Put Your Business on the Web
the RIGHT Way!

Constructing Your Website

Constructing Youe Website Now that you've researched your market, built a list of keywords and written your content, it's time to start putting your site together.

Basically, there are 4 ways to go about this. You can...

Build it yourself using an online website builder
Build it yourself with a blogging platform
Build it yourself using website design software
Hire a web professional to build it for you

There are pros and cons for each method. Let's look at a few of them:

Online Website Builder

Pros:

Low cost
No knowledge of HTML (code) required
Great for non-technical users
Easy to use
Page templates supplied
Hosting supplied

Cons:

Construction time can be long using online design tools, especially if you have a slow Internet connection
Many solutions do not provide marketing or Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tools, or if they do, they are additional cost
Limited flexibility for more complex and larger sites

Recommendation:

For a long time now I've recommended Site Build It. For a low annual fee you get a wide range of site building, web marketing, keyword research and SEO tools included plus hosting and domain name registration. Proven results. Check out these SBI user videos.

SBI's system of step-by-step site building using "blocks" for each section on a page is perfect for beginners but can be a bit tedious for the more experienced. This can be overcome by using SBI's HTML Compatibility Module which allows you to design your site from scratch using your own software (Dreamweaver, Photoshop etc) or just speed up the process of updating your site while sticking with the supplied template. Full instructions are provided for this, but don't worry, you can still build a successful SBI site using the block system. In fact, most people do.

Questions? Get answers on Site Build It.

Blogging Platforms

Pros:

Low cost (free in many cases)
No knowledge of HTML (code) required
Great for non-technical users
Easy to use
Page templates supplied
Help readily available via forums
Search engines love blogs because of their constantly-updating nature

Cons:

You have to pay for your own hosting and domain name unless you use a hosted service (not recommended)
Need to be frequently updated to be most effective
Not suited to e-commerce sites
Limited flexibility for more complex and larger sites

A blog (web log) has many advantages over a regular “static” website. It allows you to connect with “Web 2.0” communities, which are basically sites which feature user-generated content (e.g. MySpace, YouTube, FaceBook etc). This is a great way to drive traffic to your site.

Blogs can also be used to supplement your existing static site. Search engines like blogs because they provide fresh content. They are ideal for a content site but can be demanding to maintain.

I have used Blogger and WordPress to create blogs.

My Web Design, Development & Marketing Blog uses WordPress and is hosted on my site at stevepronger.com. I use it as a way to add new content to the existing site.

I also used WordPress to create Affiliate-Sales-Programs.com. It’s hosted by Hostican who provide a very useful program called Fantastico which allows easy installation of WP. Trust me, if you are going to build a site with WP, chose a hosting company with Fantastico. It will save you the stress having to install WP yourself.

Recommendation:

WordPress is FAR superior. It is both easier to configure and achieves better search engine results due to the multitude of “plug-ins” available.

Although WP out of the box is a good choice, if you want to take your blog to the next level I recommend you check out Jack Humphrey’s Authority Site Center. ASC uses WP as the basis for its “Post and Rank” publishing system. The best way I can describe it is “WP on steroids”.

ASC is a member’s community which is all about building “authority”. It not only provides the tools for building your site but is a complete system for building success. Jack actually guarantees to increase your targeted traffic each and every month. Not as cheap as other solutions, but very powerful.

Website Design Software

Pros:

WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) applications available if you prefer not to work with code
Working from your own PC is faster than working in an online environment
High degree of flexibility and capabilities

Cons:

While some applications are easy to learn (XSitePro, FrontPage) others have a steep learning curve (Dreamweaver)
You have to arrange your own hosting and domain name registration
No SEO, keyword research or marketing tools provided (FrontPage, Dreamweaver)
Some applications don't include complete design templates which means you have to create your own graphics or purchase templates

Recommendation:

For DIY beginners and entrepreneurs I recommend XSitePro:

It's easy to use, quick to master and low cost. SEO tools are included, as are design templates. Tip: make sure you watch the "7 reasons why..." video.

XSitePro isn't anywhere near as powerful as Dreamweaver but it will allow you to build an effective website in a short amount of time, without possessing any technical skills. Most professional website designers would dismiss XSitePro in favour of Dreamweaver, but you're not a professional website designer, are you?

If quality of code and the ability to incorporate just about every type of web technology is important to you, and you're prepared to spend the time learning, get Dreamweaver. If not, XSitePro is your best choice.

Here's a site I built with XSitePro.

If you're a little more adventurous and would like to learn HTML - the language of the Web - One Hour HTML is a great learning aid:

Even if you use WYSIWYG software to create your site it's advantageous to know the basics of HTML.

Hire a Website Designer

Pros:

Experienced in design
Personal support
Time saving
No applications or design tools to learn

Cons:

May not be experienced with web marketing, keyword research or SEO
May not provide hosting or domain name registration services (additional cost)
May not be able to handle more complex tasks
Needs to be hired whenever updates are required
Higher cost than DIY

Recommendation

Shop around and get a number of quotes (prices vary considerably). Look at the designer's portfolio and see if you like previous designs. Read testimonials and contact one or two clients for their experience. Ask what considerations are given to keyword research and SEO.

If you like the look of Site Build It but don't fancy doing it yourself, or just don't have the time, SiteSell Services is now available to build a site for you.

Hire a Web Developer

Web developers differentiate themselves from website designers in that they are professionally trained and qualified in web technologies which go beyond basic website creation.

Pros:

Able to handle complex site building and functionalities such as databases, membership sites, custom software development, programming, shopping carts etc

Cons:

Same as website designer, plus
Generally more expensive than a website designer
May be overqualified for straight-forward tasks

Recommendation:

For most small/local businesses Site Build It or an SiteSell Services will be a smart choice, but for larger projects and more complex site building requirements (databases, shopping carts, special requirements etc) here are a couple of developers whose work is top notch. I can recommend them without hesitation.

In the US:

Al Toman at Studio9 Web Design

In Australia:

Linda Wilson at Wilson Web Studio

Tell them I sent you!

Whatever method you use to construct your site, the following tips will help you achieve success in your online business venture:

Always keep your objective firmly in mind and design your site to achieve that objective.
Keep your design clean with simple quick-loading graphics and easy-to-read text.
Your content is the most important aspect of your site. Use graphics to support and emphasise your text. It is your content which will lead your visitor to achieve your objective.
Don't view your site as an online brochure - you must have a "call to action". Tell your visitors exactly what you want them to do.
Don't just talk about your business. Your visitors don't care how long you have been in business or who founded it. They only care about one thing - what's in it for them. You must answer that question as soon as they hit your site. Talk about the BENEFITS of doing business with you.
Avoid sites designed entirely with "Flash". It’s OK to use Flash elements to draw attention to specific areas of your site, but if your whole page is comprised of a Flash movie the search engines will have difficulty understanding what your site is about. Search engines read text, they don’t watch movies. You’ll also aggravate visitors on a slow Internet connection. Trust me, they won’t wait for your fancy movie to load.
Give your visitors precisely what they came for - information and solutions to problems.
Content is king. Include lots of unique, informative, keyword-focused text that closely relates to the theme of your site and the search engines will love you for it. So will your visitors.
Update your content often.

Domain Name Registration & Hosting Account Setup

If you decide to build your own site using website design software it will be necessary to register a domain name and set up a hosting account.

Note: Site Build It includes domain name registration and hosting as part of the package. Do NOT register a domain if you intend using SBI.

For more information on Domain Names and Hosting see the special bonus section of this guide:

"Local Business Owner's Step by Step Guide to Creating an Effective Website with XSitePro"

Next - Understanding Search Engines

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