Wow, we`ve already taken a domain and chosen a web host. Great job ! Now it`s time for something special: making your own website. You could`ve completed this step before, but at the time you`d had finished it, the domain name could`ve been taken. We don`t want any complications right ?
You have 2 possible routes now (..as it is in the life right..) :
To learn HTML and other "programming" languages of the world wide web ...or..
To buy a specialized software which makes creating websites a piece of cake.
The first one, learning HTML, the "programming" language of the WWW, and all of the "add-on" languages such as Javascript, PHP, ASP... is more rewarding in longterm, but it takes a lot more time to set your site up and going. It takes about 3-6 months just to master the standard HTML, but longterm, you could become a website programmer and gain reputation. Not to mention that you`ll have unlimited possibilities of designing your websites.
Personally, I`ve taken this path. It important to mention though: It won`t, under any circumstances, affect your website traffic or income. You see, how the website looks like really doesn`t matter much. We will cover that aspect later.
Here are some of the top HTML tutorials that will teach you how to make your own website from scratch. Zero knowledge required (.. you do know how to open notepad, or any other text editor, don`t you.. ).
w3schools.com
HTMLgoodies.com
Webdiner.com
The second one, buying a specialized website building software, will make building a website a lot more pleasant experience (.. who wants to learn coding and programming these days :) ). It`ll also make it a lot shorter one.
Generally, I think this is a better option. To attract website traffic and generate income, you don`t have to know programming. All you have to know is to draw tables and write text. Your website design will be a little bit limited with the exceptions of software like Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft Frontpage (..although they do require some skills..) .
However, there is a software called Site Build It! that I honestly recommend, Not only it`s an outstanding website building tool, it also helps you in marketing it. You could call it an "ultimate package". I`ve tried it, and it really works. It will save you a lot of time. The interface is nice-looking too.
There is also a website building software called xSitePro, wich is also a great option. It can build a fully functional search engine optimized website for you in less than 60 minutes. I haven`t tried it personally, but I noticed that people on various forums speak great words for this software. You might check it out.
Ok, now that you know where to learn how to make your own website, here are some useful tips on how to actually design it:
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The looks of a website is much less important than the actual content. There is a phrase: "content is the king" which applies to SEO (Search engine optimization). You`ll learn about SEO in the upcoming articles. It`s very important to have a good unique content that is updated REGULARY. Fresh and unique content brings back the old and keeps the new visitors coming.
Look at this website, Construct-a-site.com. Admit it, it`s not too atractive. Well, I didn`t even want it to be. I put the content in the first plan. In the upcoming articles you`ll learn that search engines ( .. you know.. like Google..) can read only the content, and you`ll find out that you get around 70-80 % of free traffic from search engines.
Sidenote: I advise you not to start your first website until the next article which will be "What topic should your website be about".. You`ll learn how to target a profitable topic.. i`ll also point how you should write about it..
Keep your website small. There is nothing more frustrating than loading a website. Make your website load longer than 5 seconds, and it`s a good chance that the majority of frustrated visitors will leave. Prevent that by not putting too many images on your website.
Navigation. Make your navigation clear and visible. It pains me even to see how the "big websites" deal with this issue. Their navigation is totally unclear, and they even sometimes mix it with advertisements. I`d just click "back" on my browser (.. which is Firefox .. :)) ) and never visit that site again. Keep the navigation clear and visible.
Don`t put banner-ads on your site. Banners and images are history, text links are the modern type of advertising. Banners just take up your space and slow the "page loading" process.
Well, these are general tips on how to make your own website and improve its design. You`ll learn more advanced techniques to boost your traffic and generate more income in the following articles.
As always, if you liked the article, feel free to distribute it on your website or newsletter, just please keep the links as they are and give link-back to Cosntruct-a-site.com
You can visit my site at http://www.construct-a-site.com to learn how to make your own fully functional, money making website. You can also read interesting articles that contain website design and marketing tips and find out about hundreds of webmaster resources..Site is updated daily..Oh, I almost forgot: I`m only 16 y.o and still, I managed to succeed on internet...I metioned that just to inform you that this is not some scammy guru site, because I don`t sell anything that`s not worth of your money..