Steps for Creating a Web Site
It's quite easy to have your own Web site these days. Here are some questions to ask yourself and basic steps to follow:
| Are you sure you need a Web site? | Maybe all you need is a Web space where you can display photographs or start a journal. These spaces are sometimes referred to as weblogs or blogs. You can usually create your own Web space for free by visiting Web sites such as Blogger at www.blogger.com or the Microsoft® Windows Live™ Spaces site at http://spaces.live.com/. |
| How about a free Web site? | One way to create a small business Web site
is to use a free Web hosting plan. Microsoft has a free Web hosting service
called Office Live Basics. This free service includes your own
domain name, design tools and templates. For further information, go
to http://officelive.microsoft.com/ or go to my own free Office Live
Web site at
http://clivesoden2.com/. An even easier way to create your own free Web site is Google Sites at: https://sites.google.com/site/. Google™ really simplifies the job of Web site creation without having to register a domain name. I have a simple one-page site created with Google Sites at: https://sites.google.com/site/clivesoden/. |
| Do you need a custom-made Web site? | If the services mentioned in steps 1 and 2 do not meet your requirements, you most likely need a custom Web site. First, decide on the purpose of your site. Is it a personal Web site or is it for business? If it's for business, what type of product or service are you selling? Also consider the layout and navigation structure of your site. |
| Have you chosen a domain name for your site? | The domain name gives your site a "location" or "address" on the Internet. For example, the domain name for this site is clivesoden.com. There are many online companies that allow you to search for and register a domain name. Domain name registration is usually a yearly fee, typically around $15. A company I use frequently for domain name registration is Voicegateway at: www.voicegateway-domain-names.com/. |
| Have you found a Web hosting company? | Find a Web hosting company to host your Web site. Or have someone like me handle the Web hosting for you. Typical hosting fees for personal and small business Web sites start around $8 per month for simple Web sites. There are many companies that specialize in Web hosting but make sure the one you choose supports the Web creation program you plan to use. For example, CrystalTech (crystaltech.com) is one of my choices for Web hosting because they are reliable and support many Microsoft® Web products and services. |
| Create your Web site. | Some Web hosting companies have their own special Web editing programs that are easy for beginners to use. If you do not wish to create your own Web site, contact a professional Web developer (such as myself) to do it for you. In the past, I used Microsoft FrontPage® but now I use the newer Microsoft program called Expression® Web. |