I started creating websites almost 20 years ago. Back then about the only web authoring software was a text editor and you needed a pretty good understanding of Linux, particularly the Apache web server. It's a completely different world today.
Today you can have a website up and running in about five minutes. Add another fifteen minutes or so and you can have a domain name. In about twenty four hours after that you have a web presence the same as any multi-million dollar corporation in the world. Of course, getting visitors to flock to your website might take a bit more work, but creating the site has almost become drop dead easy.
Web authoring software has migrated from basic text editors to tools like iWeb to web based authoring tools that look much like Word Processors with point and click, drop and drag simplicity. Setting up a web server has gone from requiring an understanding of Linux to finding the "Install" button and waiting for thirty to sixty seconds for the install to complete.
Websites like Weebly.com offer one of the simplest web authoring tools as well as providing web hosting, domain name services and on-going support. Many such sites off a complete turn-key system.
Other websites like Smug Mug offer specialized services to photographers (in Smug Mug's case) and other professionals. These sites are a bit more complex to navigate because they offer many more options specific to that profession.
All of these types of sites offer alternative "looks" (or themes) to give your site a distinctive look and end-user experience. Changing a theme months or even weeks later is point and click simple. It's easy regardless of your technical abilities because so much work has gone into creating these types of resources in the first place.
So, the only thing required by a potential web master is an idea because the tools are waiting to be used. Do you have a hobby about which you are passionate? Do you have a cause you want to promote? Do you have a product or service you want to sell? Or do you just have something important to say? There are over a billion people who want to hear from you, support your cause, learn more about your passion or buy your products.
In future blog posts we'll talk about exactly how to formulate your vision for the web, decide on the best platform, how to obtain a domain name so folks can find you in a flash. We'll talk about the best place to host your site and how to optimize it so your name comes out on top of search engine results. We'll even talk about linking with social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. So, stay tuned...
Web authoring software has migrated from basic text editors to tools like iWeb to web based authoring tools that look much like Word Processors with point and click, drop and drag simplicity. Setting up a web server has gone from requiring an understanding of Linux to finding the "Install" button and waiting for thirty to sixty seconds for the install to complete.
Websites like Weebly.com offer one of the simplest web authoring tools as well as providing web hosting, domain name services and on-going support. Many such sites off a complete turn-key system.
Other websites like Smug Mug offer specialized services to photographers (in Smug Mug's case) and other professionals. These sites are a bit more complex to navigate because they offer many more options specific to that profession.
All of these types of sites offer alternative "looks" (or themes) to give your site a distinctive look and end-user experience. Changing a theme months or even weeks later is point and click simple. It's easy regardless of your technical abilities because so much work has gone into creating these types of resources in the first place.
So, the only thing required by a potential web master is an idea because the tools are waiting to be used. Do you have a hobby about which you are passionate? Do you have a cause you want to promote? Do you have a product or service you want to sell? Or do you just have something important to say? There are over a billion people who want to hear from you, support your cause, learn more about your passion or buy your products.
In future blog posts we'll talk about exactly how to formulate your vision for the web, decide on the best platform, how to obtain a domain name so folks can find you in a flash. We'll talk about the best place to host your site and how to optimize it so your name comes out on top of search engine results. We'll even talk about linking with social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. So, stay tuned...