maxedgames
Regular Member
- Jul 30, 2014
- 270
- 119
Creating A Website From Scratch Can Be Overwhelming For Some People.
I have decided to create a guide on how to create a fully functional website from scratch.
Enjoy
**If This Is In The Wrong Section, I Apologize**
Things I will Cover In This Guide
1. Finding The Right Domain Name / What is A domain Name
2. Finding A Hosting Provider / What Does A Hosting Provider Do
3. Configuring Your Domain & Host
4. Using Wordpress To Make Your Website Live
1. Finding The Right Domain Name / What Is A Domain Name
What Is A domain Name?
A domain name is the URL your visitors will have to type and remember every time they want to visit your website which is why it is very important. Many website developers find choosing a domain name the most 'stressful' part because the domain will reflect your business / blog. Choosing a domain name will take time and effort and should not be done within 10 minutes....
Q. Where Can I buy a domain?
A. Godaddy is the most popular and they offer lots of coupons and discounts
Q.How much does a domain cost?
A. Anywhere from $1-$14 (**Unless It's An Auction**)
Q. Is there a way to tell if my domain is already taken?
A. There is an application that will tell you whether it is already taken or used with a social media account, Type into google 'Thenameapp'
Q.Which extension should I use (Ex. .com, .net, . org, etc)
A. If you are asking this question I would suggest .com.
Some tips for choosing the right domain name
2. Finding A Hosting Provider / What Does A Host Do?
What Does A host Do
Now that we know what a domain is, the second step is finding the right host. A hosting provider stores all your website files & folders, without a host, your website would be empty and blank. Having a host is a necessity and they are fairly easy to use, watching a couple YouTube tutorials will clear any questions you may have about hosting c panels.
Q. How Much Do Hosts Cost?
A. Depends on personal preference and the amount of traffic / storage you will need. For beginners I would say between $20 - $60 a year.
Q. Which Host Should I Use?
A. All hosts do the same thing, 'host files', I personally would suggest 'Siteground' because they offer a free domain name with any hosting package and their customer support is amazing.
**Tip For Selecting A Host** Look around, many hosts offer special discounts / deals (Ex. Free domains, free domain transfer, etc)
3. Configuring Your Domain & Host
** SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU BOUGHT DOMAIN & HOST FROM THE SAME PROVIDER**
Q. Should I Buy Host & Domain From Same Provider?
A. Depends, it will save you the trouble of configuring name servers but some hosts are a lot better then others.
So you bought a host and a unique domain name, now what? In order for your site to become 'live' you must connect your domain to your host (website files) to do this, you have to configure your 'name servers'. Name servers are relatively complicated especially if you are new to website developing, so I will go over this very briefly.
1. Ask your hosting provider what your name servers are
2. Ask your domain provider to change current name servers to your hosting name servers
4. Using Wordpress To Make Your Website Live
Q. Do I have to use wordpress?
A. Absolutely not, but I would definitely suggest it, especially if you are new to website development.
Q. Is wordpress hard to use / learn?
A. Not at all, watch a couple videos and you will be good to go.
You have bought a domain name & hosting, you have configured your name servers but your website is STILL blank! That is because you haven't added any files to your host yet. I would suggest using wordpress (you don't have too) because it is a very easy but powerful platform to use. Almost ALL hosts will have a wordpress installation option in the cpanel this will save you a lot of time, especially if you have never configured wordpress before. If you are unsure if your host provides this option, ask them, chances are they do.
If your host does not have a wordpress installation option it is very easy to manually install it, even if you are new to website development. After you have installed wordpress watch a few introductory youtube videos on the wordpress platform and within 2 hours you have a fully functional LIVE website.
Should I create an in-depth guide on installing / using / operating wordpress? If yes, comment below in the replies section
I have decided to create a guide on how to create a fully functional website from scratch.
Enjoy
**If This Is In The Wrong Section, I Apologize**Things I will Cover In This Guide
1. Finding The Right Domain Name / What is A domain Name
2. Finding A Hosting Provider / What Does A Hosting Provider Do
3. Configuring Your Domain & Host
4. Using Wordpress To Make Your Website Live
1. Finding The Right Domain Name / What Is A Domain Name
What Is A domain Name?
A domain name is the URL your visitors will have to type and remember every time they want to visit your website which is why it is very important. Many website developers find choosing a domain name the most 'stressful' part because the domain will reflect your business / blog. Choosing a domain name will take time and effort and should not be done within 10 minutes....
Q. Where Can I buy a domain?
A. Godaddy is the most popular and they offer lots of coupons and discounts
Q.How much does a domain cost?
A. Anywhere from $1-$14 (**Unless It's An Auction**)
Q. Is there a way to tell if my domain is already taken?
A. There is an application that will tell you whether it is already taken or used with a social media account, Type into google 'Thenameapp'
Q.Which extension should I use (Ex. .com, .net, . org, etc)
A. If you are asking this question I would suggest .com.
Some tips for choosing the right domain name
- Short & Simple (Remember, your visitors will have to type & remember your domain every time they want to visit it)
- Pronounceable (I don't suggest picking a domain name such as, "makeeasymoney because it can be confused with makeasymoney"
- Try Not To Mix Letters & Numbers(Ex. 'Faceb00k' ---This will look very messy and unprofessional, remember, the domain name reflects your business
2. Finding A Hosting Provider / What Does A Host Do?
What Does A host Do
Now that we know what a domain is, the second step is finding the right host. A hosting provider stores all your website files & folders, without a host, your website would be empty and blank. Having a host is a necessity and they are fairly easy to use, watching a couple YouTube tutorials will clear any questions you may have about hosting c panels.
Q. How Much Do Hosts Cost?
A. Depends on personal preference and the amount of traffic / storage you will need. For beginners I would say between $20 - $60 a year.
Q. Which Host Should I Use?
A. All hosts do the same thing, 'host files', I personally would suggest 'Siteground' because they offer a free domain name with any hosting package and their customer support is amazing.
**Tip For Selecting A Host** Look around, many hosts offer special discounts / deals (Ex. Free domains, free domain transfer, etc)
3. Configuring Your Domain & Host
** SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU BOUGHT DOMAIN & HOST FROM THE SAME PROVIDER**
Q. Should I Buy Host & Domain From Same Provider?
A. Depends, it will save you the trouble of configuring name servers but some hosts are a lot better then others.
So you bought a host and a unique domain name, now what? In order for your site to become 'live' you must connect your domain to your host (website files) to do this, you have to configure your 'name servers'. Name servers are relatively complicated especially if you are new to website developing, so I will go over this very briefly.
1. Ask your hosting provider what your name servers are
2. Ask your domain provider to change current name servers to your hosting name servers
4. Using Wordpress To Make Your Website Live
Q. Do I have to use wordpress?
A. Absolutely not, but I would definitely suggest it, especially if you are new to website development.
Q. Is wordpress hard to use / learn?
A. Not at all, watch a couple videos and you will be good to go.
You have bought a domain name & hosting, you have configured your name servers but your website is STILL blank! That is because you haven't added any files to your host yet. I would suggest using wordpress (you don't have too) because it is a very easy but powerful platform to use. Almost ALL hosts will have a wordpress installation option in the cpanel this will save you a lot of time, especially if you have never configured wordpress before. If you are unsure if your host provides this option, ask them, chances are they do.
If your host does not have a wordpress installation option it is very easy to manually install it, even if you are new to website development. After you have installed wordpress watch a few introductory youtube videos on the wordpress platform and within 2 hours you have a fully functional LIVE website.
Should I create an in-depth guide on installing / using / operating wordpress? If yes, comment below in the replies section
