| There are many reasons to create your own | | | | website. Hosting services run the gamut from very |
| website. One of the biggest advantages to personally | | | | basic to full-featured. Some of the more elaborate |
| creating your site is that you are then solely | | | | ones can include eCommerce features and the ability |
| responsible for the content and appearance. This | | | | to handle high volumes of traffic. Refer to your goals |
| means you have control over how potential clients | | | | for your website, and determine you hosting needs |
| view your business. Additionally, creating your own | | | | based on those goals. |
| site will teach you many valuable skills that will come | | | | Step 4: Create the Code |
| in handy when performing basic maintenance. These | | | | Now it is time for the actual coding of your website. |
| skills will save you a great deal of time and money. | | | | Before you begin, give some thought to the goals |
| Step 1: Visualize the Outcome | | | | you outlined in Step 1. What are you hoping to |
| In order to make sure you site meets your final | | | | achieve with this website? Let you vision for the |
| needs, you must come up with a concept for the | | | | website dictate how you choose to design the |
| site in advance. How should the appearance of the | | | | pages. Some of the elements you may want to |
| site represent your business? What do you hope the | | | | consider include borders, background, layout, and |
| site will accomplish? Ensuring that you goals are | | | | graphics. |
| clearly laid out will make you much happier with the | | | | The task of learning to code is actually easier than |
| end result. | | | | you may anticipate, but it makes sense to invest in |
| Some of the common reasons that people create | | | | quality tutorials before you begin working on your |
| websites include providing information about a | | | | website. Knowing everything necessary will keep you |
| business or service, increasing sales and traffic to the | | | | from wasting time and money fixing avoidable errors. |
| businesses website, and offering a positive view of | | | | Step 5: Test, Test, Test |
| the company to potential clients. Think about these | | | | It makes good sense to test your website before |
| and other specific goal you would like to accomplish | | | | deploying it to the Internet. Take a look at your |
| with your website. | | | | website on your own computer and ensure that |
| Step 2: Decide on a Domain | | | | everything functions correctly. Some possible problem |
| It is very important that you select the appropriate | | | | areas to focus on include forms, message boards, |
| domain for your website. Having the right domain | | | | and eCommerce solutions. You may be tempted to |
| name will make it easy for your clients, both new | | | | skip testing, but rigorous testing of your site will |
| and existing, to find your website when they | | | | ensure that clients are not frustrated by |
| perform a search. Another important thing to think | | | | non-functional areas. |
| about when selecting a domain is possible copyright | | | | Step 6: Deploy and Promote |
| and trademark infringements. Before you make your | | | | Now that you site has been properly tested, meets |
| final decision, perform a quick search to make sure | | | | your goals, and looks attractive, it irs time to deploy |
| your name, slogan or trademark does not belong to | | | | it. This is a big step, but deploying your site is not the |
| someone else. | | | | end of your work. You still need to introduce your |
| After you have chosen a domain, register it with a | | | | site to the world and make sure that it is promoted |
| reputable hosting site. It is important to ensure that | | | | properly. |
| you have the rights to your domain name for the | | | | To make sure your site gets the attention you want, |
| foreseeable future. You may have this website for a | | | | have you URL printed on all business cards and any |
| long time, so make sure you register the domain for | | | | professional correspondence. If you advertise, update |
| as long as you can. | | | | your ads to include your URL. Another consideration |
| Step 3: Pick a Host | | | | is optimizing your site for search engines. This will help |
| After you have decided on and registered your | | | | attract additional business. |
| domain name, it is time to decide on a host for your | | | | |