How to Make a Website Fast and Easy

Anyone can make a website these days using the services and products readily available to us all. But for a first-time web master, it can be a slow and frustrating process, as you figure out how everything works, what is compatible with what else and how everything slots together.

A simple website can easily go from nothing to a finished, published site in less than a day *if* you know what you're doing. Otherwise it can take weeks if not longer - and that assumes you get finished at all!

So in this article we're not just going to look at how to make a website, we're going to be more specific and consider how to make a website fast and easy so you can get your site online sooner rather than later.

Okay, well the good news is that with all the software and services around at the moment there is a greater chance to make a website fast and easy than ever before.

Let's take a look at some of the resources that will help you achieve this...

1) Wordpress

You can use Wordpress software free of charge to make a blog super-fast. Within minutes you'll have a basic website set up for you to tweak when you have time. Add some articles and you're done.

2) Blogger

Google's offering for bloggers offers a similar service to Wordpress though differs being easier to use but less fully-featured.

3) Nvu

Nvu free web design software lets you make a website easily on your home computer without splashing out cash.

4) Free Website Templates

Whether you decide to make a website from scratch using software like Nvu or using an online blogging solution like Wordpress or Blogger you will be able to find a host of free site templates that you can either use as-is , or modify to perfectly suit your needs.

A quick search in your favorite search engine will likely turn up hundreds of sites listing these template files.

5) CoolText

Allows you to create your own logo free of charge. Just visit the site, type in your website name, select the color, the font and so on and out pops your finished logo. What's more, they look great!

6) Royalty Free Images

Websites like IstockPhoto allows you to get royalty-free images to use on your website so you can add professionally-photographed pictures, animations and cartoons to your site, without breaking the bank or risking a letter from a solicitor.

7) Low Cost Web Hosting

There is plenty of competition in the market now for web hosting. If you're wondering how to make a website fast and easy, then select a budget web hosting company to host your site. Then consider using Wordpress or Blogger to actually build a site, together with a free template to give it a professional look. You can be set up for under $5 a month with this solution, including your own website address.

The end result is fantastic and it's quick and easy to set up. This is my own personal favourite technique for making a website fast.

Six Qualities of a Good Website

Websites today have become a very important platform for companies however small or big to showcase their products and services and increase their brand visibility. A good website not only entices its visitors but also ensures that they keep coming back for repeat visits.

Getting a website is no big task in today's world. With scores of small and big website development companies vying the customers, the customers are the happiest lot. However sometimes people may decide to create websites all by themselves. But creating websites or getting websites developed by people who have limited technological expertise and experience has its own risks. Economical and cost effective website may help save money but they may prove unproductive in the long run.. Such website may be low in quality and also not appeal to the target audience.

So whenever you plan to get a website for yourself, try take the help of a professional website designer or a company. You should also look for some very basic features and evaluate your website on the following parameters which constitute a good website:

1) Template- Choose best template that matches your work & company profile. Don't use free template available on the other site because these types of template are repeated on many websites and fail to give your company the required unique identity.

2) Content - Content is a soul of any website, so take your time to improve this section. Ensure you have content related to the theme of the website and also ensure availability of fresh content for each & every page. It will help attract new customers.

3) Meta Tag & Title - Each and every page should have a title & be supported by appropriate meta tags. This will help in getting good ranking in search engines like Google, Yahoo & MSN.

4) Internal navigation - Ensure that your website is properly interwoven. Try to keep internal pages maximum three click away from the index page.

5) Broken links - Cross check all the active links on the website. Broken link have a very bad impact on the customer & it also harm your search engine rankings.

6) Search Box - Include a search box option in the website. It will always help the customer in finding important information on the web site.

A good website is an asset for any organization. So the next time you think of getting a new website created or an existing website revamped do keep the above mentioned points in mind. Do talk to you website provider about the parameters and figure out the best deal before you finally decide to go ahead with any of them.

5 Killer Tips For Creating Your Online Personal Training Website

In the past, I've personally done full graphic design and coding for twelve of my own websites. I've also had local community graphic web designers create two additional websites. But now, I outsource all this time-consuming work to Pakistan, India, or some other very inexpensive technology sector based geographical area. I talk comprehensively about this type of outsourcing in Chapter 5 of Train For Top Dollar.

So what methods have I used to create my websites?

Whoever you use to host your website will typically come include free web templates. What this means is that you can download the template to your computer, or you can use an online editing program that is usually available on your web host, and most of the work is done for you. For multiple reasons included in my book, especially for utilizing one-click, simple blog creation, my favorite host is Bluehost.

The colors, backgrounds, and organization in these templates are already present, and you just drag and drop your desired pictures and text. This can be a very effective and quick way to design your website.

