Want to Know Some Basics for a Great Website?
It may seem a daunting task if this is the first try at trying to create your masterpiece.
If you have unlimited funds, you can hire someone to do it for you, but expect to spend thousands of dollars to get what you want. And it still will not happen overnight.
So, you are contemplating whether to take a hands-on approach.
Just be confident in knowing that it is much easier than the hired guns of freelancers or the expensive design agencies say it is.
It is not nearly as complex today as it was in the past. And you do not need to know anything about coding and the technical backend of it.
Here's the fast and best suggestion…do not overdo it. Trying to create a masterpiece instantaneously is not the right approach.
You can drive yourself round the bend, trying to get it right the first time. It can be exhausting struggling to get everything perfect and just chock full of all the information that anyone may ever want to know about your subject.
three keys to the process
First thing, tell yourself that it is going to take a little while to get it the way you want it.
Second, try and get the first version done with the basics as quickly as possible. Get it out there where viewers can see it.
This way, the search engines will survey and rank you sooner rather than later. And also, the longer your site is visible to the public, the quicker you will get viewers to experience and react to its presence.
And third, pick a subject or topic that you have an interest in, or about which you want to know more. It is a lot easier to work with a theme that can also keep your attention. And the byproduct will then be more stimulating to your audience. We cannot emphasize more how important this element of website building is.
what is content and how to create it?
In the world of website design, the term "content" refers to the subject and the related components of the webpage.
Content includes written text, images, color usage, audio, video presentations, and animations, and is critical to the site's visitor. But it is also essential as a means to inform the search engines. The content tells the search engines what is happening on the site and what it involves.
The first important point to make, you should begin your content strategy as soon as possible.
In simple terms, that means to start making notes and prepare an outline of what you want to cover in the site. Also, collect articles, photos, diagrams, articles about the subject. Thank goodness for the Internet!
By doing this, you will instinctively cultivate and generate what will make the website. The results will be a site that has organized thought, is cohesive and appealing, and maintains the interest of the target audience.
While taking these initial steps, see what others in the genre are putting out on theirs. It may seem like snooping, but it will give you an idea of what may be considered significant, and how to format your site or maybe how not to do it.
It sounds simple, which it is, but without doing this straightforward route, you will be fortunate if the results are what you anticipated.
what webpage format should you use?
Our question to you is, what type do you want to build?
There are many types and motivations for having one. Some sites aim to entertain, communicate, or inform, while others are to provide products or services.
Once the purpose of the site is evident, what format should yours take?
When you have a grasp of that, your next step should be to pick the format that you believe best suits that objective.
Nearly every other article or internet post that we have seen on this subject says the first thing to do is to register your domain.
We disagree!
At this point in the process, you should be considering the form or structure for yours ought to be.
For example, should it be in one of these categories:
- a blog (where you post content on a topic of your choice)
- a discussion site (where viewers participate in the subject)
- e-commerce (meant to sell a product or service)
- membership (where subscriptions are required to participate)
- commercial (to promote a business or service group)
Although not mentioned above, any one or all of these categories can be income-producing, if that is your intent. But we will get to that later.
Once you have settled on the format for the site, then it is time to pick a domain name.
how important is the domain name?
Fundamentally, a domain name is actually what your appearance will be known as, whether an extension of you personally or as a unique commercial entity.
The domain name will become your brand name and a significant part of your branding.
(To brand means establishing consistency through tying your site together with elements such as an appropriate domain name, color scheme, logo, consistent page design, typography, and content.)
Branding creates an individuality that gets you noticed, remembered, and sets you apart from other sites in your niche.
Like our domain name (webinfopros.com), whether good or bad, it tells the viewer something about what we do or who we are.
Quite often, you will see domain names that are cleaver or attempting to be cute. But the more important characteristic of the domain name is whether a viewer remembers it or not.
For example, you may have a novel idea for a domain name that is a play on words, such as soap4u.com. It says that the site wants to sell you soap, but if someone personally says its name, will it be understood as "soapforyou.com" or "soap4u.com". Consider the possible mix-up a domain name can instigate.
Also, try to refrain from using hyphens and repeating the same letter in a row, e.g., "new-dealssales.com." If the viewer misses either the hyphen or the double "s," no one will find you.
The point is that a domain name should be able to pass a simple test. If spoken, would it be easily identifiable, understood, and without any confusion about what to enter in the search bar of the browser. Along this same line, the general thought is that a domain name should be no longer than fourteen (14) characters, with the average domain being twelve characters. The longer the domain name is, the higher is the likelihood that mistyping will occur. And if misspelled, the viewer will not get to your site.
If you are trying to get recognized and influence a region or locality, consider using the area's name in the domain. A bakery shop may sound more appealing to locals if its domain name is something like "bostonbakery.com," even though the name of the business is not Boston Bakery.
The domain says you are in Boston, and you are a bakery. So, when someone searches for a bakery in Boston, guess who will probably be toward the top of the search results.
Taking another or different approach, let's say that your business' name is Jones Bakery, and jonesbakery.com is not available. Still, you would like to use your business name in the domain name because it has some weight in your local market.
Try this, jonesbakeshop.com, or jonesbaker.com, or jonesbakes.com. It will help to preserve and promote your brand and business identity. While still getting the point across without having to go to some abstract and vague domain name that has no relationship to what the site reflects.
Some pundits think domains like google, yahoo, and twitter make for immense brand recognition. What they neglect to realize is that it took billions of dollars to create their presence and years to get there.
Besides that, when you first saw google, yahoo, or twitter, did you or anyone know what they were or what they were about?
Our suggestion…fight the temptation and stay away from using something trendy or contrived. The likelihood is possible that it may hurt and not help you in the long run.
Conclusion
Let's narrow down the simple rules to a few critical points on how to start your website.
- It's easier than you think, and you'll save a ton of money doing it yourself.
- Don't expect a masterpiece right off the bat but get it out there as soon as possible to get exposure with your audience.
- Pick topics that are interesting to you. It will make the process much easier to handle.
- Start your content strategy as soon as possible, and see what your competition uses to know if you are on the right path.
- Understand the importance of your domain name. It will become your brand name, and one of the principal means to set you apart from the rest of the crowd.
If you found this info useful, check some of our other posts and webpages at webinfopros.com.
