Update 2020: This post is now outdated and archived, but feel free to read it to remember what it was like. ?
This post is written by Kirsten Ramsburg of WebHostingSearch.com.
Websites come and go and if you want to add a website to the mix there are seven basic steps to follow.
1.Get a Domain Name
Internet addressing can be technically confusing. The domain name will serve as the identity of your website. So choosing a good one is important and it should be easy to remember.
If it’s a commercial site, it should be descriptive of your product or services.
One thing to watch out for is that the name you want might already be in use. Websites such as www.whois.com can tell you what names are taken and offer alternatives in case the one you have in mind is already taken.
The name needs to be registered through a domain name registrar or a host.
Image by crystaljingsr
2. Find a Host
An internet host is a company that owns computers called webservers.
After your website is uploaded to the host server, it handles all the work of receiving and answering requests for it.
Many companies will not only host your site but will also register your domain name. You may have to pay for both but the web hosting market is very competitive and it is possible to find cheap web hosting with a single company.
Photo by mayhem
3. Target Your Audience
Why do you want a website? If it’s a personal site for family and friends, then you already know your audience.
If it’s a website to promote a business venture, you need to narrow down the audience to the people who would benefit from visiting your site.
Whether it’s an established or new business venture, it’s still important to consider such variables as age, economic status and computer savvy of your intended audience.
Photo by wainwright.photography
4. Design Your Website
Designing your website rests heavily on the previous step of defining your audience. Deciding what you want to achieve comes before deciding how to achieve it, and both are best accomplished by a pen-to-paper outline.
Keep in mind, that often the simplest design is the best design. This is a good place to decide which keywords to incorporate into the design to facilitate your site being picked up by search engines.
Image by John-Morgan
5. Build Your Website
There are two choices. Hire someone to get it done or do it yourself. If you’re new to website building and have decided on a complex multi-page site you should consider hiring a professional. That can be pricey.
If you’re a beginner, there are a number of variously priced software programs that offer “professional” results with templates and drag-and-drop mouse moves.
Photo by woodleywonderworks
6. Publish Your Website
The steps are getting easier. This one involves uploading your website files to the host that you’ve chosen. Almost all of them offer easy to follow instructions on how to get your materials to their webservers.
Most of those software packages also include directions on how to do this, and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) applications can be used for speedier uploading.
7. Test and Maintain
Not all web browsers are created to equally view websites. If you’ve not tested your site on various browsers during the building phase, certainly check it once it’s online and make the necessary corrections.
Maintain your site on a regular basis. There are few things more irritating to a web user than going to a site that has outdated information.
Photo by .robbie
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Kirsten Ramsburg is a frustrated journalist and is currently putting all her passion for writing as a senior writer for WebHostingSearch.com guide.
Great list here and well explained…
Keep it up…
Thanks! I’m glad you like it 🙂
Doesn’t Kirsten Ramsburg have a blog of their own ?
Nice article, it is written so well that even a layman can follow it.
technology simplified.
Thanks! I’m glad you like her post and find it easy to follow! But no, she doesn’t have a blog of her own. She just writes for WebHostingSearch.com 🙂
Nice Beginner Guide 🙂
Thank you very much Mrin! 🙂
This is a great list of things and without these you don’t have a website.
I also had a post where I discussed the 5 common mistakes that new bloggers make and these are some of the things that they must have if they want a successful website
Hi Kharim, thanks! I’ve read that post and yeah, I really agree with you! Great post! 🙂
Well said my friend. These things are really the basic information on starting a website.
Thank you Felix! 🙂 Sometimes basics can be forgotten so we need a checklist.
Before creating a website we must keep in ind our target audience and then design the website with proper precautions in mind. Great tips from Kirsten!
Thank you Rohit! Yeah I really agree with that tip! 🙂
It’s a good list and i thoroughly agree that hosting and web design matter and are worth shelling out some bucks.
Thanks Rakesh! Hosting and design are indeed really important things to invest in. 🙂
Hi guys! Thanks so much for the compliment. Really appreciate it!Ü ..and of course, thanks to Gloson for accommodating my post.
Hi Kirsten! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂 No problem, Kirsten! Thanks for the guest post!
Nicely written for new people willing to have a website. Thumbs up!
Thank you very much Umair! 🙂
Hi, these are the incredible steps. Thanks for sharing such a nice, easy and really valuable things for starting a website for anyone. Many people want to start a website and they are really need this kind of article. Thanks for sharing the set of steps. 🙂
You’re most welcome 🙂
Very basic and fundamental steps for starting a website. Every step as important than the other.
Thanks for sharing.
aloha Gloson, from the beautiful islands of Hawaii
Thank you so much for your blog–I always enjoy reading it. This post was quite timely for me as I am building a few websites (finally !) and you reminded me to check all the major browsers to see how they handle what I have created.
Diane C
Aloha Diane. Thank you very much! I’m glad I’ve helped you with your websites! Yeah, checking how your website looks on browsers are indeed important. One browser you must check is the infamous Internet Explorer 6. It always displays websites wrong. LOL! 🙂