Building a website can seem like a daunting task. With all the different platforms and host providers to choose from, it can be difficult to find a starting point. But it’s actually not as difficult as you would think it is. So if you’re feeling a bit lost, here is a breakdown of how to build your own website.
Choose a website platform
A website platform or Content Management System (CMS) is a platform for building websites and managing your website content. There are many different platforms that you can choose from, with the most popular ones being WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
Keep in mind that other website builders may require you to know some HTML / CSS or other coding languages. If you’re a beginner, then you probably want to stay away from these. That’s why you need to do your research to make sure to then pick the right one.
Pick a host provider
Once you’ve picked a platform, the next step is to choose a host provider. Web hosting is a service that puts your website onto the internet, storing all of your website files and putting them on display for your viewers. Having your own web hosting means that you own your own web property and it’s not a site that’s rented to you or owned by WordPress, for example.
While most website building platforms are free, you probably need to pay a monthly fee for the web hosting and domain name. If you’re serious about building your own website, then you probably need to choose a hosting plan. But don’t worry, most of these won’t cost you an arm and a leg as they are pretty affordable.
Decide on a domain name
After you’ve decided on a hosting provider, the next step is choosing a domain name. A domain name is the web address of your website, such as YourName.com. This is an important part of your website, as the name is the way that your visitors will find it on the internet. Keep in mind that it should be catchy, unique and easy to remember.
Before picking one blindly, go online and do some research on the most popular names out there. You can then bounce your ideas off of your friends and family to see what they think. You will probably also have to pay to have your own domain name, but that cost is generally included with your host provider, so don’t fret.
Choose a theme
Once you’ve gotten these out of the way, you can now decide on the theme of your website. Depending on your website platform, there may be thousands of themes that you can choose from and most of them are free. Keep in mind that the theme should reflect what the website is about. Finding the perfect theme may take you some time, but it will be worth it in the end.
As you can see, it’s not that difficult building your own website. Website builders these days are much more user-friendly as most of them don’t require a prior knowledge of coding languages. So if you are keen, why not get started by following these simple steps.