Creating a Website With Go Daddy

You can easily create a website with the software provided by Go Daddy. If you already have your domain name through Go Daddy, the software and hosting are free. If you have purchased a domain name elsewhere, you can still use the Go Daddy site builder, but you will need to pay for it. Depending on the package you choose, creating and maintaining your site can cost $56 or more per year.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Buy a domain name. (If you already have one, proceed to Step 2.) You can buy a domain name through Go Daddy to get the site builder for free, or you can purchase a domain from another company and still use the site builder. It's up to you.

2. Go the Go Daddy homepage. (Follow the link in Resources.) Click on the "My Products" tab on the left-hand side. Another window will pop up; click on "Free Products." A yellow box will appear in the middle of the screen. Go the bottom of the listed options in the middle of the page and click on "Website Tonight." You may need to refresh the page a few times if the correct buttons are not showing up.

3. Click on "Use credit." If you don’t have a domain name through Go Daddy, this will read "buy" rather than "use"; but after you make your purchase, the process will be the same. You will then be taken to a page that will display your domain name. If you don’t have a domain through Go Daddy, you will need to enter the information. If you have your domain name through Go Daddy, select it and click on "Next." The domain name should pop up automatically.

4. Create a username and password. The username needs to be all lowercase and the password needs to contain one capital letter, the rest lower case and a few numbers.

5. Click on "Launch" and wait for the screen to load. You will be asked to accept the terms and conditions of the license agreement. Click on "Accept," then "Continue."

6. Choose the type of site you want. You can choose a prebuilt site that runs five pages, or you can pick a blank site and customize it. The prebuilt site needs to be customized as well, but you will be given more direction regarding what you need to fill in. For instance, the prebuilt site will show options for categories and text in certain places. You can click on those areas and have the text removed, then add your own pictures.

7. Select your categories from the list of options. Once you click "Submit," you can also customize the categories even further. The software starts out with templates to give you ideas.

8. Click "Finish" when you are done. Then click on "Page Designer" to make any additional changes.

9. Click "Publish."

Tips & Warnings

• The Website Tonight software can only be updated with Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox browsers; however, you should be able to view your site information from any other browser.
• The free version has a few banners which may not appeal to all people, so you have the option of paying for the hosting to eliminate the advertisements.
• If your domain name is pointed to another server, you will need to change it. Call go daddy at [phone] to have this information changed.

Resources

• Go Daddy