Many of you have your own web site, had one in the past or perhaps you’re looking to have one built now. It’s definitely easier to build your own web site now than it was 10 years ago. It doesn’t mean that it will look great but you will have something. I get asked weekly about building a web site and often daily. It used to be 98% of my business and now it is about 2%. I could go on forever about the topic of building a web site but will save that for another time.
Unless you plan on using a site like myspace, blogger or facebook there are two things everyone needs for a web site. Even if you do use one of those I suggest you still purse the first item.
1) A Domain name.
Register your own domain name so you have ownership of it. I’ve registered names for people in the past and when it comes to transferring the ownership it is a pain in the butt. I highly suggest everyone register their own name and the $10 investment will save you from a number of hassles. Do this even if you don’t plan to have a web site any time soon. I have used a number of different domain companies over the years. 15 years ago when I first started doing web sites there was only one place to go, now there are hundreds. I highly suggest using GODADDY.com. They have the best customer support, security and prices. The cheapest isn’t always the best. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way.
2) Web Hosting.
Once you have a domain name registered and you wish to have a web site you’ll need web hosting. This can get fairly technical so I’ll spare you the boring geek speak. Hosting is basically the computer that holds your files. When someone types in yourname.com it takes them to the “hosted” web site. It can range from a few dollars a month to quite a few. You can expect to pay between $10-$40 a month for a basic site hosting plan. That should include email. IE. info@yourname.com. If you have a message board or a popular site you may need to spend more. A reliable hosting company is important and the most important thing (again I’ve learned the hard way) is customer service. Make certain the hosting company is accessible and has reliable customer service.
Those are the two things every web site MUST have. If you have a topic related to web sites or having a site built feel free to post them in the comment below or email me.
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Well ye it’s true, but you need Content as well, traffic, and etc to start making money. An da basic hosting plans is $4/month sorry to say…. Check Hostgator.com , it’s real good and cheap. But this article is pretty good and helps.
lol. Luka – yes, you do need all of those and more but I posted the two things you MUST have first. I’m not familiar with hostgator.com – do you use them? I’m always leery of something that cheap. I’ve used cheap hosts in the past and whenever there is an upgrade or an issue with customer service it becomes a pain.
If any hardbody readers are needing a website you can visit http://www.vertexbody.com. I work for this company (Vertex Software) and I am in charge of customer service so you have my promise that you will get great customer service. We offer standard packages for websites with galleries, news with comments, and you can hook in paypal or something like that. I even do the training on how to edit your site with our Content Management System. Of course we do much more than just standard packages but I can help you figure it out (ha ha I said figure). The added bonus is that I am competitor so I understand. We are in Austin, TX and have been around 12 years, so check us out.
Thanks for the advertisement Kristina. lol
Good info Isaac. I know all of what you shared, but unfortunately it took me a couple of years of doing my own sites to realize cheaper is usually not better. I have used and will recommend Yahoo, wheere you can purchase your domain name and web hosting. They have lots of templates and is user friendly. The downside IMO is they dont offer templates that include Flash and you must store your site content on your own starage device, rather than online. That’s just personal preference. http://www.brownfigure.com is a website I did through Yahoo.
I will also recommend Wix.com. This site offers Flash and you store your site content online. Also, this option offers more visual effects. http://www.teambrowniefitness.com is a site I did through Wix.
Lastly, I have to say to first try doing your own site through one of the mentioned. You will probably be surprised at how easy it is and you will save a ton of money compared to having a web designer buid it for you.
Isaac, I had to mention the sites so that people can see the difference
Looks like this is becoming a “pimp your site” post. lol
I HATE flash and would not recommend it. First and foremost it’s not search engine friendly. I could go on a rant about FLASH as well as using sites like Yahoo but I won’t.
More often than not, you DO get what you pay for. Not always but many times.
This is a large topic to tackle and I can go on for days about it.