How To Build a Website Yourself
Are you considering building a website yourself? The process can seem overwhelming, especially when you are in the beginning stages. Many people choose to hire a professional web designer to take on this task instead but unfortunately, not everyone has the budget to hire out from the very beginning. However, there are a lot of tools, information and tutorials available which allow anyone to build a quality website within a reasonable amount of time and Forward Web provides some helpful tips in this article to build your very own website yourself:
The first thing you will need to do is set up your hosting and domain name. Of course there are many sources online where you can do this but with Forward Web, this step is fast, easy and simple! You can purchase your domain name (or transfer an existing one) and set up your hosting within minutes and if you need assistance, just let us know and we are happy to help. Once you have obtained your website and hosting, you now have the basic framework set up and you can begin building your new website.
Next, install a CMS (Content Management System). Forward Web recommends WordPress because it is an open source project that gives people the opportunity to build and manage their own website without having to learn code. However, if you want to learn code, WordPress still allows for you to work with the code for your website (as WordPress is Open Source), so it offers the best of both worlds.
In addition, building your website with WordPress means you are you able to host your website with any web hosting company that supports PHP/MySQL (which includes most web host’s). Being able to move your website to the web host of your choice is a great advantage over other site builders. Once your website is launched, you will want to have the freedom/option to change web hosts (if needed) vs being stuck with the same web hosting company you are building your website with.
WordPress has over 2,000 free and attractive themes (templates) for you to start building your website with. However, if you do not find any themes that you would like to use, you can go into the open market and purchase a WordPress theme of your liking (usually for around $30-$80.00). Either way, you have plenty of options in regards to the design of your website. Feel free to browse the latest free themes by WordPress here.
Creating a website from scratch takes patience and a lot of experimentation and trial and error. At the same time, it can be a truly worthwhile process if you are up to the challenge/learning experience. Luckily, there are a lot of tools and information available (such as this article). If you are just starting your business and you have a very limited budget, learning to develop the website yourself might be the best solution. However, if you do have the budget (or want to save time), you might want to consider leaving the development of your website to the professionals (Forward Web). Another factor to consider is the complexity of your website. Are you planning to sell any items via your website? If so, we highly recommend contacting Forward Web first, so you can explore both options before committing to your approach.