I need to build a website for a business I have planned ? I have a very tight budget and don't want to give it to vendors for development. I need information on the best way to develop a small scale website and also information how to put in content and publish and maintain the website. Pointers to increase traffic would also be welcome.
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One article that I found very useful is "7 Steps to Successful Web Site Development" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol142/website.htm  as it takes to you all the decision steps that you need to take when starting an online business. Like any other business, startup period is full of "should I do this" or "should I do that" questions. The article is useful because it helps you think through every step of the way - from why do you want a website to who is your audience to how will you create your website to how you will market your new website.\n\nHere are the steps you need to take when creating your online business:\n\nSTEP 1: Set Your Goals - Why do you want a web site? What is the size of the online market? What are the goals for your website?\n\nSTEP 2: Develop Your Web Site Strategy - Who is your website target audience? What typically appeals to your target audience? How are the other websites (your competition) reaching out to this target audience? How will you measure your performance?\n\nSTEP 3: Set-Up Implementation Plans - What name will you give to your site? How do you envision the design of your web site? How will you create your website? How will you create your content? How will you maintain your website?\n\nSTEP 4: Start the Ball Rolling - Do you have a logo? For e-retailers, do you have the critical components needed to run an e-commerce site? How are you going to host your site?\n\nSTEP 5: Create and Launch Your Web Site - Have you uploaded your site with your chosen web host provider? Are the scripts and application you need for your website functioning well? Have you tested your website? \n\nSTEP 6: Promote Your Web Site and Measure Its Results - Do you have a plan in place to market your website? Do you regularly review your traffic logs and web site performance tracker? How are you going to get sites to link to you? Do you know the search engine keywords that you rank well? If your site is not visible in the search engine results pages for its keywords, what strategies do you intend to do? \n\nSTEP 7: Maintain Your Website and Grow Your Web Business - Continue to find ways to grow your web business. How do you intend to continue your education on web development? \n\n"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.\n\nHere are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible: \n\n1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your content is your best advertisement - if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others.\n\n2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more - that's additional traffic that you get for FREE!\n\n3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.\n\nIf you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com's "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/2010.htm \n\n4. Send out press releases.
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If you are planning an e-commerce venture, I suggest you subscribe to the magazine Internet Retailer http://www.internetretailer.com . This magazine gives you strategies used by successful etailers and other tips/case studies that you can apply to your business. They have a Top 400 Top Etailers special edition that you can order that lists the top online sellers and what made them succeed (almost all are "big boys" but you sure can get good ideas).\n\nOne article that I found very useful is "7 Steps to Successful Web Site Development" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol142/website.htm as it takes to you all the decision steps that you need to take when starting an online business. Like any other business, startup period is full of "should I do this" or "should I do that" questions. The article is useful because it helps you think through every step of the way - from why do you want a website to who is your audience to how will you create your website to how you will market your new website.\n\nHere are the steps you need to take when creating your online business:\n\nSTEP 1: Set Your Goals - Why do you want a web site? What is the size of the online market? What are the goals for your website?\n\nSTEP 2: Develop Your Web Site Strategy - Who is your website target audience? What typically appeals to your target audience? How are the other websites (your competition) reaching out to this target audience? How will you measure your performance?\n\nSTEP 3: Set-Up Implementation Plans - What name will you give to your site? How do you envision the design of your web site? How will you create your website? How will you create your content? How will you maintain your website?\n\nSTEP 4: Start the Ball Rolling - Do you have a logo? For e-retailers, do you have the critical components needed to run an e-commerce site? How are you going to host your site?\n\nSTEP 5: Create and Launch Your Web Site - Have you uploaded your site with your chosen web host provider? Are the scripts and application you need for your website functioning well? Have you tested your website? \n\nSTEP 6: Promote Your Web Site and Measure Its Results - Do you have a plan in place to market your website? Do you regularly review your traffic logs and web site performance tracker? How are you going to get sites to link to you? Do you know the search engine keywords that you rank well? If your site is not visible in the search engine results pages for its keywords, what strategies do you intend to do? \n\nSTEP 7: Maintain Your Website and Grow Your Web Business - Continue to find ways to grow your web business. How do you intend to continue your education on web development?
