How to Create a Website

Starting and building a website can seem like a daunting task. This guide will examine the steps necessary to create a fun, informative website! A little preperation can make website creating a fun and rewarding experience.

Before you begin, a clear goal is essential. It is easy to get caught up in all of the "Bells and Whistles" that some Internet companies will try and provide when it comes to building a website. However, many of these features are either ones you do not need at all, or highly marked up and can be achieved using much simpler methods.

The First Step

The first step in creating a website is to determine whether or not you want to pay for the hosting and domain name. A Domain name is the URL for your site. Examples are Google.com or CNN.com. These typically cost around $10 per year to have. An alternative is using a subdomain. Subdomains would be Example.2itb.com. Subdomains are generally free, but are ad supported. For the purpose of this article, we will use GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy is a leader in personal and business webhosting, and has a fairly straightforward approach to getting a website online.

Options, Options, Options

GoDaddy offers many different options. For enough storage to host family pictures, videos, update a blog, or link to other personal content, the usually monthly fee is $5-$10. Discounts are often available online, so look around for coupon codes or special offers before signing up. When asked, it is generally easiest to have a Windows server box. Once you have signed up with your respective options, it's time to start creating some content!

Creating Content

A good layout and content is key to a functional website. On a Mac, the easiest program is iWeb. iWeb comes built in on Mac computers and has many different layouts to choose from, or a custom design option for those who are more visually gifted. On the PC side, Frontpage has long been a standard. While a little dated in comparison to other software, it has plenty of horsepower to create your website. Once you have created your content, you will need to export it as HTML files. Both programs will create a folder with all of your content, including pictures and videos.

Putting it all Online!

Now that you have the folder of content created, all you have to do is upload it to your webhosting. If you used GoDaddy, they have an upload feature under the hosting section. Simply upload your folder of information and enjoy your new website!

A little preperation can make website creating a fun and rewarding experience

by Steve Smith, Online Services writer