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How do I Build a Website?

Diane Goettel

Last Modified Date: February 22, 2024

These days it seems that there is a website for every business; for every man, woman and child, and this is probably because building a website is rather easy. There are a number of intuitive web builders that people can use to create websites without having to learn any kind of code. There are also companies that can be hired to help build a comprehensive, professional website. From large websites such as websites for museums that are populated with images from the permanent collection to simple websites in which people can post photos and updates about their kids, it is easy to build a website with just a little bit of help.

Individuals or companies that want to build a website that will have dozens of pages and lots of information that must be presented in an organized manner may want to begin the process by hiring a consultant or a web-building company to help them out. People who are looking to slowly build a website might want to, instead, invest in a website-building program that will allow them to learn how to built the site as they expand. Many of these kinds of programs offer tutorials and assistance for people who are just starting out and to instruct long-term users in how to make the most of new options.

A website designer can code and build a website for those who do not have experience designing webpages.

There are also a number of books and guides that teach readers how to build a website. It is important, however, to purchase the most recent editions as older editions may have information that is out of date or obsolete. For people who are very serious about learning how to build a website and want to learn quickly, there are also many courses available. These courses can be taken as part of continued learning programs at local colleges and universities. There are also online courses that teach students how to build a website.

Professional websites are often more difficult to build than personal sites.

A personal website is usually much easier to build than a professional website. A professional website must have a certain look and flow to the content that fits in with and helps to extend the brand of the business that it represents. A personal website, on the other hand can be much more casual in both its content and its format. As such, many people learn to build a website by creating a personal website and then use those skills to later build a professional website for their business or professional services.

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for EasyTechJunkie, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Discussion Comments

andee

November 18, 2011

The best thing I ever did when I wanted to learn how to build a website online was to buy the 'Dummies' book on how to build a website.

I have always found these books to be very simple and easy to understand, and figured it would be the same way for building a website.

I was not disappointed, as this book explained everything I needed to do from start to finish.

My website has been up and running for quite some time, but it is nice to keep the book handy as a resource every now and then.

myharley

November 17, 2011

I tried one of those free online websites, but was very disappointed with it. What I was most frustrated with is that it seemed to load very slowly.

Any time I wanted to go in and make changes, it seemed to take forever. I figured if it was this slow for me, it would be just as slow for everyone else and people would get too impatient with it.

I invested in an E-book which taught me how to build a website step by step. I had a little bit of computer knowledge, but learned many things along the way.

There were some frustrating moments when I didn't know what I was doing, but gained a much broader understanding of how websites work.

I also think the website I built myself looks a little bit more professional than the free one I used at first.

I bought a domain name for a year for around $12, and used the same company to host my account. This is something that anybody can do without being out a lot of money.

SarahSon

November 17, 2011

If you don't know much about how to build a website, there are many places online where you can build a website for free.

I have a small home based business that I needed a simple website for, and this was a good start for me.

I found it to be user friendly and easy to navigate. I also had the option of buying my own domain name, or using a free one that was attached to their site.

Another feature I liked about this website is that I could add a 'store' to my site free as well. With the free site I was limited to the number of items I could sell in the store, but it was a great way to get started.

When someone uses the shopping cart, they pay with paypal, and I don't have to worry about credit card fees, etc.

A free website like this can be used for personal or small business reasons. For someone like me who has very limited computer knowledge, it was a perfect way to get started.

There were many different backgrounds, themes and colors to choose from, and it was fun to play around with those to get the look I wanted.

backdraft

November 17, 2011

One important part of web design that often gets overlooked is usability testing.Most people believe that since they can navigate through a web site all users can with the same ease. What they forget is that they have sent more time with that site then anyone else and are already quite familiar with its architecture. You need unbiased outsiders to give you an honest evaluation of the site.

There are two basic ways of doing a usability test. First you can get three or four people who have never used your site and ask them to retrieve a piece of information available on your site. Observe the way they click through the links and pay close attention any time there is confusion. Do not assist your testers, let them figure things out on their own. Afterwards address any problems that arise.

You can also take the same group of tester and simply have them spend 10 or 20 minutes on your site. Ask them to give you their observations and make note of areas that are confusing. If you take these simple steps you can build sites that are universally accessible. This will boost traffic and amplify the message of your site.

jonrss

November 16, 2011

There are a number of tools that can help you build a website. Doing all the coding by hand and building a site from the ground up can take a lot of time and effort, even for a simple looking site. Do yourself a favor and use one of these time saving tools.

There are a number of web templates available where it has prearranged areas for pictures text and whatever else you may want to include on your site. There are literally thousands of templates to choose from and you are sure to find one that suits your needs. If you already have your content produced you can get your site up and rnuning in a matter of hours

Adobe's program Dreamweaver is also another great tool. This is a web development program that allows you to build the site according to your specification, but skip over the slow process of coding everything by hand. It is know as a "What you see is what you get" style of program where you build a web site in Dreamweaver's environment and then it looks the same on the web. It is probably for intermediate users, but it is a strong and useful tool.