Need website software advice!!

[Diva of Dragons]

HI!

DH and I need were discussing what we need to do this year to get our businesses up and running more smoothly and he said people keep asking him for his website....which he doesn't have...LOL! But he is flummoxed as to where to begin. So, of course, I said, "The DIS, they know everything!!"

Basically, I need to know if anyone can recommend a really good website building program that is easy to use. We want the final products to look really professional but we want to be able to build and maintain them ourselves. So we need a balance between really incredible and understandable....oh, and not too horribly expensive!

I have a partial site now but I want take it over and not go through a middle woman, as much as I adore her.

I hope you guys can help!!

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Imzadi]

Your internet provider may give you free webspace to create & "host" your site. They usually have easy templates of pages to use to get you up & started. Google also started having free hosting & templates.
If you have 2 different internet providers or different member accounts, you can knit all the pages together to give you one larger seamless website via links to the different pages. Each account is given a limited amount of free MBs.

Then you buy the domain name you want. I got mine from http://www.godaddy.com. There are usually promo coupon codes out for deals at GoDaddy. There will probably be another promo soon. I bought 4 domain names last Feb, so no one can even come close to using a web address similar to mine. I Bought the the .com, .org variations of my web address.

Since you would already have free monthly "hosting" for your website, you won't have to buy that, just the domain name. Then you'd have your domain address(es) "point" to your website. It's like call forwarding. So instead of clicking on a longwinded, unprofessional name like: http:// members.aol.com/your site/index.html, (which is where your actual site is hosted,) you'd simply tell people to go to the domain address "www. yoursite .com" which would automatically forward or "point" people to your site without even knowing about the other address.

To save on all the MB space on my free site, (they give you a limited amount,) I use http://photobucket.com/ to separately host my pictures. Then like here at DIS, I simply have the photos appear on my webpage.

There are other places online where you can add shopping carts for your website, etc. and more fancy templates to use, but they often require that you know some HTML coding.

 

[Galahad]

I use Sitespinner - cheaper than Front Page. You can use it even if you don't know HTML or JAVA Script - but if you do you can use it that way too. You can download Sitespinner and use it for 15 non-consecutive days before you have to buy it. It's only $60 to buy. This is separate from buying your domain, but it's quick and easy to use and makes some great looking sites. In my signature, I used Sitespinner for both the first and second site listed. (the second site is primarily for communicating with the members of the group and that community so the site looks a bit different)

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Thanks Imzadi and Galahad to the rescue! I'll look into your suggestions! If anyone else has other options...I'm open!!

 

[honeymom]

My husband has a website http://www.reachcustomersonline.com that describes low cost and no cost web tools for people that want to do it themselves.

 

[SoonerKate]

You might look into a content management system like CMS Made Simple, Drupal, or Mambo. Content Management Systems allow you to separate the site design from the content -- once you find or develop a template you like for the design, you can just add updates from there. They're easy to install, themes or templates are easy to find and adapt to your business needs, and you can add all kinds of options to them if you'd like. Once you get the initial install done, adding news or other information is as easy as posting on a message board!

 

[Diva of Dragons]

Thanks peeps!!

I don't know what we're going to use yet but at least we have options! DH and I have been doing some radio interviews and people always want your website so we need to get crackin'.....or for you "Pirate" fans Krakken!!!

 

[epcotfan]

I use Namo Web Editor

 

[SamRoc]

I just bought a template for a website from www.templatemonster.com. You have to have Macromedia flash installed to make a flash website. They have some great designs. I am having a little problem with it, because i am teaching myself, it may take awhile.