Sometimes running a website is not easy, that is why having some helpful advice can really give you a hand up in the website world. Helpful tips to improve your website are great, but just remember you should always use your own judgement and still do what you are comfortable with too!
Plan your website
- Before you begin to make a website, think about what you want to make
Before you even begin to design and code a website you need to plan. Plan what the name will be, plan what kind of site you will be making and plan ahead for how much time to set aside to maintain the website. Every kind of website is different and there are limitless options for what you can create. While it is a great feeling to dream about what you can make, when you are captured by an idea, you have to be realistic and make plans! Your website will take time and effort to create and depending on the purpose of the site, it may not become popular overnight.
Here is a handy list of questions you might find helpful to ask yourself before you start a project. Remember, this is all about what you plan to do, to ensure that you can create a website that works well, or at least have a clear idea of what you are setting out to do.
- What kind of website do I want to make?
- What will I call it?
- Where will I host it?
- So I need to purchase a domain?
- Do I have the extra time handy to make the site and maintain it?
- Is the website for me or other people?
- What will I put on the website?
- What will I use to run the site, a script like WordPress or just HTML?
- How can I share the website or advertise?
You should feel comfortable about your decision to make the site. If in your planning stage you have doubts it is important that you address them early and find a salutation or decide what can be changed to best suit you. Creating a website should not be painful, and although there may be times when trying to code them can be frustrating, just remember you are learning and growing through the whole process, look back and consider how far you have already come and be proud of yourself!
Coding/Design
- How you can make the design process clear and versatile
For some people one of the most painful parts of the website process is creating a design and coding it. This section is not aimed to tell you how you should or shouldn’t create a design, we are offering ideas to take into consideration that might be helpful for you and your visitors.
When you create a design you must remember that visitors may be using different computers and browsers that will view the website differently. This could include the structure of the layout, the colours and fonts may all be altered to make the website un-viewable or completely different to how you wanted. It is highly recommend that you view your website in as many browsers as you can, or download plugins for your browser that can show you what it may look like, to avoid any of these problems.
The structure of your website is best when it is easy to understand and not confusing. A lot of websites tend to stick with; a header, navigation, sidebar, content and a footer. What you place in your design is up to you, but try to avoid having anything too cluttered or navigation in a place that is hard to find. Most of the time if a visited becomes frustrated and can’t find what they want they will leave.
These days it is becoming increasingly popular for websites to be viewed on mobile/cell phones. You should consider how your website would look when viewed in one and if it would be accessible or not. If you are running a blog on the popular WordPress script you can download plugins that will create a theme for mobile/cell phone visitors which is an added extra. You don’t have to go that far, but it is a good way to consider how flexible your design is.
If you decide to validate your coding and CSS this is a good way for your visitors and you to know that you have created a website design that meets quality standards and is compatible with the technical know-how of today. Although this is up to you if you decide to have valid coding or not, valid coding does not make your website more popular and it does not improve a design or content.
Remember to have fun with your design and allow your message to come across for whatever reason your website was created. It is important to make your guests feel comfortable and equal. No one likes to go to a website and be told they are less important, because you are not. Think about how you are making those that visit your site and if you are sending the intended message.
Content
- What your website is all about
Deciding on what content to put on your website may leave you in a bit of a muddle. Of course the type of content depends on what site you are making. Generally, for blogs you might include; blog updates, a page about you, visitor content (if you wanted), website information and links to other blogs. There is no right or wrong way for what you include and everyone is different with what they are comfortable with.
It is important to think about what you are putting on your website and if it is appropriate. It may be easy to use images and text, but are you using material that was created by someone else? Did you know that it is illegal to use images and text by someone else without their permission to reproduce it? I am sure you would not like your website being closed or finding yourself in legal trouble because of it. You should always make sure if you are going to use any material that is not your own that you either contact the creator or make sure that it is available to be used.
When placing content on your site it is good to consider this: would what I am placing be something I would share with family or friends that I know in everyday life? If the answer is no, then you should heavily consider what you may place on your website. Although your website is a personal place to add what you like, people can find your website and if you are not comfortable with that it could be an awkward situation. You should also take into consideration that whatever you put online will always be online and can be see. You may think, how can that be possible if you decide to delete something? There may be people that save your content, or websites that archive what is on your site, so just remember whatever you say could be seen in weeks, months or even years later.
This page was last modified by Kya on May 28, 2010 at 9:44 am.