How To Build a Website?

So you would like to build a website for yourself or probably your business? Well, I couldn't blame you, because a website is an effective platform to put your ideas out there for everyone to see or utilize. There are a lot of benefits a website can bring especially when you have some products or services you would like to advertise. One good news is that website is not difficult to make. It doesn't take an IT wizard or a programming nerd to make one. You can make one yourself even without programming background, though it helps if you have programming skills.

I started out this blog as a hobby to beat the boredom that's been hitting me everyday as an expat living in Oman. However it turned out to be one great way to be creative with my free time. As many friends, got interested in what I do here, I had promised I would help them to make a weblog/website for themselves, hence this post. 

I've summarized here the step by step process of what I consider a DIY (do-it-yourself) guide for building a website. But first let me bring you to website basics.

For me a website has three main elements as follow:

• Domain Name - this is the texts you see in your browser when you open a site. Ex: www.mycheapbookings.com is a domain name.

• Web-Hosting Servers - simply means the space over the internet you rent or buy to put your website on. They hold large space over the internet where your website contents are being held and supported. 

• Website platforms - these are the software that provides the design or template of your website, the visible aspect or the pages itself, wherein you can customize according to your needs and objectives of creating the website. In this tutorial I will use Wordpress as our platform. So far Wordpress is the most widely used platform out there.

Now let's get to the point, the step by step guide on how to really create your website.

1. Get web-hosting service. To make a website, you will need a web hosting service from a provider. As I mentioned above, web hosting simply means "a service" which provides a space for you over the internet to put your website over the internet. They are the big guys out there who hold big server, to store your data and make them available for everyone. In this tutorial, I will make use of Bluehost. So far the easiest hosting provider I found. Click here and follow steps below.

Create an account in Bluehost. After logging in, you will be offered plans as in the photo below. I suggest to take PLUS plan as circled below and follow the guidelines.

  

2. Assign a domain name. After securing/paying your hosting plan, let's go to domain registration. In your bluehost account dashboard, click the "Domain" tab. Under "New Domain Search" panel, you can try and search the availability of the domain name of your choice. Select or create your own domain name for your website, example mine is www.thefitexpat.com. This "New Domain Search" panel will tell you if the domain is still available or not, if not, select another one till you get one which available. Try adding some name like, www.theamazingfitexpat.com. After ending up with an available one, bluehost will congratulate you for acquiring an available domain name. 

3. Fill up the form. You will be redirected to payment portal wherein you can enter your payment information through either card or paypal. Don't worry the amount you are going to pay is good for one year hosting.

If your payment is successful, bluehost will send you an email with a confirmation link. Check your email and click on the link. Bingo! You already have a hosting account. 

4. Log-in to Bluehost. Log-in to bluehost using the link in your email or directly to their site www.bluehost.com.

5. Install your website platform. As I have said, in this tutorial we'll gonna use Wordpress as our platform. Inside your Bluehost account, under hosting and home tab, click on Install Wordpress icon.

After clicking Install Wordpress, you will be redirected here. Then Click install.

6. Check domain. After clicking install, you will redirected here wherein you will have to select your domain name from the drop down menu as shown below. Then click check domain. (I hope you're still alive! wink) Don't worry this is the last step, we're almost there.

After you click check domain above, you will be redirected here again. Click the two boxes you see below, and click install now. 

You need to wait for some few minutes while the Wordpress platform is being installed or till you see the message, "Your install is complete!". You can click the "View Credentials" button to get your log-in password for your wordpress admin panel as explained below.

7. Customize your website platform.  Now your wordpress platform is already installed, all you have to do is log-in to your admin panel. 

In the browser, type your domain admin panel URL, ex: www.yourdomainname.com/wp-admin. In my case, my domain name is www.mycheapbookings.com so my admin panel URL is www.mycheapbookings.com/wp-admin. Having your admin URL in the browser, you will see log-in portal as below. From the "View Credentials" above, you will have your log-in details. 

Type your username and password and there you go...inside your website admin dashboard! Congratulations, time to customize your website or weblog!

Next, I will write a tutorial on how to change your template, customize your website, adding plug-ins, etc.

Hope you liked the tutorial, if you have some questions, you can drop me a mail at: 

vhie@thefitexpat.com