The world’s first website was published on August 6, 1991 by British physicist Tim Berners-LeeAs of August 2018, there are 1.24 billion websitesin the world
Whether you’re considering building a brand new website or want to redo your current website, you’re faced with some basic, but important, decisions.
In this guide, we are going to help you with these decisions by showing your choices and explaining how specific options will fit your unique needs. We’ll cover everything from understanding what type of website you need and choosing a domain name, to the finishing touches that will help you launch your website successfully, no matter what your goals are.
Also, we’ll show you how to use specific tools or systems to create your site. As an example, we’ll explain how you can make a website step-by-step with one of the most popular content management system (CMS) WordPress.org.
The essential steps to launch a website:
- Understand what type of site you need
- Pick a domain name and hosting provider
- Install and setup WordPress CMS
- Design your site and make it look great
- Write and prepare your content
- Test before and after launch
We hope that you are excited at the prospect of having your website. Now, let’s look at what are the steps you need to take to get it right.
Understand what type of site you need
There are different types of websites. The type, or combination types, you choose, will depend on what you want to achieve with your site and the functionality you’ll need to accomplish this.
Following are the main types of websites:
Blog or website with a blog. A blog can be an extra feature for any website, or it can be a separate kind of site on its own. Blogs are usually arranged in chronological order, with the most recent entry at the top of the main page and older entries toward the bottom.
Business card site. For some small businesses, a simple one-page website with the name, description, contact info and maybe a logo may be all that’s needed. You can also include some product information, but the basic concept is a one-page website that represents your company or yourself.
Portfolio site. A portfolio site is similar to a business card website, except you’ll have a section on the web page where you showcase your work and give people options for contacting you. Photography studios commonly use this type of website, so do design firms and other creative endeavors.
Product brochure site. This kind of website is an extension of your company’s sales and marketing efforts. You’ll be able to include goods and services your business offers for visitors to browse through. This website may include some pricing guidelines but doesn’t enable customers to make purchases online.
E-commerce site. With an e-commerce site, you’ll be able to showcase your products or services and allow visitors to buy them online. At first, the setup process for an eCommerce site may seem daunting, but there are many simplified methods and tools on the internet today that will enable you to sell online.
Select the right tool to build a website
With so many options available today, it can be difficult to choose the best instruments for the job. Choosing the best platform upon which you build your site will be one of the most important decisions you make. This choice is critical because you’ll be tied to that platform for some time and it’s never easy (or possible) to move your website from one platform to another.
Website building solutions can be divided into two groups: self-hosted content management systems and hosted web builder platforms.
Pick a domain name and hosting provider
To create your new website with the recommended WordPress platform, you’ll need a domain name and web hosting provider.
Domain name
Once you’ve selected the right platform for your site, you need to start thinking of a domain name. This domain will be yourname.com, yourbusiness.com or something similar.
If you’re marketing yourself, you’ll want to use your first and last name. Think johnsmith.com. Even if you aren’t promoting yourself, it’s not a bad idea to get your name as a domain now, in case you want to use it in the future. If you are marketing your business, you will want to use your company name. Think “yourbusiness.com.”
Web hosting provider
After choosing a domain name, selecting reliable hosting services will be one of the most important decisions you make. To a large degree, the functionality and performance of your website will depend on your hosting provider. The host makes sure your site is available to potential readers 24/7, and it’s where your files are stored online.
The wrong web host can cause many problems with your website. Just imagine choosing a mobile company that has no reception. Your web host is a major piece of the puzzle to maintaining a successful internet site. Therefore, it’s crucial that you choose a reliable provider.
We highly recommend Bluehost, which powers over 2 million websites worldwide. And for our visitors only, they offer an exclusive deal that includes a FREE DOMAIN NAME and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Bluehost web hosting company is recommended by WordPress.org as one “of the best and brightest of the hosting world”.
