Creating a Business Website

We did not set out to create page after page dedicated to website information, however it plays such an important roll in today's world that it became almost impossible not to provide some of our thoughts and product reviews.

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How difficult is it to create a Website ?

Creating personal or business website's today is not all that difficult as there are so many tools available to help you. But because there are so many tools and so much information out there it is a bit confusing trying to decide where and how to start.

If this whole subject is lost to you then you may find it a little difficult to create your website. But having at least an understanding of some of the basics will help even if you obtain the services of someone to carry out the work for you.

Many Hosting Companies and ISP's now also provide you access to software which will help you to create your own website. These tools are slowly improving and becoming easier to use and may be useful to some. I personally do not use online web creation tools as I use software entirely on my pc, but I know many personal and small business sites which have been created entirely with these tools.

We suggest if you know nothing about website creation then maybe you should spend some time and play with some of these tools before you attempt to use HTML Editors as it will help your understanding.

Creating A Website Yourself

To create a website yourself you will want to know some basic's.

To create a website you are going to need a html editor. There are dozens in the market place and some want an arm and a leg which is why many people end up paying for someone to build them a site. I personally use Dreamweaver (but it did cost me both my arms and a leg). However you can grab HTML Editors for FREE

Free HTML Editors

SeaMonkey (1.1.14) is another Open Source Project similar to Open Office. It is still a little lacking, however the next version of the software is already in beta so I am looking forward to seeing what they have done. The next version is already available for use if you would like to have a look at it (however it is in beta so expect bugs).

Trellian is another HTML Editor which is Free to use. This gets my thumbs up as being a little nicer to use then seamonkey. You also have access to a forum if you need any tips.

Evrsoft also have an Editor which you can use, First Page 2000 (now First Page 2006). They do have a sale version of the software which they say will remove nag screens (advertisements) from the software, however I played with it and did not see any nag screens.. I think this program should be your first download, as it is the closest to a reasonable product out of almost 20 that I downloaded and tested. If you do not like the look and feel then try the other two I talk about above.

The HTML Editors above are not yet as evolved as some of the commercial products (hence I use Dreamweaver), however I know that 90% of those creating simple website's do not use commercial software. So that means that the large majority of small sites currently on the net are compiled with non commercial software. I think it's simply a matter of what you are use to.

There are a lot of free html editors available, if you do not like any of the above ones then maybe go to a site like download.com and search for HTML Editors, you will find dozens of them, some are free and some for trial periods.

Using Pre designed Templates

This could also be a great advantage to those who are simply after a web presence and do not have the time to start from scratch. There is certainly a LOT of junky templates on the net, so you are best to avoid a large majority of them. There are however some sites that offer some great designs for a small price.

Remember that any template you use will still need editing for your individual needs, but it certainly will cut down on time. I and the team spent almost 30 hours trying to come up with a design for this site to suit our personal needs, and that was before we got down to work. So templates can save time.

A great example of people using templates is to use our friends from EasyAs. This website has evolved over time and I have seen 3 major website changes in as many years.

Being a nosey prick I asked why. They told me that originally they threw up a simple site just to get started, then they purchased and used a pre designed template. But their main site then outgrew the template so they created a whole new look to make it easier for changes and additions.

Their Income Tax Software site still uses the template design, where as the Accounting Site uses their new design (click the links and have a look)

The template they used for the income tax software site was purchased from DreamTemplate . Once you pay a small fee you can download and use any of the templates on their site. Take a look at the income software site from EasyAs and then locate the software section on Dream Templates and you will find the template they used and the changes they made to that template to suit their needs.

I suggest you have a go at creating a site yourself first, and if its over your head or you find you do not have the time, or you find it hard to get past the first page, maybe templates from Dream Templates are your answer.

Paying People to Create a Business Website

If creating a website is beyond you, or you simply prefer to have it performed by someone else then the most important thing on your mind will be price.

Some people will want an arm and a leg just for a simple website. If this is their business then they are suppose to be skilled and it should take next to no time for them to create a decent looking website consisting of several information pages which help promote your services for the sole purpose of having a web presence.

One point to note, some may will even try to get you to host with them, but do your homework first, in many cases this will be a mistake (check out our hosting information). If they try to say that it will cost more to create the pages because you want to use your host (or your free isp web space) then find someone else. I say this because it will only take a few extra minutes for the skilled professional to upload this to your own web space.

What price to pay for the website

That's the million dollar question and may become expensive if you do not obtain a firm quote for the services. However, this area of the market is becoming very competitive today and you are bound to find very reasonable prices.

When I put up my very first website I actually paid a friend's son to do it for me. He was at high school and had long been messing about with computers at home, so he was more than competent. I agreed on fee (with his parent consent, so I wasn't ripping him off) and he helped me create a site which was as good as any site the professionals were doing at that time. In the process he showed me the basics so I could at least go back an make additional changes down the track myself (saving me money in the long run), and from that point my web knowledge began.

If you are going to be paying someone to create your website then be aware of the following: