How do I Start my own Website?

*Originally published on 6/29/10


As the years go by, the internet becomes a more powerful marketing tool. People are able to get their products out in ways that they would not have been able to otherwise. People have launched careers via a website that gives them exposure to people all around the world.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is what do you want to market? Whether it's short stories, a one man show, online articles, or even a web show, you should figure out what you want your site to be. Of course, not all websites are career oriented. A lot of people make them for their own entertainment. Even in that case, you'll want to figure out what you want your site to be about. If it's just a personal page for fun, you should know that ahead of time so that you can design your site accordingly.

From there, you'll need a site to host the site. Webs.com, itgo.com, and godaddy.com are some sites that allow you to build your own web page. They also make the process easier so that those of us who are not technically inclined can still go through the process without a lot of trouble.

If you want to just start your own blog, there are also a ton of sites that you can go to. Sites like Wordpress or Blogspot are some of the big sites. Livejournal is also an option, though that is, in my experience, more for personal journals, though people do create blog pages that deal with some hobby or interest as well.

You'll want to make your page as dynamic as possible. Walls of text are not easy on the eyes, pictures can go a long way to making your page pop.

You can also use your site to put up videos. You can use a site like Youtube or Viddler to make vlogs or put up other videos that you want to share, but if you were to say, try to launch a web show, you could use the web page to help promote it.

Depending on which site you use, and how elaborate you want your page to be, you may need to pay a monthly fee to host the page. Smaller, less developed sites will often be able to get by for free, but the bigger the site, the more likely you will need to pay. It's usually a small fee, but depending on your site requirements, it can get a bit pricey as well.

Starting your own web page is a great way to get yourself out there. Whether you're a writer, actor, artist, or something else, acquiring your own web page can get you a lot of exposure all over the world. While it can be daunting, it's not a complicated matter and even working class people can get one, whether it's for simple enjoyment or for a business venture.