Build a website........

Annie021063

overdrawn30 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm not a web designer, but I am a techie, so I can point you in the right general direction with setting up a website.

1. You need to decide on the name of your website as the first step - this is also called a domain name.
2. Once you have chosen the name, you need to check that it isn't already taken by some-one else and register it - an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Hosting Company can do this for you.

I would recommend 1and1.co.uk - they seem to be very efficient and cheap (from personal experience only - no affiliation).

3. Once the registration has taken place and you have the name registered to you, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) will give you the details to access this usually through something called FTP, which is used to transfer images and files to the webserver.

Most ISP's now provide a SiteBuilder Tool which allows you to build your own website using a professionally designed template, which usually includes colour schemes, suggested fonts etc and is a good starting place for someone who wants to setup a website but isn't interested in the "nuts and bolts" of getting this to work.

Most ISP's also offer some sort of e-commerce or payment facilities that you can add onto your website. You can also use PayPal for free with their usual transaction charges - message me or post up on here if you need help to do this.

Hope this helps.

Overdrawn30.

Ok thanks for the info - I have gone to 1and1.co.uk and found a domain name which suits what I want to do. It will cost me £7.03 for two years inc VAT. Great - but what does this do for me? Is it simply the name I am paying for? If so will I have to continue this for ever and a day if I continue with the site? What do I do now if I decide to take this name? Obviously I can creat my small site at home but can I simply create it on word or do I have to have specific software to create it and then once I have done this how can I get it on the web? I dont really understand about FTP's and how I can find out if my ISP (BT) offers a site building tool? Sorry for all questions - I am a little confused about this as I am not really a techie.
Hope you can help.:rolleyes:

Frugaldom

Sounds like you have bought a domain name. Now you need to build your site, which can be done at home using Word saved as .html, if that is the only software you have, or you can seach the web for free templates. You'll need somewhere to upload the page and FTP is just the simple File Transfer Protocol - the way you transfer the files to the webspace. Check your computer and see if you have Publisher, as this can be used for uploading the files so long as you know where you are sending them. If you haven't any free web space, search for that, too, as there's plenty available, so long as you don't mind adverts (or in some cases, pop-ups!) appearing on your site.
Like I said, I'm not a designer, nor am I a techie, but I have managed to build what is sufficient for my own needs online.

I've used 1and1 as well and have absolutely no complaints about them. To date, their service has been great

geordie_joe

Annie021063 wrote: »

Ok thanks for the info - I have gone to 1and1.co.uk and found a domain name which suits what I want to do. It will cost me £7.03 for two years inc VAT. Great - but what does this do for me?

It allows you to use the name for two years

Annie021063 wrote: »

Is it simply the name I am paying for?

Yes, you have rented the name for two years, in two years time if you don't pay again the name will become available for anyone to hire. The web sites call it "registering" but in effect what you are doing is renting it.

Annie021063 wrote: »

If so will I have to continue this for ever and a day if I continue with the site?

Yes, if you want to keep the name then you have to keep paying for it.

Annie021063 wrote: »

What do I do now if I decide to take this name?

You register it, or to be more precise you pay the rent on it for the next two years.

Annie021063 wrote: »

Obviously I can creat my small site at home but can I simply create it on word or do I have to have specific software to create it

If you don't have specific HTML software then you will need to write HTML code. There is a lot of free software for creating web pages so look round and try as many as you can.

Don't go anywhere near anything microsoft offers, it will do it, but do it so badly there will come a day when you regret using it. Then the day will come when you decide to start again and do it properly.

Annie021063 wrote: »

and then once I have done this how can I get it on the web? I dont really understand about FTP's and how I can find out if my ISP (BT) offers a site building tool? Sorry for all questions - I am a little confused about this as I am not really a techie.
Hope you can help.:rolleyes:

First you need some web space. Beware of free web space, most providers of web space make you use a sub domain of their space, such as mysite.bt.com

If you want a "proper" domain name you have to buy it through then or they charge an arm and a leg to transfer your own domain name.

If you have not bought your domain name yet you should now decide how much you want to spend on web space. It is often cheaper to buy a domain name and buy web space than it is to buy a domain name then try to use it with free web space.

Another point to remember is, apart from your ISP, most other places give you free space hoping you will one day upgrade to paid web space. To "encourage" you to upgrade they put a lot of restrictions on what you can do with your free space. You spend weeks, or even months building a web space only to have the free space provider tell you you can't do that on free web space, you have to upgrade to paid.

If I were you I would go straight into paid web space. If you intend to stick with your web site you will soon find it has "outgrown" the free space and you have trouble moving it.

The best thing to do is say what you want the site for, in broad terms, and what you want it to do, what features you will need etc. Then look for good cheap space that gives that.

PS, BT should have some sort of site building tools, but you'd be better off finding your own. They probably will also give your space a stupid name like your-username.bthomespace.com, or charge you a fortune to use your own domain name.

Frugaldom

Damian?? Is that YOU???

Annie021063

Thanks to both nykmedia and geordie joe for sound and very helpful advice. I will digest what you have said and think about how to progress with this, I haven't bought that name yet as I was worried about what the consequences would be (I really have very little experience on this aspect of computers - I'm not bad at rest of it!!). I have read elsewhere that there are some sites which you can get a name and rent space from for small fee to stop annoying pop up ads etc. But what I really don't understand is what is the best way to get your site seen by as many people as possible, how do you get it to the google (e.g) list when someone types a word linked to your site. (sorry hope that makes sense) I feel I could be making this harder for myself as most people really understand it and I don't so much . Ok I shall search more, take on board what has been said here and then find a route. I don't want to let this go as I feel I have such a great idea.
Thanks Again.

Annie021063

I]If you have not bought your domain name yet you should now decide how much you want to spend on web space. It is often cheaper to buy a domain name and buy web space than it is to buy a domain name then try to use it with free web space[/I

Sorry Geordie Joe more questions -- where might I find these domain/space sites? Do you know of any good/reputable ones?
Thanks

save-a-lot

https://www.fuzioned.com - small company with great customer service. Hosting with a cPanel (manage it without using FTP - also, they have pre-installed scripts for doing all sorts of things should you choose to use them)

Frugaldom

Hi again
We all have to start somewhere and with regards to, "But what I really don't understand is what is the best way to get your site seen by as many people as possible, how do you get it to the google (e.g) list when someone types a word linked to your site", as soon as your site is up and running then submit it to the search engines. THEN you can worry about PageRank and all that stuff. If you can answer your own question, you would be a very, very rich person, I suspect I started off with Yahoo & Google search engines as they offer so many free services to help you get your site seen through the search engines but, unfortunately, for people to go there directly, it's down to you telling them where to look until it shows up. It can take weeks to get a site listed in a search engine, so try getting some already established sites to add your link. You can have a free link on my site no problem and my offer is open to anyone else on here who cares to exchange links

PS: Assuming your site is non-offensive and suitable for all ages - no !!!!!!, get rich quick schemes, MLM. I'll reserve the right to refuse a link if it is something I find objectionable

UK007BullDog

I used to be a website designer and will PM you with some good sites to find your feet and to read up on it.

A very good host is www.supanames.co.uk as I have about 2 dozen websites with them still.

You need a book like the Dummies versions that teach website design and also teach about promotion.

But it is going to ba a steep learning curve.

UK007BullDog

Dont go with 1 and 1 webhosts. Their customer service is the worst of all the hosting companies I ever had the pleasure working with and I think I have worked with most in the UK that are mainstream.

Annie I have sent you a long message about all of this. Check your mailbox on this site.