Building a website

[Tempi]

I am a complete technofobe when it comes to things like building a website, I have no idea where to start (apart from i've done some googling and found some 'build a website step-by-step pages etc).

Can anyone direct me please as to what is best, cheapest, and idiot proof? Doesnt need to be anything flashy (for the moment!) just something professional that I can put my services on, things about me and the horses, sponsors, horses for sale etc.

I dont have much money so I cant really afford to pay someone to do it for me, and to be honest I would rather do it all myself anyway (if I can!). I understand i probably have to pay a monthly fee? Or are there free websites about the please?

Thank you in advance everyone

(Not strictly comp riders, but is sort of, lol!)

 

[Baggybreeches]

I had a website with 1&1 internet, I think they charged about £8 a year for hosting, it was user friendly I cancelled the hosting this year as our business has moved in a different direction and we need much more complicated stuff than a DIY website.

 

[Tempi]

Super thank you, I just want something simple to start off with so I will take a look

 

[~ Clear Light ~]

Have Facebooked you

Had great fun building mine, became quite addictive!

 

[Santa_Claus]

Www.asmallorange.com their tiny plan plus domain will set you back $35 for the year as they currently offering a free domain.

Once purchased in the control panel install Wordpress which is very simple as it does the hard work for you and then personalise as required with various free templates which are very easily installed.

For example www.eventridersassociation.org.uk is Wordpress based as are my two sites in my sig. Although essentially blog software it is easily adaptable to non blog sites by using just pages instead of blog posts

 

[Tempi]

Have Facebooked you

Had great fun building mine, became quite addictive!

Super thank you, just got it x

Www.asmallorange.com their tiny plan plus domain will set you back $35 for the year as they currently offering a free domain.

Once purchased in the control panel install Wordpress which is very simple as it does the hard work for you and then personalise as required with various free templates which are very easily installed.

For example www.eventridersassociation.org.uk is Wordpress based as are my two sites in my sig. Although essentially blog software it is easily adaptable to non blog sites by using just pages instead of blog posts

Great, thank you

 

[Santa_Claus]

Ps don't use 1&1 for hosting as their cheap packages don't include several essentials in terms of databases and php functionality. I use 1&1 for my domains and asmallorange for my hosting but as asmallorange are offering free domains I would personally suggest they would be simplest and prob cheapest.

 

[measles]

Our website is entirely built by my OH and not very technical me and easy to update. I'm not sure how much it is per year but a very small amount. We also used free templates and worked it up from there. If you want more info let me know and I'll find out.

 

[Tempi]

Our website is entirely built by my OH and not very technical me and easy to update. I'm not sure how much it is per year but a very small amount. We also used free templates and worked it up from there. If you want more info let me know and I'll find out.

That would be great if you do have any more information? I'm looking at suggestions at the moment and still really have no idea what i'm doing or what i need to be looking for!

 

[Polotash]

Yes, I was recommended a very easy one by a friend. It's MrSite.com and it costs £40 a year for the first year and £4 a month thereafter. That includes the domain name so no extra costs at all.

I've done 3 using this now, all different designs and all look good (no bells or whistles, but professional looking enough!). You can add shops and forums very easily if you need to.

You set it to have say 10 pages, and then you just click "edit page" and type into a box, just as if you're in Word. You upload pictures like you would to photobucket etc, and then just click to add them into your page. Very simple! (I'm also technophobe).

They also have a 24 hour "Live chat" button where you instant message your query and one of their experts immediately chats with you whilst you sort it out (free).

My friends is www.natashafraser.co.uk (jewellery) and mine are www.cornwallredsquirrels.co.uk and www.stfrancisnewquay.org.uk if you want a quick look.

 

[Spanish Eyes]

Good grief, how spooky - I had just come here to post exactly the same question, as I too am in the same position (another technophobe here)

OH had a professional done one and it looks great, but was too costly for me, so I'm looking to DIY.

Will follow this with interest.

 

[Botters]

It depends what you need it for, what services you need etc. but I have a free one with Weebly.com

Was really easy to do, page by page. Its nothing flashy but you can easily update it anytime

 

[squiz22]

I set up a website a while ago. The link is below so feel free to have a look.

The host is hostgator which is really simple and cheap. Its about a fiver a month and its direct debit. The website was free and I used wordpress which I think is really good. Its widely uised so there are lots of plugins available to help you make the website more advanced if you wish.

Wordpress is very easy to use and I got the hang of it very quickly! If you want any further pointers on it I'm happy to help.

 

[Mildred]

I had mine built professionally as I am an idiot and would not know where to start, but I think the people who built mine had an offer on a really cheap deal for hosting and building a website for very little money - less than £50. They are based in Salisbury - may be worth a call to them (although I can't find their deal now, Im convinced they had one). Their website is www.emailitis.com and the site they built for me is www.sportingart.co which is a wordpress based one and very easy to manage - Im useless and I can successfully upload stuff to mine.

