How to Build Websites for Beginners

If you're new to building websites, don't become disheartened because everyone is using terminology you don't understand.
This article breaks down the building of a website into simple steps and puts everything in layman's terms.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft FrontPage or Dreamweaver

Instructions

1. Determine how much you want to spend on a website. What will cost you money is server space. Server space is simply room on a server, and normally you must pay a company to use part of its server for your website.

2. Check with the company that provides your Internet connection. It may offer you server space at no additional charge. If that is the case, consider using this free space. You can always move your website in the future.

3. Consult companies like FreeWebSpace that provide free server space. However, you must have other people's advertising displayed on your website. If you can pay for a company to host your website, pay an annual fee to companies like GoDaddy for server space.

4. Determine whether you need a domain name or not. A domain name makes it easier for your website visitors to remember your URL. For example, the URL www.jimswebsite.com is much easier to remember than this URL: www.timewarnercable.com/public/html/~cooper/jimswebsite.com

5. Consult a company like GoDaddy if you need an easy-to-remember domain name. Domain names are simple to set up and are inexpensive.

6. Learn HTML or invest in software such as Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage. If you decide to learn HTML (hypertext markup language), there are many websites that offer free tutorials, or you can purchase a book that explains how to use HTML to build Web pages.

7. Purchase Dreamweaver or FrontPage if you decide to use a tool to build your website. These can be purchased over the Internet, and the companies that sell them offer free tutorials and free help sections.

8. Publish your website to the Internet. If you have purchased either FrontPage or Dreamweaver, you will have the capability to send your Web pages to your server space. If you have decided to use HTML instead to publish your website, you will need to use FTP (file transfer protocol) to put your pages on your server space. You can buy a graphical user interface such as WS FTP from Ipswitch to assist you in publishing your Web pages.

9. View the Web pages you have prepared. Go to your URL and view the pages you have made on the Internet.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan on developing a website with over 100 pages or more, you will probably exceed the limited amount of server space your Internet provider offers you for free.

• If you are looking for a professional look and feel to your website, you will probably be very unhappy with free Web space since you will have someone else's advertising on your website.

Resources

• Dreamweaver
• Microsoft FrontPage
• GoDaddy
• Free Webspace
• WS FTP from Ipswitch