How to set up your own website

Building a website from scratch can seem like a daunting process, but there are many reasons to make you want to build your online presence. From promoting your offline business, to building your own personal profile or starting an online business – many customers and employers look for a positive reputation online. Moving from initial idea to your website going live does not have to be a long winded and confusing process.

By far the simplest and quickest way to build an online presence is to set up a blog. A blog is simply a form of website, where you can post entries, upload pictures and include links, and they appear in chronological order. Visitors to your blog can also comment on your entries, giving you valuable feedback. Blogs are simple to use, very often free and it’s easy to give your blog a personal touch and make to individual to you.

One of the most popular blogging platforms is Blogspot, and it’s free. All you have to do is sign up, change the theme, font, layout and background, and there your have you personalised website. Then, just start adding your content!

The second way to create a website online quickly and with little or no outlay is to use free website design and hosting software.

The best way to find a free website host is to search Google and see what’s on offer. Many of these products do not involve downloading or paying anything, not even for the domain name and hosting.

However, using a free site does have some pit-falls. Firstly you will not have control of advertising on your website and you won’t actually own your domain name – it will be a sub-domain of the promoting company. Your number of pages and the features available to you will be limited – usually expanding your site will involve upgrading your site to a paid-for premium service.

However, using a free service can be great way to get started and see what works for you without an initial outlay or wasting money while perfecting your site.

So, there you have two ways you can set up your own website today. Both are quick, easy and cheap (or free) and with both these methods you will be guided every step of the way.