How to Make My Own Website for Teens

A website for a teen should express his interests, goals and ideals and send a positive or helpful public message.

Teens may want to have their own websites for a lot of different reasons. They may want to put out something, somewhere that identifies who they are, that makes a statement or that is an extension of themselves. Some teens may want to use the Internet to make a little extra money. Others may have some interest or skill that they would like to write about or let the world know about.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet connection
• Digital photos

Instructions

1. 

   Ask yourself, 'Why do I want a website?'

   Ask yourself, 'Why do I want a website?' Do you just want to have something that expresses who you are? Do you have a message or cause that you feel is important enough to share with the public? The Teenager's Guide to the Real World Online conveys the idea that there are two kinds of websites. The first is one tells a little about yourself and your friends, and has some cool expressions, your favorite music and movies, and so on. The second choice in creating a site is to put up a site that other people find useful. Choose something that you enjoy or know a lot about, and create a page about it.

2. Find a hosting service. To put up your own authentic website you need to find either a free hosting service, or you will need to buy a domain name and pay monthly.

3. 

   Choose a style that is a reflection of who you are.

   Choose your style. Whether you go for a site that you largely have to design yourself, or if you go for one that is pretty much ready made, you still have a choice in your style selection. Choose a style that's a reflection of who you are, preferably something positive that you will enjoy going back to and that others will too.

4. Build your content. After you've chosen your style and considered what you want to say on your site, start adding content.

5. 

   A good website can be an extension of your identity.

   Write your first page yourself. State what the purpose of your site is clearly. Try to sum it up in one main paragraph.

Tips & Warnings

• If you use free material or photos from other sites, make sure you properly attribute each article and link to their website.

• Teens and children shouldn't give out personal information on the Internet.

References

• The Teenager's Guide to the Real World Online: Creating Your Own Web Page as a Teenager

Resources

• Safe Kids Online: Report to Congress - Media literacy can protect kids online