 

[measles]

Our website is entirely built by my OH and not very technical me and easy to update. I'm not sure how much it is per year but a very small amount. We also used free templates and worked it up from there. If you want more info let me know and I'll find out.

No problem at all. Will ask OH tonight and post then

 

[Vetwrap]

Have a look at Moonfruit. I have build several for people using that, and the cost of purchasing the domain name and hosting the site for two years is around £15.00.

They have loads of templates and it is an easy "drag and drop" construction.

The finished article looks very professional as well and there is a very helpful forum within their site, in case you get stuck.

 

[bananas_22]

I am starting to wonder whether I am schizophrenic without realising it....I came on here the other day to post about long coats to find your post Tempi at the top of the page. I have just come on here again to ask about building websites and here you are again! Very spooky. Thanks for being my personal Ask Jeeves though

 

[abb123]

I have a wordpress site. Very easy to modify and add things to. For example, I have a twitter stream on mine and have all the social networking links. Mine was a bit complicated to set up as it was existing already but I think it is very easy to set up from scratch. If you are not bothered about the address including wordpress in it then I think it is free? Mine is a science one (www.pore-behaviour.co.uk) but it was super easy to set up and use. I am obsessed with updating it though!

 

[Santa_Claus]

Abb123 as a side note you may want to check your website template as when viewed from a mobile it becomes a bit skewed so doesn't seem to currently be 'mobile friendly'

And yes if you don't mind Wordpress in the address then it's free via the Wordpress site.

And for help $35 currently equals £21.60 ish!

 

[Baggybreeches]

Ps don't use 1&1 for hosting as their cheap packages don't include several essentials in terms of databases and php functionality. I use 1&1 for my domains and asmallorange for my hosting but as asmallorange are offering free domains I would personally suggest they would be simplest and prob cheapest.

They were my only personal experience and did what I needed.

 

[Polotash]

I had mine built professionally as I am an idiot and would not know where to start, but I think the people who built mine had an offer on a really cheap deal for hosting and building a website for very little money - less than £50. They are based in Salisbury - may be worth a call to them (although I can't find their deal now, Im convinced they had one). Their website is www.emailitis.com and the site they built for me is www.sportingart.co which is a wordpress based one and very easy to manage - Im useless and I can successfully upload stuff to mine.

Off topic but your paintings are just STUNNING. Must save up for one ;0)

 

[Santa_Claus]

Sorry I'm not saying they don't provide a decent service but to those who have more technical requirements which may just be a specific Wordpress plugin then these may not work which a friend found out to her disappointed too late and she was then stuck with them for a year as it was too late to cancel

 

[squiz22]

I may have got confused but my website is free to build using wordpress and its not in the title. I do pay for the host package and I bought the domain name?

 

[abb123]

Abb123 as a side note you may want to check your website template as when viewed from a mobile it becomes a bit skewed so doesn't seem to currently be 'mobile friendly'

And yes if you don't mind Wordpress in the address then it's free via the Wordpress site.

And for help $35 currently equals £21.60 ish!

I'm actually amazed anyone is looking at it! Yey! I'll be spending the next half an hour obsessing over the site stats....

Thanks for the heads up though. It is certainly not optimised in anyway shape or form. I have no idea how to do that and was just pleased to have a website with fancy bits. I willl get my more website savvy boyf to look at it though.

 

[Santa_Claus]

Wordpress is always free the hosting/domain is not BUT I you don't mind the word Wordpress in your domain so www.mysite.wordpress.com then you can have a site for free as Wordpress pay the hosting and domain costs

And I always tend I nosy at sites looking for new ideas etc. most of the newer themes are mobile friendly year days.

 

[Santa_Claus]

Shame my phone isn't spelling friendly sure you get the jist of my post though

 

[sbloom]

I built mine on Wordpress (with the Thesis theme rather than a template, which gives more choice on colours, design etc) and the Wordpress side of it is indeed easy - www.stephaniebloomportraits.co.uk. Thesis is harder for a non-tecchie but I felt well worth it for me personally.

 

[Santa_Claus]

Yep 100s if note 1000s of free themes which if you are techy savvy (or know your HTML and CSS coding ) you can edit yourself but a lot have theme options built in which allow you to personalise without coding knowledge.

I have about 4 or 5 themes that I have personalised/edited etc which I switch between for my personal website depending on how I am feeling.

 

[dieseldog]

We used this to get a website http://www.gbbo.co.uk/help

After the free period ran out I think we pay £8 for 2 years hosting the domain. Saying that our website is rubbish!

 

[Sol]

I used weebly, very easy to do I quite liked it. Dead easy to update in all ways. Which really gives me no excuse for not having sorted it out recently oops! www.ramelia-images.com