On the flipside, a template will have a very generic feel, and you have extremely limited control over the basic website design and organization. These type of sites have no wow factor, but if you're on a time crunch, have a limited budget, or just want to get started, this may be the way to go.

If you use an online website design tool, typically also available from your hosting service (like Bluehost), you'll finish a web page on your web site, then just press "publish" or "save", and it now appears when people type your domain name (aka URL) into their computer's web browser.

If you use your own website design software, based from your computer, you typically have to create the website on your computer, then send it electronically (called FTP) to your hosting service, which typically provides pretty good instructions in the help section on how to use various web design software to create and upload your site.

My favorite computer based software is Adobe GoLive, but if you go to a freeware or shareware download website like Tucows, you can trial or use any number of free website design software packages.

Here are my five killer tips for your website design:

• Keep it simple and clean. Include lots of "white space" so your readers don't become confused with 18 different training advertisements, fitness pop-ups, and sounds or music when they first visit your page.

• Use photos effectively. Try to include your face or body if possible, to build a trust relationship with your potential online clients and show that you are indeed fit.

• Use a simple navigation menu without too many buttons. A simple "Home", "Services", "About Us", and "Contact Us" will suffice for a basic online personal training page.

• Include space for publishing your latest breaking articles on your home page. This is very important for search engine optimization, which I present later in this chapter.

• Include a space for client testimonials. Here's an e-mail that I send out to each successful client after they've reached a milestone goal and have enough dopamine and endorphins rumbling through their system to give me a fantastic testimonial:

"Dear _________,

The people I coach and train are my main focus in life. When you reach your goals, I feel I've contributed to your life in a unique way, and somehow contributed my knowledge to help you achieve something special and meaningful.

I'm in the process of updating my website - specifically the online fitness and nutritional training services. I really want people to know how I can help them achieve their desires.

Here's where you come in. If you're interested, I'm looking for testimonials. Just a brief sentence or paragraph about how I've helped you identify objectives, reach your goals or simply supplied you with a nudge in the right direction.

If I use your testimonial on my website or in a brochure, I would just write your first name, or simply your initials if you'd prefer. All you really have to do is shoot your testimonial to me via e-mail.

Thanks for considering, and remember to train and eat smart!"

These 5 tips will get you started. I also offer business and website consulting services to personal trainers, and give a vast amount of information in my book Train For Top Dollar, which teaches how to maximize your income as a fitness professional.

Effective Website - Things to Consider

1) Design - If your website looks crappy then people will tend to have less credibility towards your company. First impression when they enter your website will make a huge difference in making a purchase decision.

2) User interface - When people visit your website, they should clearly know where to go and click to find the right information they need from your website. It should be easy to navigate and there needs to be a clear call to action. If people come to your website and don't know how to buy the production because of the messy user interface, then what's the point of them visiting your website. If people cannot find the information with in short period, they will right away leave your website to search for better website. Remember, how easy it is for the visitors to leave your website. It's just one click.

3) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - SEO has become a must for a website to be successful. If you have a fancy looking sports car but it's placed inside a garage of a remote house, then what's the use? If people can't find your website and no traffic comes in, then good design and good interface doesn't matter. Being found on Google and Yahoo with the right keyword has become one of the most essential parts of having a successful website.

Here are some tips, try to optimize your website for Google first since it will bring you the most traffic. However, keep in mind that Google is the most difficult search engine to optimize since the competition is fierce. There are limited spots on the first page in Google. Before starting, know that SEO takes time, energy, and patience. So make a short-term and long-term plan to find the right key word you want to optimize.

Effective Website - Things to Consider

1) Design - If your website looks crappy then people will tend to have less credibility towards your company. First impression when they enter your website will make a huge difference in making a purchase decision.

2) User interface - When people visit your website, they should clearly know where to go and click to find the right information they need from your website. It should be easy to navigate and there needs to be a clear call to action. If people come to your website and don't know how to buy the production because of the messy user interface, then what's the point of them visiting your website. If people cannot find the information with in short period, they will right away leave your website to search for better website. Remember, how easy it is for the visitors to leave your website. It's just one click.

3) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - SEO has become a must for a website to be successful. If you have a fancy looking sports car but it's placed inside a garage of a remote house, then what's the use? If people can't find your website and no traffic comes in, then good design and good interface doesn't matter. Being found on Google and Yahoo with the right keyword has become one of the most essential parts of having a successful website.

Here are some tips, try to optimize your website for Google first since it will bring you the most traffic. However, keep in mind that Google is the most difficult search engine to optimize since the competition is fierce. There are limited spots on the first page in Google. Before starting, know that SEO takes time, energy, and patience. So make a short-term and long-term plan to find the right key word you want to optimize.