Do-It-Yourself Web Site Design

You don't have to be a design expert to create a functional Web site for your business
By Meagan Francis, Director Studio 4b With so many people doing the bulk of their shopping and information gathering online these days, if your business doesn't have a Web site, to many customers it doesn't exist. No matter how small, your organization needs a Web presence to appear legitimate and let an increasingly Internet-savvy customer base know that you're there and what products or services you offer.

When you're bent on creating a Web site yourself, you have several basic options.

1. Use a host that includes built-in Web templates or self-service site builders
2. Use Web page creation software
3. Use an HTML editing program

Use a Web-based site builder

Web hosting companies are in fierce competition for customers, and many of them now offer professional-quality templates or design builders that help you create a site included in the low monthly price of hosting your space.
Try:  GoDaddy.com offers Website Tonight, a quick, easy and low-cost step-by-step Web site builder that you can buy in conjunction with your hosting and domain. Network Solutions offers an easy-to-use Web site builder that is ideal for small business. Choose from hundreds of customizable designs that include use of royalty-free images. An annual package includes a free domain name, site hosting and email. Check options and pricing.

What you see is what you get

HTML editing software gives you a lot of control over the finished design. It can also allow you to design your own site using a platform that looks and feels like desktop publishing or word processing software.
Try:  Microsoft Front Page is an easy-to-use HTML editor that includes themes, templates or the ability to create your own site from scratch. The tips and tricks for using FrontPage are like having your own Web design professional.

Try content management software

If you need to feature frequently changing information or want to include interactive features, content management software may be a good option.
Try:  Joomla is powerful open-source software that allows users to include items like surveys and polls, news feeds and easily updated content.

• Keep it simple. Bright colors, wild fonts, background music and flashy graphics have their place, but it's easy to overdo it – and if you do, visitors will click right past.
• Price-shop. Hosting and domain registration is a competitive market, so you shouldn't have to pay the high monthly prices of a few years ago.
• Whichever hosting company or site building software you choose, make sure it offers a customer service phone number and step-by-step instructions for using its features.
• Keep text concise. Research shows that Web site readers don't like to scroll, so the fewer words you can use to get your message across, the better.