So, you are thinking of doing a site? Great! But do you want to know how to create a site where visitors will say WOW! Read On.
1. Think of a topic, idea.
What do you want to make
your site about? When you do this, also think as a visitor and why
would you come to your site? You have to offer something that people
want and need. When you'll be clear about what you want to do, proceed
to the next step.
2. You got an idea of your future site, right.
Is that enough for a site? The answer is
NO. Now you have to think of a layout, colors, and content. Colors are
very important, because if you'll mix the wrong ones, it might be hard
for visitor to read your content, which is the heart of your site, and
then he'll leave, because he knows that there are hundreds of sites
like this on the web. It's recommended to draw your content on a sheet
of paper or in an image file.
3. Find a host.
If you don't want to spend
any money, there are lost of sites that will host your site for free.
Although most of them place a banner or a pop up on your page, which
sometimes might look unprofessional. After all, it's completely free.
But if you run a business, you should get your own http://www.you.com
domain. It costs only 70 dollars for two years, so it's not really that
expensive, and it really worth it. To register visit Internic
4. Start writing your first page.
You HAVE to know at least basics of HTML
to create a quality site. You don't need to remember all the tags and
formats but you got to know how and what is HTML. Although there are
hundreds WYSIWYG ( What You See Is What You Get) editors, you'll be
able to create a better site with the basic knowledge of HTML. To learn
the basics please visit our tutorial section. I'm telling you to do it,
because it's the only way you'll be able to fix the errors in your
site, and trust me you'll have plenty. Everybody does.
5. Take a look at your page.
Never forget the following factors: 1.
Does it loads fast? 2. Does your site has an easy navigation? 3. Is you
grammar and spelling is correct? 4. Do you have something that people
need or find useful? These are few of the most important factors in
each site. A lot of people forget about them, and their site becomes...
a shame. Even though your page is one the web, it doesn't mean that you
can spell wrong or provide poor content.
6. Redo your page!
90% of people after they look at their
first draft find many mistakes. Redo your page and then look at it
again. Follow the step 5. It would be very useful if you would show
your page to some friends or family. They can notice something, that
you didn't find. There are some clubs on Yahoo which specialize on
critiquing page. Here's an example: Web Judges. After you'll do it ask
yourself: Do you like what you see?
7. Start creating all other pages.
Don't get confused in them, and follow
the principle of a tree. It's recommended that all of you page should
follow some basic pattern or format. For example, Echo Web's every
single page looks somewhat similar, right? All of the pages have red
bars and black background with the yellow text.
8. Take a look at your site.
Repeat step 5. Looks good? Great. Upload
it to your host. Now it's the time for you to start promoting your
site. Otherwise, how will people are going to be able to find it? Visit
our tutorials section for a special two-part tutorial on how to promote
your web site. It got many tips and tricks that you won't find anywhere
else.
9. You finished with all 8 steps.
Now you are waiting for visitors to come.
Does it means that you are done with the web site? That you can forget
about it? Once again, NO. The web site is a cycle. It's not a newspaper
which you publish once and then forget it. People will start coming to
your site for a while, but the point is to keep them coming back. How
to do that? Update your site at least once in two weeks, have something
useful and interesting on your site.