How to Start a Website

Tap to Read ➤ Rahul Thadani

It is imperative to know the procedure for starting a website, if you are selling products or services of some kind. With a wide reach of the Internet, this is a channel that cannot be ignored in current times.

Today, there are around 1.9 billion websites all around the world. There are many advantages in this scenario, especially if you are involved in the provision of some kind of goods or services. The Internet is a powerful way of carrying out your business operations, and also for making your name in this industry.

Procedure

The first step is to get a unique domain name . This is simply for your website's identification, and will be typed by people in their address bar so that they are directed to your website's homepage. You will have to pay an annual fee to a registrar for this purpose, and you have to choose a name that is unique.

It is best to decide a name that gives a fair idea about the nature of your business, or the purpose of your operation. This name is one of the key elements in this scenario, and along with picking a good one, you need to establish the purpose of your website.

This could fall into any one of the categories mentioned here: It could be a Brochure/General Information website, which provides data and information that is pertinent to some specific parameter. It could be a Content website, which acts as an information library.

It could be a Blog , which consists of regularly updated information by a specific person or party that deals with particular aspects. It could be a Retail/E-commerce website, where the buying and selling of goods or services takes place.

It could be a Database website, which is a collection of data and information that has been amassed from a variety of sources. Lastly, it could be a Forum/Community website, where people from around the world give their opinion about certain events or products.

Once you have figured out your purpose, and have acquired a good domain name, you will be ready to proceed. The next step is to find a good web host.

Here are some types of web hosts: Shared Web Hosting : The websites are shared over a server. The speed and traffic of your website will be affected by the traffic of the other ones.

Dedicated Web Hosting : It is costlier, but it is worth it, as the server is solely dedicated to running only your website. Cloud Web Hosting : This is the latest type, where the server exists over the Internet itself, and not physically. Network security could be a concern in this case.

Many people argue that the best way to start a website is to hire a professional web designer. This is because, the next step is something that should be carried out by someone who is experienced in this field. This is the step of designing the layout of the website itself.

The most important thing is to ensure that all the information that you wish to portray is easily visible, and the website looks aesthetically pleasing. Designing a logo for your company, and displaying it on your website is also recommended. With an effective layout and design, you can ensure that the visitors can find out everything they are looking for.

Once all this happens, and your website is fully functional, the next step is to update your content on a regular basis. You can use text, multimedia content, Flash content, and even podcast files for this purpose.

If you wish to enter this business for free, and ignore all these pointers, it is recommended that you start a blog. The reason for this decision is that running a website is something that needs time, attention, and resources.

Other tips include using unique pictures, website content development software, and preferably, hiring a content writer.

Now, you need to ensure that your website's marketing is also done effectively. This includes submitting your website to a search engine (preferably Google), taking advantage of social networking websites, sending out emails to visitors, and other methods regarding Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Thus, these information should be sufficient enough for you to start your work in this industry, and you will gradually learn more tricks, tools, and tips. Remember, there are millions of other websites in the competition, so you need to find something that truly makes your website unique, and also, it can help the people who will visit it.