# Building my first website....



## ShannonRogers (Jan 11, 2008)

Hey all,

I desperately need to get a website up and running to showcase some of my stuff and to direct customers to. I have only done two craft shows so far and I had business cards made up at Kinkos to hand out. As I expected, everyone asked, "what is your website?" My mom called from Colorado and said that when she was at the post office the mailman asked her about the cool pen she was using. She said, "my son made it!" He immediately responded saying that he wanted one. My mom then called and said that if I had a site she could direct people to it and I could fill orders that way.

I admit that I have done little to no research on this so far, but LJs has always been a great source so I thought I would start here. Does anyone have any site to recommend or books to pick up. I have very little capital to invest into this right now so I am hoping to do it myself. I am certainly computer literate as I work in for an IT staffing and services provider, but I am no programmer.

I appreciate anything anyone can point me to to get me started. Thanks in advance.


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## offseid (Jan 16, 2008)

I use WordPress for my personal site. Granted, my site is a blog, and I think that WordPress is optimized for blog users, but I have seen it used as more of a "regular" website. You can get your very own domain name for usually under $10/year (I use GoDaddy), and for $10 more per year, you can point your free WordPress blog to your domain name.

Good luck and keep us informed!


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## timhicks (Mar 29, 2008)

Hi there, I use Frontpage for my website. I know that Frontpage is no longer being made and updated but it still works for me and is easy to understand. I know that microsoft has a new program out that took place of frontpage but I know nothing about it. I taught myself pretty much all that i know about designing a site, and what I didnt know I searched on the internet for it. I use Ipower Web for my webhosting, it costs $100 a year but I have great bandwidth and disk space to use and if you dont want to make your own web template they havem any to choose from. So far I have only used like 4% of my disk space. I do have some great tips about optimizing the website for search engines and within a month of doing all these little tweaks we had 500 new visits and we are ranking higher in the search engines. Make sure that you can accept credit cards, right now I use paypal, it is free and you can set up your own shopping cart. When you deign your site, keep it simple and to the point, I dont think a person needs to explain how great their product is, the item should sell itself, but you can say how unique it is or makes a great gift and so on.

Well that is all that i Can think of, if you have anymore questions dont hesitate to ask
Good luck


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## AdMarkGuy (Jan 1, 2008)

Shannon
The biggest bang for you money, with the least amount of effort to get a professional website up and running that will give you all the bells and whistles …...you can build it yourself with ease, maintain it, and grow it…

http://www.web.com/

There is NOT a simpler, more effective and cheaper product/process for getting online. It includes email, email, web statistics, and a free coupon of google ad words.

Any questions contact me offline

Best of Luck


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## TreeBones (May 21, 2007)

Hi Shanon,
I am not a skilled tecno wizard and I use Yahoo Sitebuilder, this tool is free and works very well (check out my site). I sell on line using paypal buttons with no extra fee. Having a web site has been a big asset to my business.


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## odie (Nov 20, 2007)

You are going to get a lot of advice to this question. There are so many ways to go … weigh them all first. Study, study, study then shop, shop, shop. There are sooooo many to choose from. If you can do your own web page work, Yahoo is a great choice. You can get your domain name from them too. TAKE YOUR TIME … see what Google says.


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## JoeDusel (Mar 9, 2008)

I've got about 4 web sites and 3 blog sites setup on Netfirms. These guys have pretty good prices for the domain names ($5.95 for the first year), $9.95 / month for hostiing on their better plan, support for Frontpage Extensions, WordPress, Joomla, MySQL and MS SQL. I can't say they are prefect since they had a bit spotty service in the past month due to server upgrades, but for the most part they have been very reliable for me.

I use Front Page and MS Expressions Web for my sites (www.woodistry.com and www.aikomei.com). I use WordPress for my blog site (www.cft411.com), but I use Windows Live Writer to add and update pages and posts. Live Writer is much more user friendly than the interface that comes with WP 2.5, especially for things like adding and adjusting pictures or videos. It also lets you see what the article will look like before you actually post it.

For our eCommerce site we used a template from http://www.ecommercetemplates.com. This will set you back about $149 and it's well worth the price, but you need to know a bit about web sites before mucking with this one.

