How to make a website - getting ready
If you're going to start web-work at home, you're going to need to know how to make a website. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to make it yourself, but if you decide to take that route, please check out my advice on how to make your own website. This page is an overview of the many ways you can get on the web. All you need to do is to decide which is right for you. How to make a website: Get someone else to do itWhen people hear about HTML, php, Javascript, FTP and the like their eyes start to glaze over and they immediately start looking for the nearest exit.If you intend to run your own online business you're going to have to get used to hearing these words, but you'd be surprised at how little you really need to know to learn how to make a website. The expectation of most people who want to get online is that they'll have to get an expert to do it. If there's one message you'll hear again and again on this website, it's that you really don't need an expert to make a website for you. These days you really can do it yourself, so leave the 'experts' out of it for a while and consider some of the alternatives. If I fail to convince you to go it alone, there are plenty of experts out there ready to take your money off you at the drop of a hat! How to make a website: Five easy ways to the web for amateurs1) Website TakeawayIf you're a complete novice in the how to make a website business, take a look at Mr Site Takeaway website.It's extremely cheap - about £35 - and includes everything you need to build a business website, including a photo gallery, blog, forum, secure payment area and 30 email addresses and plenty of web space. It's jargon free and includes one year's hosting costs. 2) Get some help from GoogleUse Google's Blogger service to get on the web in minutes.Blogger, as the name suggests, is primarily a blogging tool, but that's no reason why you shouldn't use it as a simple website. You can write text, add website links and upload images and all the unpleasant technical stuff is taken care of on your behalf. If you want to experiment a bit, you can alter your templates and even change a bit of code. Many people who are new to the web opt for Blogger as it is free, easy, flexible and it automatically appears in Google's search engines. It's also a great way to learn how to make a website as it creates a basic web presence for you, and you can start to tweak bits on HTML step-by-step. 3) Turn to FacebookYou're asking how to make a website, but you may already have one sitting under your nose.Are you on Facebook or MySpace already? If so, you're already on the web and you probably hadn't even realized it. These social networking tools are a great way of doing business with people and not only can you use the sites to direct users to your affiliate links, you can also target them by groups and 'communities' to make sure you're getting your message to the right people. Both these social networking websites - and all the others that exist - are used mainly as personal web spaces, but why not adapt yours or set up a new one to promote your online business? I use a Facebook application called Profile Box which allows me to place adds and customized messages on my Facebook page. It's free and a gadget like this get get you up-and-running immediately. 4) Use a sitebuilder serviceIf you're feeling a little more ambitious and want to get a bit more involved with the nuts and bolts of how to make a website, go for a website hosting package which offers on integrated site builder.These are an excellent way of learning new skills step-by-step. Site builders are available via most hosting companies these days and all you need to do to to see if they're available is to read the list of hosting features available and make sure they include a site builder in the basic price. Site builders guide you through the entire process of getting on the web, and even offer a range of templates to give your website that professional look. As you progress and learn, you'll be able to make tweaks and changes of your own to customize your design.
An excellent site builder service which also offers a multitude of other tools is Site Build It! which is little-known in the UK, but an extremely good bit of kit for beginners (and experts!) and actually the tool with which this site has been built. 
5) Use eBayThe four ways above outlining how to make a website are fine if you're using words and pictures for your business website, but what if your online business is all about selling?There are many different online selling options available, and they are dealt with in detail elsewhere on this website. What I'd recommend to anybody who wants to sell goods in the first instance, is to set up an eBay store rather than make a website for the purpose. Don't pay for a custom ecommerce store (recently, to my amazement, I discovered a local shop owner who'd paid £15,000 for her online store!), certainly not until you've tried your product and found out that it really does sell. Instead, set yourself up with an eBay store, pay the few pounds it takes each month for the privilege and prove to yourself that you've chosen the best selling niche for your online business. Like the Facebook and MySpace example above, you can still buy a domain name and redirect it to your eBay shop. If you discover that you've chosen the wrong product, you can cancel your eBay shop subscription and it's cost you very little. However, if you start to make your fortune and decide that it's time to branch out, you can build a customized store at a later date and simply redirect your domain name from your eBay store to your new website. In addition, you can still keep your eBay presence if it continues to bring in an income. More great tips on how to make a free website from how-to-make-a-website-business.com …
More from this sectionBuy a domain name I'd suggest that you do some keyword research before choosing your domain name, it makes sense to go for a combination of words that the search engines will love. Content
management system What is a content management system and
how can it help you to make a website? Banner ad design Find out how to create an effective banner ad design for your website ... Website hosting How to choose the right website hosting service ... Website freebies A full page of website freebies to give any home internet business a welcome boost ... Return from How to make a Website to Home Internet Businesses homepage
|
