Guide to How to Build a Website
It seems like everyone has a website these days. Companies with no Internet presence are going the way of the dinosaur. While building a website seems like a difficult task for someone without a lot of online experience, the process is actually quite straightforward. By following these steps, you can build a website quickly and efficiently.
Pick the Niche
What do you want your website to be about? Most websites on the Internet sell a product or service, or tackle a specific niche. Figuring out that niche you want to concentrate on is obviously very important as it will have an affect on every other decision you make from here on out.
Decide on a Domain Name
A domain name is the name that will be most associated with your website. For example, this website you are on now has the domain name of BrightHub.com. You need to come up with a domain name that describes the niche you want to cover and is easy for people to remember. Once you have created a list of possible domain names, you need to check to see if they are available. Use a popular domain registrar such as GoDaddy.com or Register.com to see if the domain you want is available. Keep trying until you find one that is available, catchy and fits your niche. When you have selected your domain name, you must pay a fee to register it in your name. The aforementioned companies offer very affordable annual rates for domain registration.
Select a Server Company
Once you have a domain name, you need a place to build your actual website. That is where server companies come into play. Server companies, also known as web hosts, sell server space. On the server space, you can build your website that is accessible to everyone on the Internet. Since yours is a new website, you can go with an inexpensive plan. Most server companies have starter packages that cost only a few dollars per month.
Choose the Platform
When you look at the home page of a website, you are looking at the particular template or platform that the website owner is using. That template has been customized to fit their specific needs. Your web host will usually include some basic templates along with your hosting plan. However you can also hire someone to create a customized template for you. If you choose, you can have a blog based website and run it using WordPress software. If you anticipate a lot of visitor interaction, you can create a message board based website and run it using vBulletin software. The platform possibilities are endless.
Update Often
Once you have a working platform, the main key in helping your website development is to update it often. Be as original and thought provoking as possible to draw traffic to your website. However, be sure to remain patient because even after you have your website built, it will likely take time for it to garner significant traffic and flourish.
