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Original poster

build a website? how?

76 replies

PersephoneSnape · 17/06/2008 11:01

following from the intro topic. I need to build myself a website in a coupel of weeks I work full time as well as my self employment, so need something relatively simple, yet stylish and preferably as cheap as possible.

I've got my domain name sorted out - now what? has anyone used Nvu to build their own page? can anyone hold my hand through this ardous process?

please feel free to link your page so i can see what you're talking about!

OP posts:

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 13:20

Are you selling from your web site?

funnypeculiar · 17/06/2008 13:28

Original poster

PersephoneSnape · 17/06/2008 13:49

i will be JoDivine, but i am thinking of just running via paypal at the moment - although i would quite like to do a proper fancy ecommercey type thing, but should probably consdier walking before i run anywhere..

i have basic html and can grasp things quite quickly but would prefer a draggy/droppy type editor...

OP posts:

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 14:04

Should have asked what you are selling.

With ecommerce, you either go the whole hog (or at least half the hog). The half hog option is something like this site who have a load of templates for you to choose, payment options set up. There is a monthly fee.

The whole hog is getting at least part of a web server to yourself, and setting up something like zen cart - which is what I have done (advisory upmarket sex toys). That integrates with PayPal and various other payment options. Making it look like your own shop is the hard part - be prepared to hack a bit of html and PHP to get it looking like your own site.

Have you considered an ebay shop? If you want to walk before running, it may be the best way, if what you are selling is suitable.

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 14:05

ooops mistype my website: setting up something like zen cart - which is what I have done (advisory upmarket sex toys).

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 14:09

I did mine using Rapidweaver for DH's Mac. It comes with template themes, and you can buy loads of others from the internet for virtually nothing, including decent e-commerce ones. Rapidweaver is very very user friendly, as illustrated by the fact that I was able to do it - I haven't a clue about HTML - it was all drag and droppy type stuff.

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 14:16

pity it is Mac only - looks like a decent piece of software...

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 14:17

any chance of seeing your website flowerybeanbag?

bubblerock · 17/06/2008 14:23

If you just want something simple and quick to get you online you could try mrsite - you can also buy it on Ebay/Amazon or pop down to PC World.

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 14:23

Here you go. There's a couple of changes I need to make this week, including sorting out a possible problem with IE version 6, but I'm fairly happy with it.

I've had 600 visitors since it was live a week ago. Most of them probably me, but still!

hanaflower · 17/06/2008 14:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 14:31

thanks!

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 15:29

Yes, nice and clean, well done.

I assume you don't take any payments - that is always the gotcha for ecommerce, and hence why I'd recommend either ebay or ekmpowershop to newbies. Paypal is fine, but gets clunky very quickly, until you go to the pro version (which costs, naturally!).

You do have a problem in both IE7 and Firefox - the menus (e.g. on consultancy services) seem to jump up and down as you move the mouse over.

Do test on Firefox - I'm seeing 20% of my traffic come from Firefox browsers.

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 15:33

The jumping text is not the problem I am referring to - that's just a case of making those menus shorter words which is on my list to do, but it relatively easy. Nothing to do with any particular browser.

WIth IE6 there is a more technical problem to do with the browser closing down when people start to navigate through it. Apparently IE6 is well known for being rubbish but I think I have found a work-round for it.

I have tested on lots of browsers - had a testing exercise on MN this week just to be sure!

And no, no payments. ONly reason I was happy to attempt this myself was because what I need is really straightforward, just a brochure for us really, nothing tricky.

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 16:12

Just had a look - since March 1st, 20% of my traffic is from IE6, so it is def still out there - confusingly I have 1 visitor which claimed to be on version 999.1, so obviously we are falling behind!

Must admit never tested my site on IE6 . I'll have to get it installed...

funnypeculiar · 17/06/2008 16:36

Wow, you did yours yourself, FBB - respec' (I'm one of your 600 )
I'm planning to do something similar to you - ie online brochure. Is rapidweaver really, REALLY easy (I'm on mac, but am deeply e-incompetant....

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 20:20

fbb - 600 visits from outside in a week? that's impressive - how?

Original poster

PersephoneSnape · 17/06/2008 21:02

I'll be selling original art, prints and taking commissions. i think i may just stick with paypal for a wee bit to see how well i do before leaping in anywhere. eufff. this is getting confusing alreday. downloaded KompoZer. don't understand a thing. think i need to step back a step..

OP posts:

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 21:26

jodevine um. Well quite a lot of them are probably me and my mates. Plus I announced it on here and also did my browser test exercise on a thread in Chat. Haven't done anything else, all the rest must be word of mouth. I have to admit to being quite impressed though, I wasn't anticipating that at all.

MN is a powerful thing indeed! I have made my name on here doing what I do for a living only for free to employees in need, so I expect quite a lot of people who lurk on Employment threads will have had a look.

fp yes Rapidweaver is very user friendly. The most recent version is better - we had the one before and the instruction booklet may as well have been in Greek to someone with very little technical knowledge, but the new version is much better and as long as you are reasonably competent you should be ok. I got DH to interpret all the technical stuff and show me what to do because I am lazy and didn't want to wade through stuff he could understand in 5 mins!

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 21:27

before you spend time putting together a web site, you must think about how you are going to get people to your site.

Google is not a benevolent giant feeding traffic your way. We have spent a lot of time trying to get google to send traffic our way. Adwords, trying to build links etc.

After stock, google have been the biggest recipients of our money!

Original poster

PersephoneSnape · 17/06/2008 21:52

money!? google? hell no!

I will possibly place adverts in a couple of trade magazines - i specialise in tattoo related and 'low-brow' art. I have a big tattoo conventions' t-shirt design coming up, so have free advertising with them. Have some work coming up with the largest distributor of tattooed designs in northern europe, so will direct some traffic from her as well hopefully.

I have 'deviant art' accounts and network on various internet forums pertaining to my specialism.

funnily, i used to go by a different nom de net, named after a comic-book character and if you put her name into google, my deviant art page comes up first!

mr site is looking easy enough for me at the moment, but I'll maybe hold off until after the weekend to give myself some thinking space...

thanks for all suggestions so far btw. very helpful!

OP posts:

flowerybeanbag · 17/06/2008 22:04

jodevine I hope your last post was not directed at me, as it sounded pretty patronising. You have absolutely no idea about the search engine optimisation research I have done or anything.

Personally I decided that getting the website up and running and working properly was priority one, so that people can be directed to it. I've done that, and have already had business generated by it, so I think it's going pretty well.

Next step for me is all the search engine stuff, putting in meta tags and all that, and getting publicity sorted. Imo, thinking about how to get people to the site can come once it's up and running, so that when you have an idea how to get people to it, it's there for them to get to.

Apologies if that was a x-post and not directed at me.

JoDivine · 17/06/2008 23:13

nope, directed at PersephoneSnape . I was just suggesting she spends time researching how to get people to the site before investing time on the site. Not intending to be patronising to anyone - we are meant to be helping each other aren't we?

flowerybeanbag · 18/06/2008 08:55

Of course we are helping each other - as I said, it sounded patronising if it was directed at me.

You had asked how I had got such high numbers coming to my site and I had replied that I hadn't done a lot as yet. Your post coming immediately afterwards saying 'you should do research before putting site together' sounded patronising in that context.

Original poster

PersephoneSnape · 18/06/2008 11:37

it wasn't even slightly patronising if directed at me, which it was - so we can all be friends again! hoorah!

mrsite is still winning - especially as i can get it on ebay for twenty quid. rather annoyed i've already got my domain name, as it's included. ah, well.

OP posts:

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