Lena Nilsson

In the previous article we looked at the basics of deciding what you want on your website, and the pros and cons of doing it yourself or using a web designer. Now it's time for the next step in the process...

Decide on whether you want to enlist a web developer after you have made up your mind, at least to some degree, about what you want in your website. It's far easier to get an idea of the cost if you already have a plan - especially how many pages you need.

I have a suggestion though. Be bold and buy the XSitePro2 software program for web development. Set it up yourself and have all control.

One factor I really like with XSitePro2 is that you don't always have to save your work before checking by previewing in your browser. If what you see in the browser is not what you expect, you do not save.

With other programs I've used, you need to save first to find out how it turns out in your browser. At times, it caused problems, which, for some strange reason for me as a layperson, were impossible to delete. I was fickle and I fiddled, but learnt fast about frustration and had to start again. With XSitePro2 it seems to be smooth sailing all the way.    

10 things to think about on the web

1. Do not be tempted to make your webpage too wide! If you use a template, maybe choose one of the slimmer ones. A wide page looks terrific in a wide screen, but there're many different sizes of screens out there. If you make your page to fit something wide, some people may have to scroll from side to side to be able to read. Usually, people find it easier to read in the middle of the screen when only having to scroll downwards. With XSitePro2, you also have an easy way to add in page breaks. If your separate pages turn out quite long, instead of scrolling, you add breaks by a click of a button. It's very simple. 
   
   
2. Use colours reflecting the mood of the sight. If you want it to be happy and cheerful, use happy and warm colours, but certainly not too bright and overpowering. Colours should compliment each other. If you want it to be strict and professional, use subdued and cooler colours e.g. darker blues and grey tones.
   
   
3. Use a white or very light background for your text. If you prefer a darker page, I would still recommend a white background for the writing and have the dark part on the side panels as it's proven to be easier on the eye to read from a light background.
   
   
4. When changing colours for e.g. headlines, even if you use a template, which comes with a pre-determined colour scheme, it's probably best to pick a colour from some decoration on the page, a colour that stands out. Painters, when painting a picture, use a colour in more than one place of their work. It's important for colours to blend in, or compliment one another and never become an eyesore. If you believe you're somewhat colour blind, stick to the colour scheme of the template you're using.
   
   
5. Use a web font (not all fonts are suitable to be used on the web) in a size of e.g. 9 or 10 (11 or 12 at the most, but they will be quite large) for the main writing, so the page becomes more easily read by most people without having to adjust the text size in their tool bar. Refrain from making the writing too small. If people cannot easily read the text, they may skip the site. (Please Note: XSitePro2 has the suitable and familiar web fonts included in the program. You can choose or change fonts and sizes as you like.)
   
   
6. Add a photo of yourself on your site, especially if you offer any form of writing services. People like to see the person they plan to deal with. I've also come to understand that to associate a page with somebody and give it some sort of identity a face is a good way of "branding". Please be aware of any implications as in e.g. ID fraud. If concerned, maybe you should not use a photo. 
   
   
7. When choosing a domain name, think about your site's purpose. If you want to use www.yourname.com.au you may not be able to use it on all search engines. You can use it on all the main ones, but it seems like country specific search engines do not seem to accept e.g. com.au if the site is not in the language of their country, or has information specific to that country. Many times, it may not matter, but if it does for you, then think about it, or check for more information. As far as I know, the best domain name is one with .com. I have also found from experience that it's more expensive to buy and to host a .com.au domain than a .com apart from the important fact that .com is used all over the world.  
   
   
8. Try to use an easy way of navigation within your site. It's nothing worse when you have to guess where to click to find out what you need to know next.
   
   
9. The XSitePro2 program comes with a tool which will obscure your email from Internet robots. This means that robots should not be able to pick up your email address. You don't want a massive amount of spam dumped on you because you advertised your contact details on the web.
   
   
10. Use a software program which is easy to use, if you're not familiar with web developing. You do yourself a big favour and you save a lot of time by using XSitePro2. This program promises to be the best and is, in my opinion, not overrated. It's easy to use, looks professional and includes lots of graphics and the XHeader program as an extra, not to mention the Tutorial, Tools, Manual, Message Board and a Support System. You have everything you need to succeed. 

A few words on domain names and web hosting

Sometimes when you look at a website such as e.g. www.godaddy.com, you may easily get overwhelmed. For those with no idea what to look for and what they need to find out, I've come up with some typical examples, which may help you.

Whether you use somebody to design your website, or you do everything yourself, you still need a domain name and hosting of your site. The longer time you sign up for, the cheaper the prices.

I've used Go Daddy for my domain names and for the hosting of my sites as I find the prices competitive. Unfortunately, if you're only interested in e.g. .com.au domain names, they do not sell them and do not host them.  

Go Daddy's Current Prices

I've no idea when the prices listed in my table below will change. They will also fluctuate according to exchange rates. If you want to find out prices in your currency (some currencies available, but not all), there's a button up the top right corner of their website to do this. 

Domain name

Domain names, as in "http://www.yourname.com", come with a special price at the time this article is written. The price applies if you buy, for example, domain hosting at the same time as your domain name. You can play around to search for a suitable, available domain name in the search box on their site. 

If you buy only the domain name such as "http://www.yourname.com", you need to pay slightly more for one year as you can see in the table below. You can do this and then pay for the hosting later.

Private Registration

If you want to keep your domain registration private, you need to add a fee. If you don't pay to keep the details private, www.whois.com will list your address. The Who Is site is open for further details about websites to all people. If you don't want your home address displayed on the net, you need to pay for private registration. The only address listed, in that case, will be for the company, which keeps your information private. Your address details will not be on the Internet for all to see. If you want private registration, you may add this when you buy your domain name.
   
Website Hosting

If you pay for e.g. 12 months hosting on an Economy Plan it's cheaper than if you pay for, let's say, only 3 months. The longer you commit yourself, the better the price per month. 
If you buy website hosting, do not forget to choose operating system, such as e.g. Windows or Linux.

The XSitePro2 software program comes with the total set-up for submitting your website to the hosting address. It's very easily set up and once you've done it, the details maybe be kept for updating of your site at a click of a button.

Depending on when, and if, you want to use Go Daddy, you'll have to pay the approximate prices for the first year as outlined in the table below: (Please Note: The price examples used are only for comparison and for those with no idea what to expect if they want to start with a webpage. There will be no responsibilities taken if you choose to use Go Daddy for registration of a domain and/or hosting of a website. The prices listed may change without prior notice.)

*The prices in red apply if you buy e.g. domain hosting at the same time as your domain name and at the time this article is written.

As you can see it may be affordable to have a website for a whole year, if you also have your own excellent web development software program - which you can use as many times as you like.

Does that sound like a good deal for your presence on the net?  

© Lena Nilsson, 2009.