The Steps & Parts of Making a Website

BEGIN YOUR SITE HERE:
There are several different steps in making a website. (You may not need all of these):

  • Domain Name
  • Hosting Server  (Speed & Security)
  • Site Publisher & Editing Software (CMS)
  • Theme Design (Appearance)
  • Graphic Arts, Photos & Logos
  • Actual Content Writing
  • Backup & Monitoring Services
  • SEO & Promoting/Marketing
  • $ Money Making  

Domain Name

This is the URL, or Domain name address, by which people can find your website.   You need to decide on a name, which is easier said than done, as most short, good names are already taken!   You can buy your name either through us, or from any 'domain registrar', but then you'll need to learn how to change and edit their 'DNS record' so that it points to our server.  That's a bit techie, but your Domain Registrar should help you with that, and we can also.

Hosting Server  (Speed & Security)

You need to find a good hosting server to put your website on.  And that's us!   You really can't do better for speed, security, pricing, and help, than with us.   We use Nginx+Apache server combos, or pure Nginx, and these setups run faster and better than pure Apache which is what most hosting companies only offer.  We put no more than a couple dozen sites on a shared VPS server.   Compare that to over 1,000 sites on typical 'shared hosting' servers at other companies.   That more sites on a server, the more it slows down and is at risk from security bugs in any of the sites on it.

Site Publisher & Editing Software (CMS)

You'll need software to help you create, upload, edit, manage, and publish your webpages!   That's what a CMS (Content Management System) does.  We offer free use and help with this, and recommend using the exceptionally easy and fast WiseIdea Site Creator CMS.
Or if you prefer, WordPress, or a Shopping Cart, or various other software.  

Theme Design (Appearance)

The 'theme' is what controls the 'style' of the site's appearance, — the layout arrangement of the different parts of a webpage, their colors, fonts, headings style, etc.   There are a number of free, existing themes that you could use, and you change your entire site's appearance by the click of a button when choosing a different theme.   Take time to try several.   Or better yet, hire us to make a 'custom theme' for your site, at a very low price!

Graphic Arts, Photos & Logos

Both your 'themes' and your site pages themselves will look better if you have some pictures, or a logo or artwork, or even just a background image placed as part of the site's 'theme'.    Millions of images are available on the internet, and many are available for free (always check their license). See:  Free Pictures for Your Website .
  Or you can upload your own photos, or hire anyone to create art for you.   Including us!   We have several accomplished artists, graphic designers, and logo makers, who work with us.

Content Writing  (& Copywriting)

Sites don't write themselves!  Like a publishing company, the above steps help you to publish your work on the internet.   But you still have to write the pages yourself!   Or, if you don't like writing, you can hire us to research & write pages and 'content' for you.    

Backup & Monitoring Services

If you're writing your life novel on your website, you're not going to want to risk losing your life work!   Even on the world's best servers, you're never 100% immune to losing data.   Good hardware can go bad, you accidentally delete something, or your site got hacked.   We offer a few limited backup options for FREE, as well as some extra 'Backup services' for those who need the best.

SEO & Promoting/Marketing

If you want your site to get known, you'll need some good marketing and SEO help.  (SEO is Search Engine Optimization, which makes it easier for Google to rank you, so your site is shown to more people.)  We have a number of SEO and Marketing experts who work with us.   But be careful if you go elsewhere.   Many SEO providers offer you a 'quick fix' that does boost your website in Google's rankings.  BUT.. they use 'black hat' techniques against Google's rules, and Google eventually spots this, and then highly 'punishes' your site, for many years!   So trust us to work with you using safe techniques that Google approves of, to help you in the long run,

$ Money Making   

Options:   Ad management (putting ads on your site), Affiliates, Paid 'Members only' pages, eCommerce shopping carts, etc.   Ask us.