Building a Website


Taking baby steps

By breaking down the project into small and manageable tasks, the overall job of creating a website becomes easy and less overwhelming. By following a set of steps you will see the site evolve from a simple idea, to a fully functional presence on the web.


Website Concept

Visualize the reason for making a website. When coming up with the concept, you will determine who your target audience is, the theme of your site and the method in which you intend to deliver information.


Website organization

This is the step where you determine what your page is going to look like. After figuring out the look, you will need to determine how people are going to navigate through your sight without getting lost. Once these two tasks have been completed, the method of delivering your content that is to be included needs to be developed.


Creating the site

Here is where all your hard work so far, pays off. Now you will create your sitemap, homepage, create your template pages and implement your content. When you are creating these pages, make sure the folders are set up so information of the same type is grouped together. If you do this while you are creating the site on your computer, it will be much easier to manage after it has been uploaded to your host. Another point to keep in mind is to always allow for expansion. Remember that your site is never completed, but rather an ongoing process of continuous improvements and updates.


Maintaining your site

The content you provide on your site needs to be fresh and up to date. This is done through research and by coming up with new ideas. Some of the ways to spark your creativity is to visit other sites that have the same interests. You can come up with new ways to present your content, different methods of navigation or just a whole new look. Remember that when you are updating or doing an overhaul, to never shut your site down. You should also try to not rename pages because they have already been indexed by search engines. You have worked so hard to get you information recognized by the search engines and if you change the foundation of the site, it will be like starting all over to get your pages ranked. Putting a feedback form on your site also gives you visitors the ability to help by making suggestions of what you could change or include. You need to keep in mind that the site is for them, not you. When it comes to development and content, the best critiques are the people who visit your site on a regular basis.