One of the easiest ways I have seen for getting a quick site up is to use Joomla. It's a free program and it seems pretty user friendly. We had one of the members of our guild demo it at a meeting.

Good luck!


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## brunob (Dec 26, 2006)

My own choice in building a site is Dreamweaver. It does have a bit of learning curve but it is worth it because of its flexability.


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## toyguy (Nov 23, 2007)

Like said before there is a lot of different ways to go for a novice web site. Spend some time and look around the net to find something that will work for you. There is a ton of information available on line…...

I have used a few different free sites, and a few different types of software. At this point in time I am using Site Spinner. I find this to be very user friendly with a great help section. There is also a good forum that most questions can be answered at. This program can be had on a free trial and is not badly priced if you decide you want it…....... check it out.


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## freedhardwoods (May 11, 2008)

I am probably jumping in to this conversation too late to help, but I am just now in the process of building a new website using Homestead. I made my first website using another site building program, and it is like comparing using a flannel graph board to using a cad program. Since I only have experience with these 2 site building programs, I can't really say that homestead is a lot better than other programs. I think part of the difference is that the other one wasn't very good. With that said, I have never had any training, and I did build my site from blank pages, not a template. Also the Homestead site builder will let you set up an e-commerce store, use PayPal if you want and several other things

Shannon,
After typing this reply I happened to think to click on your profile to see if you had a website yet. I looked at all of your pages and have a suggestion. The black font color is not too easy to see against the purple background, especially the small font size on the about us page. If you or anyone else can see something that would help my site I am always open to suggestions.


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## Pianoman (May 14, 2008)

Learn HTML

Download a free Webpage editor

Download a free FTP

Find a free hosting service

Save allocated web space by storing photos on free remote site

Design your site with your favorite links

:-D

p-man


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## teenagewoodworker (Jan 31, 2008)

you could use freewebs.com, they have an easy web designer thing and once your done you can buy a .com name. right now i'm working on mine using them and there is less customability but i think that it works fine.


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## kjwoodworking (Oct 4, 2007)

You don't have to be a programmer to have a good looking professional site these days.

Some good advice has been shared here. Some good looking sites too!

I would do a little homework, check out some of the options above and pick the one you are most comfortable with.

My first site changed as I learned, and building a site is much easier than it seems at first. I now have five and it gets easier with every new one I build. I started with front page and a host 4 years ago. I have just started using Joomla on two sites about four months ago and it sure has made it a lot easier.

Good luck and let us know when you get it up and running. I will exchange links with you if you would like.


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## RusticElements (Mar 14, 2008)

Just as a reference point, I have been a web programmer for ~12 years now. I ran my own server for ~8. When I closed my server I moved all my clients to iPower. Biggest mistake I ever made. What a nightmare! 90% of them moved elsewhere within 6 months. One thing I have learned over the years is AVOID CHEAP HOSTING COMPANIES!!!! As with everything else, you get what you pay for.

As far as building the site goes, most places have on line site building tools. They're not as good as one of the site building programs would be, but totally adequate for starting out. They're all easy to use. No knowledge necessary.


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## freedhardwoods (May 11, 2008)

I would like to know your opinions on pointing out mistakes on other peoples website. I have sent an e-mail or pm to a few people in the past after noticing something even as simple as one word being misspelled. I hope people don't take offense when I do that, because I am only trying to help. As for me, I welcome someone letting me know about a mistake on my site. It is not an award winner by any means, but even a simple site can make an impression if there are no mistakes and it conveys the message you want. I have looked at many simple sites that looked very good to me. No matter how good a page looks, if someone sees a misspelled word on it, that will stand out in their mind more than anything else on the page. I don't want that, and I wouldn't think anyone else would either.


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## kjwoodworking (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't mind. I try not to misspell but it happens.
I too have sent emails pointing out a misspelling or if something else is messed up. Some thank me, some you never hear from, but the misspelling or problem gets fixed.

I have had my site looking great(to me) on IE and be weird looking on FireFox but not know until someone emailed.


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## mgradwohl (Dec 17, 2007)

If you're doing this for a business, then you should look into the resources at startupnation.com. They have forums, resources, a radio show, a podcast, etc. And it's all about starting your own business. People there will not only make recommendations for hosting, authoring, payment fulfillment, order processing on your website, but they will also help you with design tips.

