Now that you are thinking about adding a website to your business, I am sure you will be surprised to learn just how easy and inexpensive it is to do it all yourself in a very short amount of time. We can show you how to make your own website from scratch and create a website on your own that looks fantastic in a very short amount of time and for very little money.
We will show you just how easy it is to build and create your own website. All you need is the right tools and we have found them with our A+ Website Builder!
When you are looking at starting a business you are often restricted by cash flow which is why we have spent the time researching just how small business owners can build their own websites very easily and very cheaply.
You do not need to be an IT Professional, Graphic Designer or Web Master to achieve this, all you need is a little time to learn some very simple programs that will walk you through the process and remember, you will be supported along the way. We have outlined some common questions asked by small business owners on the subject of building your own website.
Important Note: Before you go ahead and grab your domain name and choose your hosting service (this comes next), you need to decide on what type of website you will need to have in order to choose the right service for you, so let's take a look...
►Do I need to know how to write HTML code?
No, you do not need to know how to write HTML code or anything fancy like that (we don't and we built this site from scratch with no experience and it cost nothing!), you simply need to be comfortable using a program as simple as Microsoft Word and even without the knowledge, both of the programs we reccomend are very easy to use. If you can't do it then we bet you know someone that can for a fraction of the price of a designer. If not, we'll do it for you; at a fraction of the cost of a designer and we'll guide you through the process.
►What type of website do I need and why?
Depending on your needs, a simple website template in most formats will suit your needs. When you are choosing your template or your program, you simply need to explain to the provider what you intend to do with your site to ensure the site will meet your demands. You should NOT be using a Flash animated website! No matter what the purpose of your website is, even if it is solely informational, your website is an advertisement for your business and Flash sites are Not Search Engine Friendly so why would you take the risk of not being able to be found on the web? Just because it looks pretty doesn't mean that alone will sell your product.
It also slows down the viewer experience and forces them to click the back button so the general rule is 'No Flash Sites!'
►Where do I start?
OK, you have two choices when it comes to building a great looking functional and fantastic website effectively and inexpensively wthout spending thousands.
1. Check out www.buildmysite.com.au and test out the 30 day trial version of this site builder by choosing the 'personal', 'business' or 'power' choices for your builder experience. This software is the smartest we've ever used and is one of the best online website creation programs in the world. There is nothing you cannot do with this program.
You basically choose your template style, the pages you require, your colors and you can even upload your own banners and logos if you choose to otherwise they are provided. Once that is done you are off and running and you can begin to enter your information using the very easy interface. This builder also offers a free shopping cart that links to your paypal account, forum, blog, members pages, site optimisation options and loads of other great tools.
This builder is available for a monthly fee which includes your hosting. If you decide to choose this product, then you need to sign up for your domain and hosting through Lis Hosting who we highly reccomend.
► I don't have time to learn how to use software, who can build it for me?
We can! We've spent years trialing different systems and software and we are skilled at website design, writing website copy, keyword research and website optimisation. Not to mention we will build you a great site for a fraction of the cost that anyone else will charge and we will also teach you how to continue editing it yourself to avoid ongoing fees.
Our sites start from $499!!!
For further details and to create your online quote click here.
2. This option is more complicated but yet still a very inexpensive way to build your own site.
Check out Practical Webs for some great looking website templates for around $80. There are literally hundreds to choose from and Mel at Prac Webs offers great service and advice in helping you choose your template. The templates are all set and ready and all you have to do is edit in your choice of HTML editor. We recommend Frontpage (possibly apart of your Microsoft Office Suite) or Expression Web (the new version of Frontpage). If you are used to working with Microsoft Programs then either of these systems will be very easy to use and there are loads of helpful tutorials at Microsoft to help you out.
Mel at Practical Webs is also a web designer and one of the cheapest there is so if you require some help you can always ask for his assistance or post your job at Elance and have a freelance web designer fix your site for you.
A better choice of editor is Dremweaver if you have the time to learn the program and the cash to fork out; it is a very expensive peice of software for a one off website! Personally I don't use it as I find it time consuming and not at all user friendly for a novice who just wants a great site that does everything they want it to.
Why pay so much when you can do more in a very short amount of time with something like Build My Site....
When you are working with bought templates, ensure that you choose one that suits your needs from the start as you can be limited with structural changes.
If you choose to work with these types of templates then we advise hosting your site with MyShopHosting who is affiliated with Practical Webs and also offers a paid for shopping cart service that Mel can help integrate into your website for a very cheap price. Tell Mel we sent you and mention the code 'BUSIW'.
So there you have it, two great options to get you cracking on building your own website and you will be building it possibly for free depending on what program you choose.
Check out our EBooks more more information on how to build your own website...
