The internet has really grown in the last five years and it seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry has a website or blog. But since when did everyone suddenly know how to use the Internet, create a website, learn HTML, and how to register domain names? Surely they must have attended special IT classes or gone to university to study computing. Well, no, they didn’t. Designing and building a website is actually so simple that most people can do it.
There are three steps to designing and launching a website on the world wide web; buy a domain name, pay for hosting, and use website design software to create the web pages.
domain names
The domain name is the web address that you enter in your browser, for example, www. domain name. co. uk This can be almost anything and you should choose yours in relation to the function your website should carry out. If it’s going to be a personal blog, it could be your name or an alias. If you are using the site for your business, it could be the name of the company or something related to the services you offer or the products you sell. You can buy a domain name for as little as a couple of pounds every year.
Accommodation
In order for the files and information on your website to be displayed, you need to pay for hosting, which will then translate your web code into readable, viewable words and images. This may sound complicated, but once you’ve done some research on building a website, it will become clearer. Again, hosting can be purchased over the internet and is available for less than £5 each year.
Website Design Software
There are many website design software packages available and you will typically download them directly to your computer rather than purchase a physical item. These packages will allow you to design anything from a simple one page website to a more complex multi-page site that allows users to interact. You can design an ecommerce store so that you can sell products, although this will require more software such as site security and once you get into this it will be helpful if you are an expert. Two of the easiest to use website design packages are Dreamweaver and Xsitepro.
These three steps will get you on your way to designing and launching your own website. Remember, the Internet is a powerful thing, and as such you should treat it wisely. Do not upload offensive material or do anything illegal with your website. Google is quick to ban any website from its index that violates the Internet Code of Conduct.
Now start designing your website and have fun getting down on one knee so people all over the world can now see your creation.
