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How to Create a Website
Do you want to create and make a professional website or ecommerce store? I often get emails from Internet Entrepreneurs who have questions about building their first website. If you want to build an online business you are going to have to create a website. Some of the most common questions that come up as far as website creation are:
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Hosting Free or Low Cost Hosting
Do you want to Create a Website for Free? When I was a web newbie my first website was on geocities.com because I was cluesless about websites and didn’t feel like spending money. The con of free sites is that they have limited design features and tend to put ads all over your page – Ads that you don’t make money from. Click here to read more about Free Hosting, Low Cost Hosting, and Domain Name registration.
When it comes to Paid Hosting I am all about 3 things: Great Customer Service, Great Features, and lots of Space. I get all this and more on hostmonster. CLICK HERE TO SIGNUP FOR HOSTMONSTER.COM NOW.
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Web Templates Vs Custom Design
If you are new to web design or need an inexpsensive website designed fast, then perhaps you should look into Web Template websites or web hosting companies that provide template designs. Join me on WebTechGurl.com for a listing of low-cost hosts that provide great templates!
If you can afford to invest in getting a custom design, I recommend you do so. The best websites have their own unique look-and-feel. Apart of building an online business is building your brand, and custom designs definitely help you do just that! If you are in need of a web designer, check out these websites: e-lance.com or click here for a listing of African American Web Designers.
Build Your Website Own Your Own
When it comes to being an entrepreneur there is no better feeling than having complete control over your business. When you have limited web skills, you don't get the luxury of having complete control. Sometimes you have to spend way too much to get a website you don't really like, or you have to deal with difficult designers who are never there when you need them. Starting a web business when you don't know how to build a website, is hard. At the very least you should learn basic html and have a basic understanding of how to build your own page. If you want to learn more about building your website yourself or even creating your own blog, signup for my webtechgurl online courses in web basics and internet marketing strategies.
If you are a DIY Entrepreneur looking for more tutorials and how-to guides online download my eBook of web tools for internet entrepreneurs.
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Website Vs. Blog
What should you do? Should you create a website or build a blog? Blogs are becoming increasingly more popular because they are easy to update and easy to setup and allow you to stay connected to viewers and potential customers on a regular basis. The drawback with blogs is that if you want to setup an eCommerce website, or directory, or a specific type of website, a blog might not be the best way to go. However, if you want to create your own Membership Website, Wordpress is Great! If you interested in blogging, read my Blogging Tips for Beginners. |
Web Design Dos and Don’ts
The best way to begin building your online presence is to focus on one website. Before the web design, your initial focus should be on your content. Whether you are selling products or services, you need to put together a collection of images that showcase your products, provide examples of your work, or provide a visual of your location. Your website should not be empty. If you have never had any customers, you should at the very least have examples of what you can do or plan to sell. If you have had customers, you should feature their reviews. Your main page should highlight your best products and/or most popular services. Your site is where you not only sell your business, but promote yourself. Talk about who you are, how you started your business, and continue to grow. Quality content is at the heart of any good website.
Your overall goal should be to create a unique space, but at the same time you want to adhere to certain web design standards. If you review the format of most popular sites, you will find that behind the differences there are certain similarities. Their site design and navigation are often similar because they follow formats that are easier for the average web viewer to follow. Here are a few web design standards to keep in mind:
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Have a clear and visible menu on the top of the page and/or in the left or right sidebar.
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Search boxes are often on the top right hand corner or at the top of the right sidebar.
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Main pages generally feature brief text, images, new products, and/or updates. Avoid adding too much text to your main page. Only use text or images that give viewers a clear, precise, and eye-catching understanding of your business.
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Always include a newsletter form in your sidebar navigation to capture visitors and add them to your mailing list. People tend not to buy on their first visit, but if they sign up for your newsletter; you can stay in contact with them.
- Ads are always placed at the top of the page, in sidebars, or integrated in text. Avoid placing ads at the bottom of the page, because you reduce the chances they will be clicked. Blend ads into your site design. Use the same background and link colors as your website.
These are the first 5 of my 15 web do's and don'ts. To review all 15 of tips download my eBook: Selling Your Products and Services Online.
Make Your Website Picture Perfect!
 istockphoto.com is a great place to find professional stock photography, clipart, and flash movies to add to your website. Remember the websites that stand out the most tend to have great content and great images! Always remember to make your website picture perfect. Avoid using blurry, grainy, or poorly sized images.
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Promoting Your Website
If you are looking for ways to promote your website, here is my advice to you: Keep it Simple and Be Consistent.
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Always take advantage of adding your URL to your email signature, your forum posts, and promotional material.
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Always cross promote on your spaces. If you have multiple websites, blogs, or profiles on social networks, always cross-promote your links. Be sure to include your links at the top of pages as icons or as links in your sidebar. Take advantage of using your own banner where-ever you can.
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Don't just submit your website to the Big Search Engines. Work on getting your site listed in directories specific to your niche / target audience.
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Take advantage of Tell-A-Friend Scripts. These little scripts allow you to add a small email form onto your website, so that viewers can recommend your website to others.
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Click here and read 118 Ways to promote your business.
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Be sure to review my tips on Generating More Web Traffic
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Building Your Brand
You always want to make sure that your website stands out, so that people will remember you. Here are some Build Your Brand Tips:
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Get A Custom Designed Website
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If you create a blog for your site, be sure to use a theme that compliments the design of your main site. If you can incorporate your site design into your blog theme, or even use the same headers and colors, that is a good idea.
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Create a Logo and Use Similar Headers on your websites
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Add your Logo to print and promotional material, from your business card to your web banners
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Use similar colors throughout your sites to stay consistent with your brand
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Create your own Tagline or catch phrase
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Define who your are in one sentence. If you are going around telling people you do this, that, and the other thing, you will lose their attention before you even get started. Have a clear and concise definition of you who are so that you are easy to remember and hard to forget!
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Click here for tips on how to Create Your Own eCommerce Site or Web Shop |
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