Building Your First Website

Today it seems like everyone in the world has their own website, or at least a blog. But are you one of the seemingly few who have been left behind? If so perhaps it's time to invest a small amount of time and money and get yourself up to speed on the world wide web.

The joy of a website

Setting up your first real website is an exciting thing. It may take time and commitment but seeing out your ideas, developing them (whatever the topic may be) and placing them up for the whole world to see is a real buzz.

Your website - whether used as on online portfolio, an e-commerce site (shop) or to display your artistic urges - can be amazing for your career too. Plus these days if you work in retail or run a small business you simply can't compete unless you're on the web.

Why do you need a website?

Your website will allow you to reach out to the rest of the world without any of the hideous costs of advertising. Due to the nature of the internet it will also allow people to find their way to you, meaning the people you want to see your work will do.

Regardless of why you want a website of your product and skills, the positive publicity you create for yourself can be invaluable. That and there is always a profit to be had on the internet, whether you are selling goods or not. Advertising is after all a powerful thing, which people will pay well for.

Planning

The key to a good website is practicality, simplicity of use and content. And all this can be planned out with a pen and paper long before you step near a computer or sign up for a website.

Decide what the topic of your website is, whether it's yourself or your product and then stick to that vision. Have your text ready and know which parts of your site you'll want to guide people to. And don't worry about images, there's plenty of time to make things pretty when you feel more confident.

Free sites

The simplest way to begin is to set up your website with one of the many popular free hosts out there, following the on screen commands and filling in all the boxes on the template. This is no more difficult than setting up a page on one of the many social networking sites.

The down side to this is that you'll find yourself working for the host as much as they work for you - their advertising will be prominently displayed on your page. Once you begin to get the flow of website design you will also find the options provided by these free hosts limiting and restricting.

Taking the step to paid hosting

It's one thing setting up a web page on one of the numerous free hosting sites. It's quite another when you suddenly start paying out money - pressure is suddenly brought to bear as you think about that monthly direct debit. Yet this is the only way to do things properly, in a way you benefit more than your host.

Getting this website up and running

Just like free hosting, paid hosts often supply templates and guides to work from. What's more their selection is often a lot more diverse than the previous templates you'll have worked with.

There is nothing wrong with using these. Of course you can start from scratch, creating your own page in HTML code but as said, simplicity is the key. Take your time, use the template then judge how to advance to adding advertising, more complicated coding.

For now though, sit back and smile at your website.

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