Your own website – anyone can do it

Why would you want to?

To communicate with your family and friends.

To have a blog – upload your thoughts, photos, general information, whatever you like, so that people can read it and comment.

To advertise yourself and get business.

Vanity.

To show off your  skills: writing, photographic, wit, illustrative…

Still hot to trot?

Right. Let me share my own experiences and then it’s up to you.

The people I use are 1and1 –  because someone told me about them and they cost very very little for entry level websites.  There are plenty of others, and they may be as good, less good or better. You just have to pick the ones that works for you.

1and1’s instructions are extremely easy to follow. You don’t need to learn HTML or any other programming stuff, and there are drop down menus and simple guidelines to help you. Anyone can do it – honestly!

Don’t be put off by this long list – I have done it step by step and you will be able to follow it in a flash.

1. go to 1and1.co.uk and click on domains in the list on the left hand side.
2. in the red box that appears, check the availability of the domain you want. As a guide, .com domains cost £5.99 a year, .co.uk domains cost the princely sum of £2.99. This is more or less the going rate, but check other place via Google to make sure.
3. click the box on the top that says PACKAGE SELECTION and decide which one is for you. For me, 8 pages at £1.99 a month for the 1&1 Beginner package seems the best, but obviously, suit your own needs and then click Sign Up at the bottom.
4. Along the top click Service to begin setting up the website once you have paid and signed etc.
5. On the left menu, click 1&1 Control Panel, which will show you what you get and how you work on it.
6. Then go to 1and1admin.co.uk – NOT com, which is in the States. you will be asked for your account number or domain name, and a password, all of which you will have got when you signed up.
7. Click login.
8. A package overview table will appear.  Click on Beginner (if that is what you have signed up for) and an administration screen will come up. Click on the fourth grey box, marked Website Applications.
9. Click Website Builder.
10. Click Open on the far right hand side of the box with the name of your domain at the top of the page.

Off you go! Read all the instructions at every stage until you have been working a while, and start editing your website.  Add content, pages, choose a design template, add text and slogans, and get working. Preview before committing yourself, and then Publish when you’re happy.

Bob’s your uncle.  Well done!

Tags: drop down menus and instructions, programme, publish, website design