| When you start to think about building a website, | | | | Unless you just feel compelled to learn HTML, |
| you'll need to know there are several options | | | | Javascript and all that, I don't recommend that you |
| available - | | | | code your website yourself. As a beginner, it will take |
| 1) You can hire a designer to build the website for | | | | you a lot of time to 'get it all right', and you may be |
| you | | | | better off finding a faster method of getting your |
| 2) You can learn HTML and build your website by | | | | website online. If your intention is to make money |
| hand coding | | | | with your website, you'll want to get it producing an |
| 3) You can buy website templates and modify them | | | | income sooner, rather than later. |
| to suit your needs | | | | If you want to learn how to code HTML yourself, |
| 4) You can use an HTML editor | | | | there are plenty of learning resources available. Just |
| Hiring a Website Designer - | | | | go to Google and search for 'HTML tutorial'. |
| This is probably the easiest choice for getting your | | | | Website Templates - |
| website built, since someone else will be doing the | | | | Using a website template falls somewhere between |
| actual building. It's also the most expensive way to | | | | coding HTML yourself and hiring it done. A template is |
| go. Having your website built can vary considerably in | | | | a ready made webpage that has all the basic code to |
| price, depending upon the complexity of your | | | | be displayed on the web. Generally, all you do is add |
| website and the experience level of the designer you | | | | your content. In most cases, you'll open the template |
| choose. | | | | file using a plain text editor, such as Windows |
| Sometimes, you can find local help from young | | | | Notepad, then paste in your own content. |
| people just getting started. They're willing to work | | | | Templates are available in a wide variety of styles |
| for a low price because they enjoy building websites | | | | and layouts. They vary quite a bit in complexity and |
| and they're interested in gaining more experience. | | | | appearance, so prices vary considerably. In most |
| Under these circumstances, you should expect to | | | | cases, a decent template will cost from about $15 to |
| pay perhaps $100 or so for a fairly small website. | | | | over $100. By searching, you can also find free |
| Some high schools and colleges offer classes in web | | | | templates. When looking for free templates, be |
| design, so check them out to see if they can | | | | prepared to look at a great many of them before |
| recommend a budding designer that can help you. | | | | you find one that suits your taste. |
| If you'd rather hire a professional, expect to pay | | | | HTML editors - |
| considerably more. A professionally designed website, | | | | There are many HTML editors available, such as |
| depending upon complexity, can cost from a few | | | | Microsoft Frontpage, Dreamweaver and others. Be |
| hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. | | | | prepared to pay $200 to $400 for a good, high |
| If you want to have an experienced designer build | | | | quality professional editor. |
| your website, but you don't have the budget to hire | | | | The big advantage of an HTML editor is that you can |
| a professional, there are alternatives. You could post | | | | build webpages without having extensive knowledge |
| your project on one of the online freelance sites and | | | | of the underlying HTML code. These editors work |
| take bids. I have done this with projects before and | | | | sort of like Microsoft Word - they give you 'point and |
| I was able to get good quality work done at very | | | | click' capability. These editors have many built in |
| reasonable prices. You can try or to get started. This | | | | features and a lot of power, so you'll probably have |
| method will probably cost less than half of what | | | | a steep learning curve when you first get started. |
| you'd pay a commercial website designer. | | | | Alternative is, you can find free HTML editors. The |
| Learning HTML - | | | | free editors are good for building fairly simple |
| Although HTML isn't terribly complicated, it may take | | | | websites, but they lack some of the more |
| some time before you're comfortable enough with it | | | | sophisticated features present within the higher |
| to build anything more than the most simple | | | | priced editors. However the free editors are a good |
| websites. In order to take full advantage of the | | | | choice for getting started. And due to their simplicity, |
| available technology, many websites incorporate | | | | it won't take you as long to become productive. |
| Javascript, PHP, databases, Flash presentations, etc. | | | | You can download a free HTML editor at and you |
| If you're an absolute beginner, it may take you a | | | | can also search for 'free HTML editor' at Google to |
| while to come up to speed with all this. | | | | find other choices. |