? Well, aside from saving money on rent and other overhead costs, ecommerce allows companies to sell unlimited product lines and keep inventory levels low compared to a retail location. Also, because orders come straight from the manufacturer rather than having to pass through multiple distribution channels, shipping times decrease dramatically. All told, it makes sense to invest in an ecommerce platform if you plan to grow beyond a handful of products, especially if those products are high ticket ones.
Informational websites, meanwhile, are much simpler to maintain. As mentioned earlier, they simply provide information or access to certain services. For example, a travel guide provides guidance on planning trips abroad while a news aggregator pulls together stories related to topics of interest. Because there isn't any actual purchasing involved, you only need to worry about posting up fresh content once per month or so. To put this in perspective, the average lifespan of an informative website is around 6 months.
This could lead us down a rabbit hole of sorts, since we haven't yet discussed anything specific to building a web page. Instead, let's focus on the technical side of things.
When people think of website creation, they often imagine themselves sitting at a keyboard typing away furiously. While this is certainly possible, it doesn't scale very well. Imagine trying to write out a 1,000 word essay on a laptop that weighs 15 pounds. That would probably cause severe back pain, nevermind writing a paragraph. Even desktop computers suffer from similar issues, though modern tablets and smartphones mitigate this concern somewhat.
Luckily, there are several ways to overcome this problem. One option is to hire someone else to write the content for you. Another alternative is to use a WYSIWYG editor, which stands for What You See Is What You Get. Essentially, this tool takes care of formatting the text automatically so that it looks great regardless of skill level. A third approach involves using drag & drop features built into programs like WordPress and Squarespace. Using these methods, anyone can quickly whip up a simple web page within minutes.
While it may seem tempting to try DIY web development, it's best left to experts unless you absolutely must learn how to program. After all, you won't be able to see results until after spending hours upon hours crafting perfect HTML code. Worse still, you run the risk of damaging the functionality of your website.
Instead, consider hiring a designer to set up a custom template for your website. Doing so will ensure that you receive top notch visual appeal while cutting down on wasted effort. Alternatively, you may decide to pay $20-$50/month for hosting space and domain registration. With this setup, you'll always have access to your own website whenever you need it. However, bear in mind that these options aren't cheap, and neither offers 100% guarantee that your website will perform flawlessly every single day.
Of course, none of these solutions are ideal for everyone. Some businesses are too large to handle independently, others lack the budget necessary to hire a developer, and others simply prefer to deal with the stress of learning programming languages and CSS. Regardless of why you feel compelled to build your own website, however, there are countless resources available to help you along the way. Just remember that the journey begins now...
Websites are one of the most important tools that businesses use today to connect with customers and potential clients. If you're an entrepreneur working from home, creating a website is essential if you have any hope of competing against larger companies whose websites are already designed and optimized to be successful.
But what if you don't know where to start when building out the perfect website for your company? What if you're not sure which platform would be best suited for your needs? Or even worse - do you think it's too expensive? And should you pay someone else to do this work for you?
Let me help dispel all those myths right now! The answer to these questions isn't as complicated as some might lead you to believe. In fact, there's only really three things that you need to get off the ground and onto the web - a domain name, hosting, and a design template. That's all. Here's why...
You could buy a $5/mo plan at WordPress (or Squarespace) and install it yourself - but let's face it, who has time for that?! Instead, we'll show you how to set up everything without spending a dime. It doesn't take long either. Let's break down each step and see exactly how simple this process is.
1. Registering Your Domain Name
This may seem like a big deal, but trust us - registering your own domain is extremely easy. You just visit a registrar like 1and1.com, Netfirms.com, or Dotster.com and pick a memorable.COM URL (like "mybusiness.com" or "yourcompanyname.com"). Then click on Get Started Now, enter your credit card information, and complete the registration form. Simple enough.
2. Hosting Your Website
Once your domain name is taken care of, the next thing you need to figure out is where you will host your website. There are several options available, including Google Domains, Bluehost, DreamHost, and others. But before you decide on a particular service provider, take a moment and ask yourself whether you actually NEED a dedicated server. Most sites won't require one, so check out our guide to hosting services to find out more about the differences between shared and VPS servers.
3. Choosing A Design Template For Your Site
The last piece of the puzzle involves choosing a theme for your website. This can vary depending on your goals and budget. Some people prefer to stick with templates provided by their favorite CMS platforms, while others opt for pre-made themes made specifically for ecommerce stores. Either way, there are plenty of great resources available to choose from. Check out our article explaining the difference between WordPress templates and premium themes to learn more.
