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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Melissa on November 08, 2012, 11:46:00 AM

Title: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Melissa on November 08, 2012, 11:46:00 AM
I thought someone posted something about this before, but I was unable to find it.

I am looking to set up a website to help promote my business (nutrition and fitness related).  What are some easy steps to get started and are there any websites you use for assistance?
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: AmbystomaOpacum on November 08, 2012, 11:52:22 AM
If it at all works for you, using something like WordPress or Tumblr is easiest.

One way or the other, do not use GoDaddy for anything.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: PaulM12345 on November 08, 2012, 12:09:08 PM
You can convert a wordpress blog into a website using their templates and their "pages" feature. It takes a little work as Wordpress was designed for blogging, and you don't want your website to look like a blog (you may want to remove all the "like, facebook, share" features, for instance) but it's not too hard. - the key is setting one of your pages as "home", so the entry point is a page and not a blog. and since you are using their templates you don't have a lot of control over how it looks. but that has been the easiest for me. Then you buy a domain directly via wordpress for $15-30.

Check out this site, for starters:

http://en.support.wordpress.com/using-wordpress-to-create-a-website/
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: jimmygibbon on November 08, 2012, 02:00:53 PM
I have been using www.citymax.com for about 8 years now for my website www.newpuremineralmakeup.com.  It is quite simple to build your own website and reasonably priced at about 20.00 per month.  I am not tech savvy and had no trouble building the website.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: kisserofsinners on November 08, 2012, 02:49:25 PM
It may sound crazy, but HTML is barely coding. It's very easy to learn and use an old version of dreamweaver to set up your site in a nice easy graphical interface.

Most existing site templates are for blogging and it takes some tweaking to make a static site look good. It's also got all sorts of problems if you even need to change web hosting. I'm also not too convinced that wordpress will be around forever. If you're going to use the web to promote your business it's worth investing into an education on the subject. And by "invest" i mean take time to read the tons of books at the library. I doubt it'll be much upfront for used software.

Good Luck
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Melissa on November 08, 2012, 03:17:48 PM
Quote
It may sound crazy, but HTML is barely coding. It's very easy to learn and use an old version of dreamweaver to set up your site in a nice easy graphical interface.

As I was reading your post my oldest daughter (freshman in high school) said, "Hey we use dreamweaver at school, and I learned HTML in computer science club."

She may have just found her first paying gig.

Thanks for the assistance
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Orvell on November 08, 2012, 03:20:07 PM
There's an awesome 4 minute instruction video floating around by Hank Green. I'll find it for you after work, or you can just google it too. :)
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Bakari on November 08, 2012, 04:14:35 PM
I have a $25 a year domain through Doteasy.com (http://affiliate.doteasy.com/index.cfm?M=red&B=3&T=185477&A=lenardsimp3")

It comes with free web hosting.

I knew nothing about webpages or html at the time, so I used their built in "easy webpage designer" to make a somewhat customized generic webpage.

Then, much later, as I thought of things I wanted to change that the simple free built-in editor couldn't do, I downloaded the existing website into a WYSIWYG (simple graphic user interface) webpage editor (I originally used MS Frontpage, just because I already had it, I currently use Kompozer, which is free), and made changes there.
That way I kept the basic layout, buttons, and page structure that the built-in editor had set-up, which I couldn't do by hand, but I gained full control over editing it.

I use FileZilla (also free) to upload changes via FTP.

As I made changes and additions, I gradually learned a little html, by looking up just what I needed to do on google.

So, a few years later, with zero html or any other coding classes or lessons or instruction of any kind, I have built my website myself: www.biodieselhauling.org saving perhaps hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars over hiring someone else to make it for me. 
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: jawisco on November 08, 2012, 08:49:45 PM
I think it really depends on your business and what the goals of your website are.  Do you need it to drive sales?  Do you need it for education?  Figure out what it needs to do for your business and then work backward.

I needed a website to provide credibility for my business - so I got a domain and web hosting at Go Daddy and hired an inexpensive designer ($25/hour) and used her for maybe 20 hours and came out with something satisfactory for my purposes.

I think Bakari's website is great for his business.  After looking at his site briefly,  I would hire him if I needed his services and lived in SanFrancisco.  But one size does not fit all when it comes to websites...
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Rangifer on November 08, 2012, 08:58:42 PM
^^^^ What jawisco said.

I pay $50/month for web hosting. I don't utilize the majority of storage and bandwidth resources that are available with the package I've got. I run a website that makes a fair amount of cash each month, so I recognize that I am paying for a certain level of service. I just checked uptime a few days ago and it was 99.99% for the past month (it was unreachable for 3m43s). If you run a business site and someone gets an error when they try to reach it, you've instantly lost your credibility.

