How to Start Your Very Own Website

How to Start Your Very Own Website Websites have revolutionized the way we shop for things, as well as how we consume information on a regular basis. Most people don’t realize that you don’t need to be inherently tech savvy to run your own blog or online store. To successfully launch a website, just follow the steps below: Pick a domain name The very first step to take is to come up with a domain name for your brand or company. Your domain name is the address that people can type into their browser to access your website. Tips when choosing a domain name: Choose a secure domain name that is easy to pronounce so that it’s easy for people to remember Go with a .com domain if available Avoid spelling mistakes or hyphens Choose a brandable name if possible The first step once you’ve decided on a domain name is to use a domain registrar to find out if the domain name you’ve chosen is available. Once you’ve found a domain name that’s available, simply buy it from your desired registrar. Now it’s time to find a hosting provider to host your new website. Pick a hosting provider A web-host is going to be the company that “hosts” your website to ensure it’s accessible at any time for readers to access it. There are many hosting providers to choose from and they all essentially will do the same thing. Hosting is also quite cost effective and you can usually find a good host for around $100 per year. Two hosting companies that I personally recommend are HostGator or BlueHost. Install a Content Management System (CMS) Unless youre a web designer or are a proficient coder, youre going to want to opt for a CMS system that will make designing your website super simple. If your non tech savvy like me, I’d highly recommend using either WordPress if youre looking to create a blog, or Shopify if your looking to create an online store (or you want to sell products through your website). WordPress Installing WordPress is quite easy and takes very little time to set up. Simply log into your new hosting cpanel (your hosting account) and look for the Quick Install or WordPress icon. Most hosting companies have WordPress built into them for easy installation. One thing I will say is WordPress does have a bit of a learning curve. It may take you 30 minutes or so of playing around with the software to figure it out completely. That being said it’s pretty easy to learn and theres hundreds of YouTube videos that explain how to use it. Shopify If youre building an online store or youre going to be selling products through your website, I’d recommend going with Shopify. This is essentially a platform built with the non tech savvy in mind to help you build your own online store, quickly and easily. They have a ton of tutorials to walk your through the process of creating your own digital store. The only downside is they charge a monthly subscription fee but you can start for free with their 14 day free trial.   You can also read these Shopify reviews for a better view and feedback about Shopify. Pick a theme If you opt for WordPress, you’ll need to pick a theme for your website. Your websites “Theme” is essentially a pre-packaged template for your website. Some themes have page builders that allow you to completely customize your site by dragging and dropping different aspects into your websites design and other themes already come pre-designed. You can download free themes inside WordPress by going to the Appearance tab. You can also find a ton of amazing themes for purchase at ThemeForest. Write your first post Now that you’ve picked a theme, it’s time to start blogging!