Now that you've got your domain name, hosting, and design template squared away, it's time to move forward with setting up your website. So, go ahead and sign into your chosen website builder (we recommend using WordPress or Squarespace) and then click on Settings. Once you're there, scroll down until you see Account Information and click Edit. Next, under Email Address, select Custom From email address option. Finally, enter @yourdomain.com as the Reply To field. Click Save Changes.
That's it! All done! Now you're ready to upload content to your site and begin promoting it. Just follow the instructions below to learn how to promote your website effectively.
It depends entirely on your needs and expectations. As mentioned above, there are many different ways to create a website for your business, ranging from DIY to full-service packages. However, there is no such thing as a "free" website. Even though you don't need to spend money upfront to build your own website, you still need to invest some cash in order to keep it running smoothly over time.
To calculate costs involved in maintaining your website, you must first determine its projected revenue. Many entrepreneurs simply project a certain amount per month they expect to earn through sales generated on their site. Others estimate the total monthly expense required to maintain their website (including bandwidth fees, maintenance contracts, etc). Whichever method you choose, once you come up with both figures, divide them together to arrive at the final price tag.
There are also other expenses that you'll incur along the way, such as advertising costs and professional graphic designers. These aren't included in the initial calculations because they depend largely on specific circumstances, but they're certainly worth considering later on.
With all of that said, it's safe to say that creating a website for your business is definitely possible with minimal financial investment. However, it takes some careful planning and foresight (as well as experience) in order to achieve success in the long run. Remember that every extra dollar spent on marketing your product or service brings greater returns than investing in a poorly planned website.
So, how do you know which route you should take? Well, that comes down to personal preference and priorities. Do you need something quick and cheap, or is quality of service more important to you? Are you primarily interested in selling products or providing valuable information? How often do you plan on updating your site? Those answers will dictate which solution works better for you.
Here are the top 5 best website builders for your small business.
A few years ago, there was essentially only one type of website - static HTML pages hosted on a single computer somewhere (often referred to as a "static site"). Today, however, there are literally thousands upon thousands of different kinds of websites in existence, and they range across almost every category imaginable. Depending on your needs, you might consider hiring a designer to create an entire custom brand identity for your business. Or maybe you'd rather focus on creating high-quality landing page designs instead. No matter what kind of website you decide to pursue, there are multiple strategies available to accomplish your goal - and they're all perfectly valid choices.
In short, there are three main categories of websites:
Static Websites
These were probably the easiest to develop during the early days of the internet. They involve a collection of static HTML files stored on a single machine. These generally look pretty basic and unprofessional, but they're relatively inexpensive and easy to update. Many companies rely heavily on static websites to showcase their latest products or services.
Dynamic Websites
These sites change based on user input. Rather than having a fixed layout throughout, dynamic websites allow users to navigate around the site freely, making changes wherever necessary. Dynamic websites can include anything from blogs to interactive forms. While they're typically more expensive to implement and maintain, they offer far richer experiences compared to traditional static websites.
Single Page Applications
Solutions similar to dynamic websites exist, but they differ in one very significant aspect. Whereas dynamic websites utilize JavaScript to dynamically load sections of code within the browser window, single page apps (also known as SPAs) are completely self contained. Think of them as mini websites embedded directly into another webpage. This makes them incredibly fast and efficient, since they don't require additional network traffic to load. They're ideal for applications requiring real-time data updates or complex interactions.
Ecommerce Websites
Finally, the third major category includes solutions focused exclusively on commerce transactions. Ecommerce websites have become increasingly popular in recent years due to the rise of mobile shopping and social media. Businesses that sell physical goods (such as clothing retailers), digital downloads (music streaming providers, video game makers, etc.), or subscriptions (e.g., subscription boxes) benefit greatly from implementing an ecommerce system.
A lot of people dream about creating their own websites but don't know where to start. It's true that there is no shortage of web design services out there -- many offer low-cost options with limited features. But if you're thinking about building a website for yourself or even your business, we've got some tips and tricks to help get you off the ground faster than ever before.
There are plenty of great DIY sites out there (like Squarespace) that let anyone put together an attractive, functional website from scratch at little to no cost. If you need something a bit simpler, however, there are also lots of free tools available to help guide you through the process. Here are 10 ways to get going quickly.