In addition, you've got to compare with what others are doing, especially in competitive niches like nutrition. Look at some of the sites posted in this thread. Now compare them with a Wordpress theme you can buy for 50 bucks (http://themeforest.net/item/nimble-multipurpose-retina-ready-wordpress-theme/full_screen_preview/3009347). Which would you pick? Your website is the face of your business and if you are serious about making money you shouldn't cheap out. Hell, I think even MMM paid for some web design work.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Melissa on November 09, 2012, 06:13:08 AM
Thank you everyone!

Bakari, thanks for the easy to understand information.  I checked out your website and think it's great.  Very user friendly and easy to navigate through.  I'd hire you when we decide to move but the mileage cost to Columbus OH might run a little high :-)
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: fidgiegirl on November 09, 2012, 06:19:36 PM
I like weebly.com.  Drag and drop, lots of templates, and if you want the paid version, it's only $25 a year.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: lukethomas on November 10, 2012, 08:12:34 AM
It's much easier than you think. I'm a web developer, and If you are looking for a good start following these instructions:

1. Purchase domain + hosting from Dreamhost.com (Not the best hosting, but $8.95/month is pretty inexpensive)

2. Install WordPress (http://wiki.dreamhost.com/WordPress)

3. Install a Theme, Most are Free (http://weblogs.about.com/od/wordpresstutorialstips/tp/How-To-Install-A-Wordpress-Theme-From-The-Wordpress-Dashboard-Or-Ftp.htm). If looking for a nicer theme, visit Themeforest -> http://themeforest.net/popular_item/by_category?category=wordpress

There are a plethora of tutorials online about how to get up and running using WordPress.

Don't use GoDaddy!
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Ipodius on November 12, 2012, 02:54:07 AM
I'd strongly recommend Squarespace - ( http://www.squarespace.com/ (http://www.squarespace.com/) ) - $8 a month for their basic plan, and even cheaper if you go for a yearly plan and sign up using a coupon. To find a discount coupon, google online or check out podcasts (podcasts on the Twit network and 5by5 network both have advertisements from Squarespace).

Pretty easy to use, you can create great looking pages, and there hosting is rock solid. Free trial also, so you there's no risk. I'd suggest buying your domain from them also, makes it easier to manage rather than having a separate domain provider.

Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: KristinD on November 14, 2012, 09:06:46 AM
You can convert a wordpress blog into a website using their templates and their "pages" feature. It takes a little work as Wordpress was designed for blogging, and you don't want your website to look like a blog (you may want to remove all the "like, facebook, share" features, for instance) but it's not too hard. - the key is setting one of your pages as "home", so the entry point is a page and not a blog. and since you are using their templates you don't have a lot of control over how it looks. but that has been the easiest for me. Then you buy a domain directly via wordpress for $15-30.

Check out this site, for starters:

http://en.support.wordpress.com/using-wordpress-to-create-a-website/

You can modify the templates and use your own html if I'm not mistaken. I was going to suggest Wordpress myself.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: laneregister on November 28, 2012, 07:13:04 PM
Resurrecting this post, but could someone enlighten me about the animosity toward godaddy? I'm starting a website soon as well and would like to know the reason why I should stay away from them.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: grantmeaname on November 28, 2012, 09:14:16 PM
The wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Daddy#Controversies) has 11 subsections in the controversy section. That's enough reading to get you started, but it should suffice to say that they're consistently unethical.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: AmbystomaOpacum on December 03, 2012, 06:42:23 AM
The wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Daddy#Controversies) has 11 subsections in the controversy section. That's enough reading to get you started, but it should suffice to say that they're consistently unethical.

And it doesn't even mention the constant up-selling, completely awful user interfaces and the fact that you can never delete your account even if you completely stop being a customer. Nor does it mention the tacky and objectifying "go daddy girls" advertisement.
Title: Re: Not tech savvy-how do I start a website for my business?
Post by: Interest Compound on November 28, 2016, 03:59:06 PM
I'd strongly recommend Squarespace - ( http://www.squarespace.com/ (http://www.squarespace.com/) ) - $8 a month for their basic plan, and even cheaper if you go for a yearly plan and sign up using a coupon. To find a discount coupon, google online or check out podcasts (podcasts on the Twit network and 5by5 network both have advertisements from Squarespace).

Pretty easy to use, you can create great looking pages, and there hosting is rock solid. Free trial also, so you there's no risk. I'd suggest buying your domain from them also, makes it easier to manage rather than having a separate domain provider.

+1

I opened this thread just to recommend Squarespace. They're that good.