How do I Build a Custom Web Site?
Building a custom website can be a rewarding task. If marketed the right way, it's also one that can lead to financial success. Websites are used to sell products, display content and allow users to connect with one another. The Internet gives anyone with a website a chance at being seen by billions of people across the globe.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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1
Purchase a domain name. The domain name is how your website is recognized on the Internet. For example, eHow's domain name is ehow.com. GoDaddy.com and Register.com are two of the more popular domain name registrars. However, there are many other websites that also offer them for sale. As of August 2010, .com domain names cost around $8.
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2
Determine a web host. There are a number of free hosting services online, however, many will in turn put advertisements on your website. It is possible to find affordable pay-for-hosting services with a simple online search. IXWebhosting.com has plans starting at $3.95 a month, as of August 2010. This price varies by company.
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3
Download and install an HTML editor. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the code behind each website. An HTML editor is recommended for new web designers. This "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" software lets you build a website visually rather than having to know HTML code. There are free HTML editors available online or more advanced ones for purchase. If you have HTML experience, you can use Notepad (Personal Computer) or TextEdit (Macintosh). Both come installed on Windows or Apple-based operating systems.
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Launch HTML editor. Do this by selecting it from your computer's program list or from a desktop shortcut.
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Create a new web page. Chose "File" and "New" from the program's navigation menu. The initial page of your site is called the homepage. This is what will display when a visitor enters your domain name into their Internet browser. Use the program's guide to add a title, background, images, links and text to each of your web pages.
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Select "File" and "Save as" from the menu. Make sure you give the homepage a file name of index.htm or index.html. When a user visits your domain name, they'll be directed to either one of those files. If you name the file something else, a user will get a "Page Not Found" on their initial visit. All of your other links can have whatever file name you'd like, but try to use only letters or numbers, and no spaces in between.
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Open your FTP (file transfer protocol) software. This program allows you to transfer files to and from your hosting provider. In order to do this, you'll need to obtain a host name, username and password from your hosting service.
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Access the directory where your website is stored. Your hosting provider will have this information, as well. Put the index.htm file in that home directory. The rest of your HTML files and images can be uploaded there or in other directories. Note the URL (uniform resource locator) file path for each so you can link the web pages properly. A URL will always feature a domain name and filename. Any additional directories a file is placed into may also be included.
URL example:
http://www.yourdomain.com/directory/file.html
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Visit your domain name's URL to ensure the pages display correctly. Since not all browsers display web pages similarly, check your URL in multiple ones to ensure continuity.
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Tips & Warnings
An online search for "free clip art" will provide you with thousands of no-cost image options.
The above steps are for a general custom website build. Check with your hosting provider and FTP program's manual for advance directions.
Using images from other websites can be considered stealing. Get permission first before using any on yours.
Related Searches
References
Resources
- Photo Credit website layout image by 6922Designer from Fotolia.com
