Uzzi

I have in the past and still do encourage aspiring webmasters to get started without necessarily spending on a professional designer. There are lots of articles on this subject, but I know it still may sound complicated getting started as a webmaster. My article ‘Don’t Waste Your time with Professional Web Designers‘ give some details on how to go about yet this post is also useful for more basics. I have also this website to recommend for starters ‘2createawebsite.com’. It is however true that you cannot substitute a professional designer.

A professional designer will definitely give a good look of your website. I’m a witness to this as I got started on Joomla content management software and requested assistance from a professional. I have been fortunate to link up with a good friend in Zimbabwe who is a professional designer. This friend of mine upgraded the look of my other website ‘yeboyesrates.com’ to look as good as it is. I however did get started with no experience on this content management software, but relied on the downloadable guide.

I will go through some of the things that you can do on your own and only request a professional to build up from it. This will help you save on costs if you negotiate well with the professionals. 

1. Basic Pre-requisites

1.1 Credit Card

I have found having and using a credit card the most convenient way of making transactions online. It’s however not all online services that deserve your credit card payment; as such you also need to be careful who you give your credit card details. Many service providers online give options on paying with your credit card, yet it’s not the only successful method of making payments.

So if you have your credit card ready, you’re ready to have a smooth webmaster experience that will be affordable. I must say that I have found working with Hostnine a great benefit when it comes to webhosting space.

1.2 Internet Access

I mention this because it is not obvious. Not all internet service providers can suit a determined webmaster. Your internet connection should be reliable and relatively fast. Some functions may be terminated if the connection speed is too slow.

2. Domain Name Registration

A domain name is the name you chose for your address, such as yeboyesrates.com or google.com. It’s a given that the chosen name should be your choice. It’s better to have several names as it is possible not to get the domain name you want.

3. Choosing and Installing the Ideal Programme for your Site

You will definitely get a free programme that is good enough for your needs. Most programes are customizable, so do take time to learn about each of them. Below I will recommend the two that I have used (WordPress for blogging and Joomla for content management) and those that work for others.

  1. Blogging

 

Blogging software has specific features as described here. With the software, almost all operation is automatic and what would take you five hours to do can be done within seconds. For example, posting comments, managing photo galleries, and spam fitting tools. Common blogging software includes the following.

  • i. Blogger
  • ii. TypePad Basic, Plus and Pro
  • iii. Blogware
  • iv. WordPress
  • v. Movable Type
  • vi. Expression Engine

 

You should look for the following functionality in a blogging software.

  • i. Comments
  • ii. Categories
  • iii. Subcategories
  • iv. Trackbacks
  • v. Pings
  • vi. RSS
  • vii. Atom
  • viii. Search
  • ix. Blogroll/Lists
  • x. News aggregation
  • xi. Mobloging
  • xii. Photo Galleries
  • xiii. Data Storage
  • xiv. Visitor registration/log in
  • xv. Moderation
  • xvi. Comments notification
  • xvii. IP/User/URL banning
  • xviii. Plugin compatible
  • xix. Admin panel design configuration
  • xx. Image upload
  • xxi. Post scheduling
  • xxii. Image thumbnail
  • xxiii. Save without posting
  • xxiv. Pasword protection
  • xxv. Localization
  • xxvi. File upload

 

This is not to disqualify the programmes that don’t have these features; it is still possible to add missing features by installing and activating plugins. To compare each software, see the chart at ojr.org.

 

  • 2. Content Management

 

I have personally been exposed to Joomla but have only read about mambo.

  • 3. Custom Designs

 

Your purpose of being represented online may not be covered with blogging and content management programmes, but you could be interested in something else. There are many free templates you can download online for customize or use right away. You can view some here ‘freewebsitetemplates.com’.

Like I mentioned in my reference article, it all takes the three qualities to succeed as a webmaster:

  • i. Focus
  • ii. Time
  • iii. Willingness to learn

 

There is just no short cut; I’m still working on my website even after 5 years.

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