You've got a new business to put on the web. You just wrote a book and want
to promote it on the net. You want to tell the world about your motel or your
bagpipe band. You have a limited knowledge of website creation and less money.
How do you get started?
The first thing you need to find is a host for your web site. Maybe your
service provider has some arrangement with which you can post your webpage. Ask
them. If you've got some money, there are myriad companies out there competing
to host your website for a monthly fee. If you have no money, there's lots of
free webpage providers out there that also want your business. This often means
free server space in return for allowing their ads on your site. Where do you
find all these eager people? Search engines, such as www.google.com, will get
you started. Some search engines offer web hosting themselves. Type in web host or
free web host, hit "search" and see what you get.
Do this homework and choose a web host early in your plans. Hosting companies
offer their own plans and services that could make a difference in how your
design your page/site.
Step two, design the webpage. I see it in your eyes. Panic! Relax, it can be
handled. Again, there are people out there in cyberspace more than willing to
help you. For a fee, you can have it all done for you. In addition to large web
companies who will design a page for you, there are free-lancers with whom you
can establish a more personal relationship. Go to your search engine and type in
webpage design.
For nothing, you can do it for yourself and get all the help you need along
the way. See below.
1. Many free web hosting companies and service providers (Angelfire, Tripod,
and AOL come to mind) provide a "point and click-no code knowledge
needed" process for creating your first webpage. If this is what you want,
check for that aspect when you are searching for a host.
2. Buy a book of beginning HTML (hypertext markup language), or visit an HTML
tutorial website. Where do you find a website that will teach you HTML? Go to
your search engine and type in HTML. You'll find out more than you ever wanted
to know.
HTML for a basic webpage is surprisingly simple. You can create a webpage in
Microsoft Word, Adobe PageMaker, and a few other word processor programs, just
by knowing a bit of HTML. When you get it designed, just upload it to your host
server.
Learning some HTML, in fact, something you will want to do even if you start
with point and click. Soon you'll want more than point and click can provide,
and will have to write code for your own improvements.
3. Buy a software program that is built for designing websites such as Adobe
GoLive or FrontPage. There are software programs to help you design your site in
all price ranges. Your choice will depend on how complex a site you intend to
design and how much you want to spend. Using the software can save you a great
deal of time compared to writing your own HTML, especially if you want to do a
multi-page site. In fact, I would say that a multi-page site should be done with
web design software to be properly set up and organized.
The Internet is a gold mine for the webpage designer. There are websites that
offer graphics, background tiles, guest books, return form codes, counter codes,
java applets and other website enhancements, most of them free. Check them out.
It's a lot faster to copy a fragment of free code than try to write your own.
It's a lot smarter to copy free materials than write your own. Why reinvent the
wheel? Go back to your favorite search engine and type in webmaster. It'll be
like Christmas!
Don't get carried away, now. All those flashing buttons, clever dingbats, and
jumping rabbits are tempting. The design of your page sends an instant message
to your viewer about your level of professionalism. Choose carefully, fewer are
better than many. Simple is sophistication. But more of that in my future
articles. Check back at here for information on good site design, HTML, site
promotion, and tips on enhancements for your business or organization site.
