Overview
You need a website. You are reading about web servers and domains and SSL and are thinking. Where does the actual website come in? How do I build it and what should it look like or do?
What is a website
A website is essentially a folder of code, and sometimes a database, that displays information in a defined layout and style to your end user. Now please don’t be alarmed that the word code just came up. There are plenty of options if you don’t know, want to know or even think about code. These tools are referred to as a Content Management System (or CMS for short). We will nearly always recommend a CMS especially to clients who may ever need to change their own content. The alternative is a static website which we won’t dive too far into here because it is very rare that a static website will suit our customers needs over a CMS.
How do I get a CMS?
The good news is there is no shortage in options when it comes to CMS. Our pick of the crop is WordPress and we go into a few reasons why in our article 6 Reasons to Use WordPress. If you have decided to work with us for your hosting plan the good news is we will install WordPress for you quickly as a part of your month to month package. Licensing on WordPress is absolutely free which means if you decide one day to move on from us at Eminence and manage your own services for whatever reason your WordPress site will come with you with no hassles.
Even if you haven’t decided to work with us on your month to month it is super easy to install WordPress. One of our reasons we use WordPress is the abundance of resources to help you learn about the platform, and that rule still sticks for installing it.
You will need a web server to install WordPress onto before you can get started on building your website. If this is something you need help with feel free to check out our web hosting options.
Do I need to know how to code?
Honestly, no. Everybody can build their own website with the right tools in this day and age. However, knowledge of code, web standards and web engineering concepts will be hugely advantageous. Particularly if your site is going to entail any complex features. A developer is very skilled in all these areas, usually spending a few years at TAFE or University to learn and practice these concepts before using them in the real world. There is no harm in kicking off your build on your site and calling on a bit of help if you find yourself needing it though. Luckily for you, our team is technically inclined and very equipped to help with any problems you run into when either starting your site or a little bit down the track.
I want to get started!
We love your enthusiasm! If you want to go down the DIY road, go wild and reach out if you ever need help! If you think you are going to need some help building your site, reach out to us through the contact form. If you want to know more about the development process and what to expect from our team at Eminence. You can check out the website build process on our website build page.
Final Word
Hopefully this article has given you a bit of insight in what you need to do to build your first website. Bare in mind there are hundreds of ways to approach your website build and it is certainly not one size fits all. We are here to assist and answer any questions you might have about your website build.