DIY with Template
It is interesting to learn what is involved with building a web site.
Although it looks relatively easy when summarized into 11 simple steps, each step can be very time consuming.
Weeks can be spent trying to create HTML which displays properly on the most common browsers.
Getting your images to look professional also requires the right software and skills.
Understanding the technicalities of web hosting and name servers may be confusing.
However, if you have the time and patience, it is a fun and rewarding endeavor.
Do-It-Yourself - Using a pre-built template
There are many Do-It-Yourself solutions available these days. You no longer have to use Microsoft Frontpage to create those classic "this-is-my-first-web-page" sites. People can easily identify Microsoft FrontPage sites from their basic framework and characteristic "fancy effects". Do a Google search on "Ugly FrontPage Websites" and you will find some interesting examples.
1 - Find a template site
There is no need to start from scratch because you can buy a template and customize it yourself. Search for "Website Templates" and you will find many sites that offer free or inexpensive templates. Try to find a newer site where they create their own recent templates. Sites with old templates may be cheaper, but they were most likely coded many years ago, before the newer standards appeared.
2 - Select a template
Select the template which best suits your business, and is not too complex. Avoid embedded Flash (the animated movie stuff) unless you plan on purchasing and learning the Flash software. Avoid Flash navigation because search engines will have problems cataloging your site. Try to find templates where most of the text is actual HTML, and not created with an imaging program. Using image editing programs to change text images is time consuming. Newer templates will be CSS (stylesheet) driven, and rely more on div’s than tables.
3 - Test the template
Once you have the template, try to view it locally on your computer using different browsers (at least IE6, IE7, Firefox). Does everything display correctly? Cut and paste the code and try to validate it using the W3 Validation Service. If you see many errors, avoid the template because it will cause you grief in the future. It is ok to have some known validation problems to retain old browser compatibility, but errors reporting unclosed tags should be investigated.
4 - Change the text
Start changing the HTML according to your design. There are many HTML editors out there, so search the web for one you like. I prefer DreamWeaver or HomeSite, but you will have to purchase them or finish your site within the 30 day trial period ...easy, right? ;-)
Try not to use the WYSIWYG editor because it does funny stuff with your code. Don’t forget to test the page in different browsers and validate using the W3 service often.
5 - Change the images
Get some new images by taking some digital pictures, or go to a stock photo site to purchase some. Prices are so low that you shouldn’t have to ’acquire’ a picture from somebody else. Resize the images using an image editor. Photoshop or Fireworks both do a great job, but they cost a lot of money. I use the Adobe Creative Suite and it’s pretty complete. And again, if you think you can finish everything in 30 days, use the trial edition. For simple resizing and cropping, use Irfanview - it’s free and a must-have on everyone’s computer.
6 - Change the style
Hopefully, your website was built using stylesheets. Edit the stylesheets to get your correct backgrounds, fonts and overall color scheme. Clean out the unused elements. Your site should now be ready for the real world.
7 - Purchase a domain
Purchase a domain through one of the many Domain Registrars. Stick with the large companies because they are less likely to go out of business. Yahoo and GoDaddy are good examples. I use EnomCentral because I manage many domains. Also note that .com domains are inexpensive everywhere, but .ca domains will be more expensive if unless they are purchased through a Canadian Registrar. To see the list of registered Canadian Registrars, visit the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.
You may be tempted to purchase a domain and hosting package, but just ensure that you have the ability to transfer your domain at any time. If you purchase a package with domain and hosting bundled, you may not have that option. Even worse, you may not even get your chosen domain back because the hosting company doesn’t have a simple procedure to release it. Do a search on web hosting horror stories, and you will see many unbelievable situations.
8 - Purchase web hosting
There are many web hosting companies out there. There are also many ’suspect’ web pages that rate them. If you have a simple static site, almost any shared hosting plan will suffice but not all hosting companies are created equally. Capabilities and features will vary but many hosters will provide Control Panels to manage everything (it’s a Do-It-Yourself world).
Review the fine print very well. Some hosting companies require months of advanced notice before terminating agreements, and some charge extra for basic services.
9 - Configure Domain and Hosting
This is relatively simple if you know how, but try explaining this to your Dad.... There are many different scenarios, but basically you want to set the Domain name DNS servers to the hosting server DNS servers which know about your new domain. If you purchased the Domain and Hosting from the same company, most of this should be pre-configured, or follow the instructions which they provide. You first create the new domain, then mark down the two DNS Server address which they provide. Then using your Domain management web page (I assume you get one), set it to these two addresses. Every Registrar and Hosting company has a different way to accomplish these things.
10 - Upload your site
Finally! You can upload your using the various tools available. FTP is probably the easiest if your Hosting company allows it. You will need your userid and password and a good file transfer program such as FileZilla. Remember to upload the files to the HTML directory, and not your home directory.
11 - Back everything up
Before you forget everything, take a backup of all your files, accounts and passwords. It is very likely that you will need the information in the future, and things may be forgotten after a few months. I use KeePass to keep everything backed up and secure.
To Summarize
Customizing a template saves time, but this method is best left for the computer-capable. If you have a successful business to run, this will consume too much of your time.
Pros: Inexpensive - Free to hundreds of dollars
There are many beautiful templates for sale
It can be fun and quite rewarding to create a website
Cons: Computer skills are still required to customize a template
Computer knowledge required to manage domain and hosting
Templates can be old and coded poorly
It is very time consuming to create a website
You need specialized imaging software for nice effects
Nobody to help you if you have problems with HTML
