subject: Making My Very Own Website [print this page] Having your own website is very useful especially when you want to promote your business or at least feature your services online. With a website you are able to make your name visible to the online community, and people searching for your products and services would have a better reach to your works. It is also easy to make your own website, as unlike before, the resources to build your page have now become more available for you to use.
Domain and Web Host
There are two things that you need in order to start building a website, and that would be a domain and a host. The domain will serve as your website address, while the web host is the service that will keep your site active online.
The domain and web host are purchased separately, although there are web hosting providers that offer domain and web host packages so that you will no longer have to be billed separately.
There are also free website builders on the internet today; in a way they look like blogs because you are going to place your domain on their own servers. However, they prove to be a good start for your site especially if your goal is just to launch online visibility.
Website Building
A hosting package comes with a variety of tools that you will use in building your site. You have a database program (MySQL), web application framework (Ruby on Rails), and a website builder (WordPress), among many others. If you are new to setting up a website, then you can just install the WordPress application in order to see the framework of your site.
WordPress practically sets up everything for your website, and all you have to do next is to add themes and other design essentials so that your site would look attractive. You can also start adding content for your pages.
FTP and DNS Tweaks
Before your website becomes officially launched online, there are certain tweaks that you must first do. These include setting up your domain name server (DNS) settings and your file transfer protocol (FTP).
Your webhost service will provide you with DNS addresses that you have to enter in your domain account, so that your site will be linked to your domain and as well as on each other's servers.
Meanwhile, if you have special files or programs to include in your website, you have to upload them first via FTP (you may have to download a FTP software to make things easier). However, if you are currently happy with your site content, and are not planning to add more items yet, then there's no need to tinker with your FTP for the meantime.
The steps on how to make your own website nowadays are much simpler now than it used to be. With the right materials at hand, you can start setting up your site within just a few hours, and once it's launched, all you have to do is keep it updated regularly.