-Matt in Redmond


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## Pianoman (May 14, 2008)

Kirk, you have a nice page there. I am curious to know how to get Google Adverts and banner clients such as you have. I have read the Google directions, but I know no one who has done that-so I do not not know what to expect or to avoid doing.

I agree with Michael that free web hosting sites are not always the best option for people. Each person needs to make that determination. I find that it works for me. I use my webpage as an e-business card more than anything else. I also use it as a notebook, where I can store notes of ongoing projects, like my current one trying to find a moped/scooter.

The reason I suggested learning HTML is because a person's exposure to web page production only opens new opportunities. Education is a constant requirement, and the process is additive-your learning curve depends on the quality of your education. Everyone knows that one guy who could sink three-pointers, but couldn't dribble!

So when i get a request such as this one "How can I get online fast?" I have to be cautious and reply that the best way (for me) is to start at square one and advance a step at a time. In my mind, and my experience, you're going to end up learning all that stuff anyway. HTML is intuitive and easy to learn. I have never used a front page editor, but I would think that someone who did would not be prepared to write an HTML page from scratch. So there is a dependency that occurs on those editors that I tried to avoid. I agree-I'm not "everybody". I enjoy programming and the creative side of the web. By contrast, I dislike the administrative chores of the www. I wish I had a forum, radio show, etc., like Matt mentioned, but I have no desire to run them. I am glad there are people who have an interest in running forums, otherwise this one would not exist. :-D

Maybe the best advice Shannon is to listen to everyone's opinion, and shop for what works best for you. Lots of trial and error in that method, but that seems to be a big part of the process.

There are a few gurus on this thread, so I will include two links that may interest them. Belarc. Shield's Up


Good luck,
p-man


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## Taigert (Nov 20, 2007)

What kind of budget would it take to have web site done professionally?
I have seen so many sites that look really home made. I have zero exp. with putting one together and do not feel that comfortablle with my computer skills.


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## jcecil (May 28, 2008)

I maintain a website for our local woodworker's guild and I have used www.1and1.com for nearly 2 years now. I think the price is roughly 4 bucks a month and it covers the hosting and the domain. They also have tools for you to quickly setup the site and with minimal HTML abilities you can use those as templates to go beyond their "included" number of pages using the tools. I personally am capable of the html myself but why bother when tools are as quick and easy as they are now days.


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## Schummie (Feb 3, 2008)

Hey Shannon,

there is so much out there, it is a little what you self want, do you have the time to learn and do you like to learn
how to setup a website, than take Dreamweaver, photoshop, Fireworks. That are the programs where I'm working whit, but it is not easy, it cost you some time to learn, but whit this programs you have the most freedom to make
what you want. To learn HTML is not necessarie Dreamweaver is a WYSIWYG program " What You See Is What You Get". That means that everything what you do will get translated in HTML. 
And otherwise there are a lot off website who gives you advice how to make websites, but most you are less good for your own creativetie.
Is is very difficult, my heart is good to say shell I help you, but I think that the language the problem is and my illnes is the other problem, sometimes is the pain so heavy that i can do anything.

Goodluck and greetings from the Netherlands,

Schummie.


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## Jeff_T (May 6, 2008)

Experience is the best teacher in this case-

Would a person in business time be better spent generating sales and profits or building a website?

I strongly have a company build your site, base it on a CMS (content management system) that allows you to add pages and content freely. But get the design and architecture done professionally,

Very few people will be attracted to your business with a site that looks very unprofessional and without a strong marketing message.

Good Luck,


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## kjverlanic (May 28, 2008)

Like others have said, there is a lot of good info here. But I'll try to add a little more. My parents own a Campground and have a website to help people to find them. 7TH Ranch RV Camp and Historical Tours In the last few months I have been working on getting their website numbers up and easier to find. The company that does our website design uses DreamWeaver and it can be used on either PC or Macs. They charged us around $5,000 last year to design and build our website and to do updates. So far this year it is closer to $750. But I am taking on getting links to other sites and picking the keywords for potential customers to search for and we aren't submitting them every 3-4 weeks like they would like us to. I had talked to them about doing payments online and we decided that it was way to complicated and not necessary at this point in time. Yes, it would open up a lot more places, but it takes a lot to maintain the security of your website and it can take over other things that you would rather be doing.


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## Taigert (Nov 20, 2007)

kjverlanic,
Out of $5000.00 how much of that was the design and set up less the charges for servicing the site?


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## Daren (Sep 16, 2007)

I am almost computer illiterate…but I built my own site with http://www.doteasy.com/. $26 a year. They have real easy to use web site building tools that are included in that price. I don't know a thing about coding and all that. Making new pages is as easy with their tools as making a post here, type some and upload pictures. Granted my site is not the flashiest on the web, but it works for me.


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## freedhardwoods (May 11, 2008)

"I am almost computer illiterate…but I built my own site with http://www.doteasy.com/."

I didn't name the first sitebuilding program that I used in my earlier post, but it was Doteasy. I thought the same way as Daren about Doteasy until I found Homestead. It is the difference between night and day.


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## daltxguy (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm with Kirk. I'm a big fan of Joomla - no programming required, no editor required ( built in). Set up is just configuration and then add your content. Lots of add-ons are available including whole modules that will give you full online shopping capability. The hardest part is the decision to make on which template to use - so many choices!

I've hosted with godaddy for 1 site and with 2coolweb in Dallas for another - both for 7 years now and no complaints with either.


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## SawDustnSplinters (Jan 18, 2008)

Like you I am computer literate, I was Senior Cisco Network Engineer for 28 medical clinics, turned woodworker  and happier…..

I hosted with a big name ecommerce provider about ten years ago, called Microsoft BCentral, it was similar to GoDaddy and the rest of them, you basically had control of uploading your products, maintaining your site, all cc processing was handled thru them….you paid them rent….but then! They decided to get out of the ecommerce biz  After several years of working on the site I had 388 products and images on their server and 388 "add to cart" buttons fixing "not to work" and three months to find some else….it was not fun, they did not give us an option to download all our data and images…..

I told myself this would never happen again….so I purchased a Linux Webmaster package with 20 domains on a reliable hoster netfronts.com on three redundant tier 1 backbones….59.95 a month…then I started shopping for shopping cart software…most providers were like godaddy and wanted you to lease or rent…but I wanted to *own it *with full product/image database import/export capability…I went with ShopSite Pro, end user friendly, self generating SEO friendly static html pages, lots of template to choose from, they wanted 1295.00 for a one time purchase of one license for one site , but I bought an ISP level bulk license purchase of ten PRO licenses or 20 Mangaer licenses, however I want to deploy them, for around 6 K, so I basically got them half price/wholesale….my thinking was this, after I get my site rebuilt and running and taking orders, I could help out fellow woodworkers, artists, craftsmen I met at local shows and rent out the full deal to them, (a mini godaddy) hosting, cart, ssl cert etc for a monthly fee like godaddy and get back my investment over the long run…so far I have a couple of renters and they quickly learned the back end, did all their own work and maintain everything themselves…and they are paying for my monthly hosting 

They are paying about the same as you would with godaddy but have more product capabilty

Basically the cost for one site would be:
domain name (cheaper and safer if you get for 5-10 years) if you forget and it expires your site is dead!
web hosting
shopping cart
ssl certificate (you have to have one of these by law to process credit cards, cheaper if you buy for three years or more)

Yes someone like godaddy would be great to get up and running fast, and they handle all the ssl certs and all
*but* they limit you on number of products, and up-charge for more product capability. In 5-10 years of paying rent, you could own all your site, software, etc…

Yes going my route seems a little extreme, but I have flexibility, freedom, ownership, "unlimited products" capability, expandality to 20 fully functional ecommerce sites…and no one can ever pull the plug on me again 

I am just saying compare renting to owning over the long run. You basically need
web site host
domain name
one shopping cart (there are a few out there you can buy like Miva Merchant w Dreamweaver, shopsite, etc…
ssl cert

I am all for open source as I am old school, was on the internet when it was ARPANET and all we had was USENET…but open source is first to get hacked so sometimes cheaper is not better you have to consider that….


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