5 Short and Quick Steps to Creating Your First Web Site
By Simon Loveday
Don't you long for someone to clearly lay out how to make a website and
get it put up on the Internet for all to see? And don't you long for someone to
explain it without the smoke and mirrors, the deliberate confusion and the
exotic terminology to mystify and make it seem a branch of computing with a
capital 'C'?
Well, I know I did. Yet, anyone
wanting to start out on the Internet, although perfectly capable off-line, may
get to feel like a dummy when it
comes to starting out online. Just the sheer volume of competing and distracting
information available is enough to get you banging your head on the table in
frustration.
There is, of course, a huge
amount of information but it often fails to consider the
complete beginner's question, 'Where do I start and how
do I do it?'
This is something the pros, who have grown up with and
often made the Internet what it is today, do not consider when they expound ever
more complex strategies and the latest of the advanced pieces of software.
Novices, however, need a clear and simple path to follow so that they can get
some experience behind them and then the confidence to adopt the more esoteric possibilities that abound.
Although I now have many sites, I well remember the confusion not only
about how to build a site, but then the terror about 'sending' (uploading or
'putting' in jargonese) to the hosting company the first few
times.
Well, let me see if I can rectify this situation, and get you started
with a formula that even I would have understood if I had had it when I was
starting with my first site.
So, what is the first thing to do?
Well, the order is debatable, but we can break the process down into just
5 Clear Steps.
1. First, you really do need to think about what your intentions are and
what you hope to do on-line. If, for example, you merely want to have your
thoughts recorded for posterity - or a group of friends, then a blog (think
online diary) could well the way to start. Usually free to use and maintain,
they are the simplest and quickest way to begin. If you are thinking of
something more 'businesslike' then, read on.
2. For someone hoping to operate a business or community site -and
assuming you are not an expert of HTML (the basic language of the web), you will
need to get yourself a sensible piece of site building software. Free is
possible, but be prepared for no or slow customer support and bugs that do not
get fixed or attended to promptly. (You will also find that 'free' often means
expenses elsewhere - either in 'additional services' that are often included in
the commercial packages or limitations that have to be overcome. And your time,
remember, should not be counted as free, viz. Economics 101.) Rather, a robust
and supported software is preferable, as well as one that does not require a PhD
in Computing to follow the manual.
3. Next, you will need to think of a name for your site. Once you've done
that, get it registered at a domain registration service. This should cost no
more than a yearly fee of $10 (down from $70 or more just a few years
ago!).
4. Now, you will need a reliable 'hosting' company. This is essentially
another set of computers -'servers' - that make your site accessible 24/7 to
other computer users. Monthly packages are available and are probably the best
as you are not locked into a poor service for long and they have to work hard to
maintain customer satisfaction. Think around $8-$10 a month for this. You will
then transfer your new domain name to the hosting company if they are
different.
5. Finally, you will 'upload' your site to your hosting company. This is
the scariest part of all for newcomers - I know, I was worried that if I made a
mistake I would possibly blow-up my hosting company's system when I first tried.
LOL. They have rebuilt, now, though, I hear.
There, 5 Steps to Getting Online! Essentially, that is what it is all
about. Alright. I know. The devil is in the details. But at least you now know
what to look for. I wish I had understood that when I was starting out. But now
you do, so go to it. Good Luck.
About the Author Simon Loveday is a long time web user now dedicated to making a beginners life on the Internet as easy as it can and should be. He clears away the fog about making your first website and then getting up on the Internet. Learn the first 5 steps involved in the process and the essential software and services you will need. Don't reinvent the wheel - find out these basics in easy to understand terms. Visit The Only Guide You'll Need To Making Your Own Web Site
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