Yes! There are several companies that will allow you to set up a basic website for only $9/month. They'll give you just enough space for your personal blog and maybe a few social media profiles, which should be all you really need unless you plan to do heavy lifting like selling products directly via ecommerce.
One example of this type of service is Bluehost, who offers hosting plans starting as low as $3.95 per month. You can use them to host your domain name, install WordPress for blogging, and connect to Facebook and Twitter accounts. In addition, they offer easy installation guides for popular CMS platforms such as Wix and SquareSpace.
You may prefer to go with one of these providers because they already handle DNS management so you won't have to worry about setting up email addresses or forwarding domains. However, you might not always want everything hosted by someone else. For instance, if you'd rather keep control over your domain names, you could try using a tool like Google Domains instead of having to pay another company every time you need to register a new subdomain.
Websites aren't cheap, especially when you consider what goes into making them look good. Thankfully, most of us don't need a professional quality template to get our ideas across. Most of the major content management systems (CMSs), including WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, and others, come preloaded with themes that provide decent templates and layouts for a relatively inexpensive price.
For those interested in learning WordPress, check out this beginner tutorial. Once you've installed the software, you can find tons of tutorials and articles to learn more about managing your website.
In order to save money while still maintaining high levels of functionality and security, you might want to take a look at self-managed hosting solutions like SiteGround and HostGator. These services allow you to manage your entire server infrastructure remotely, meaning you can access files, edit code, and perform other tasks without needing to hire a dedicated IT person. This makes it easier to add extra servers later down the road if needed.
Another option, though, would be to simply buy a domain name and point it towards your existing hosting account. That way, you wouldn't need to shell out additional funds each year for hosting. While this isn't ideal, it's often cheaper than buying a whole brand-new hosting package.
Finally, you could opt for a simple static HTML page. The downside is that it doesn't include any sort of backend system, so you won't be able to add any custom widgets or functions. Still, this solution is perfect for smaller businesses who don't need anything fancy.
Not exactly. Even if you decide to go with a completely DIY approach, you'll likely still end up spending some cash somewhere along the line. Of course, there are some ways around this, but it depends entirely upon what kind of project you're working on.
The first step in designing a website is to determine whether you need to purchase a theme or customize a preexisting template. A theme gives you a specific layout and design choices, whereas a template allows you to modify elements like fonts and colors.
Some themes are expensive, particularly ones designed for larger projects. On top of paying for the actual license fee, you may also have to spend a significant amount of time tweaking things until you're happy with the final result.
Purchasing a template means you'll probably only need to change a couple of lines of CSS, but once again, depending on what level of customization you require, prices can vary widely. Some templates cost hundreds of dollars. Others are almost free, costing less than $10.
As long as you stay within certain boundaries, it's usually possible to create a beautiful website for a reasonable price. One great resource for finding affordable yet highly customizable designs is ThemeForest. To see examples of well-designed templates, visit TemplateMonster.com.
This largely comes down to two factors: the size of the project and the level of expertise required. Generally speaking, bigger projects tend to cost more due to increased complexity.
On the flip side, expert designers typically charge higher rates since they're doing work beyond what a typical user needs to accomplish. As a general rule, experienced designers charge between $50-$100 per hour, while inexperienced users will generally pay half that rate.
Of course, there are endless variables involved, such as the number of pages you expect the website to contain and the types of graphics used throughout the site. Ultimately, knowing how much you intend to spend beforehand helps prevent sticker shock during the creation process.
Here are three resources that can help you estimate costs based on your requirements:
1. How Much Does Website Design Cost?
2. Free Web Development Tools & Resources
3. Online Calculator for Estimating Costs of Websites
1. What is my target audience
The first step towards designing a successful website starts by asking what kind of content will be most useful for visitors at this particular moment in time. For example, you might want to present information on how to use your product/service when someone visits your site after reading an article on it in a magazine.
You could also plan to provide customers with ways to contact you once they have found something to buy from you (e.g., through email). Or perhaps you'll offer them discounts on future purchases.
If you think about who would visit your website, it should become clear which type of content will likely attract their interest right away. You may not always be able to decide exactly whom you want visiting your page(s), however, because you won't be able to predict all possible scenarios. That said, you can still develop ideas based on general demographics like age group, gender, income level, etc.
In addition, consider whether certain types of content will appeal to different audiences better than others. This way you can focus on delivering the best experience to each visitor while ensuring that they find everything they need quickly. In other words, you can give the search engine spiders just enough information so that they can index your pages properly.
To learn more about developing your website strategy, check out our guide to starting your own business website.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.