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What web design software do have? Will be using Front Page? Once you understand 20% of the software you can build a site. There are hundreds of sites that offer free scripts etc...\n\nAlso I don't know where you are in the process, however if you see some function you like on another site, just right click click on view source and you can see how it was done - it will take practice.\n\nI am including a few places of help:
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"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.\n\nHere are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible: \n\n1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your content is your best advertisement - if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others.\n\n2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more - that's additional traffic that you get for FREE!\n\n3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.\n\nIf you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com's "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/2010.htm \n\n4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. My website (see my profile) accepts free press release submission (no strings attached!)\n\n5. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website. If 50 websites publish your article and it contains a link back to your website, then you easily get 50 links from a single article. The more links you have, the greater your chances for increasing your search engine rankings.\n\n6. Improve your conversion. Getting visitors is one thing; getting them to buy your products is a whole different story. Read the article "10 Ways to Convert Visitors to Buyers" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/072005/conversion.htm for tips on how to improve your conversion rates.
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i currently use Yahoo! Small Business and their web hosting services. they are fantastic and have really grown my own website over the past four years. they have a merchant program which gives you support as you set up an online business and gives you pointers as to where exactly you can go from the start.\n\nif you don't want to start an online merchant store just yet, i still would recommend the web hosting package. it comes with site builder and pagebuilder so you can design the site yourself instead of paying a designer to do it for you. the package i have is web hosting starter and it costs me a little over 8 dollars a month. i have unlimited storage and great 24/7 support with Yahoo!. its cheap and has tons of storage and greap options. you should check it out.
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http://www.geocities.com is how I started up.You will need your yahoo sign in details and they even supply the software for you to quickly build your pages. This bit is free. I upgraded to a domain name ($9.50 per month) and you can see that at http://www.mwitham.com     this will show you what can be done with a free site but be warned the data transfer limit is tiny on the free sites 3.3GB which has got an hourly limit also,so don't get building a site too big. I had to upgrade due to my expanding site which is soon to have 120 pages of free travel/tourist information on.
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The first thing you need is a host. A host is the person that will hold your website for you, and put it online so that others can view it.\n\nIf this is your first website, there are some easy, free hosts out there. Geocities (geocities.yahoo.com) offers a free website if you don't mind some ads on it. Others include Freeservers.com or www.thefreesite.com\n\n-------------------\n\nNext, you need some way of making your website. Usually this involves HTML, but if you don't know any then find a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. That is, an editor that will allow you to edit colors and type and see exactly how the website will look. Geocities includes this on their site, so I'd recommend you start with them.\n\nIf you're interested in really making a good website, I would recommend trying to learn HTML. If you go to Google and type in 'HTML tutorial' you'll find a plethora of good sites out there.\n\nHope this helped you.
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Backlinks is what you should think about first. Find sites that are similar to yours and ask to exchange links with them. Also, forums are a good place to stash a link to your site (usually in the signature of your posts). Register at some web developer forums and put your link in your signature, but be careful to not "link and run." That is don't register only to post your link, so make sure to register with forums that you'd want to participate in. Another way to get traffic to your site is to go to some web developer forums and ask for a site review. Most of the time more people will click on your site but not give you a review, but if people like your site then they'll recommend it to others and become repeat visitors. Also, reference your site every chance you get. For instance, if you're trying to help someone who has a question about a topic you cover on your site, then give them your link so they can find more information.\n\nAlso, submit it to search engines and directories. Some are harder to get into than others. Try the Yahoo directory and dmoz directory ( http://www.dmoz.org ), but don't hold your breath waiting to be listed because it can take years. For search engines don't forget to submit it MSN as well as Yahoo and Google. Look into Google site maps, too, because that will be beneficial.\n\nThe best thing to do is to find out where your core audience hangs out over the Internet (forums, chats, etc) and make those places your new Internet hangout. But, if there is anything you make sure you get those backlinks because they're very important. Also do a search for "SEO" and use it on your website if you haven't already (haven't looked at your site yet).\n\n[ADDED] Also, go to article directories and write articles on different subjects that you have opinions on or knowledge about. One such directory is http://www.articledashboard.com . The good thing about writing articles on different subject is that your writing is exposed to millions of people who might want to use what you wrote on their websites or blogs. Plus, at the bottom of all the articles you write is a blurb where you tell people about yourself and in that burb you can attach a link to your website. That's an easy and free way to get traffic to your site.
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Prepare a nice web page describing your services.  Then go through various hobby and craft pages, looking for ones that are clearly inadequate.  Send an email to them, sending them the web address of your page.  Offer to provide a newsletter service, where they provide the content and you provide the design.  Offer to send them reminders in time for the next update.  \n\nI think there are a lot of small-time suppliers, needlework shops, etc., and toy stores, game stores, what you will, that would love to have better connections on the web, but either don't have anyone who knows how to design a good web page or don't have the time to do it.  Surf, good buddy, and offer your services!\n\nGood luck and God bless!
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These days there are 100's if not 1000's of CMS out that do exactly what you want to do. You should pick a CMS that could grow with your website and you are able to add options to it with time.\nHere are few that I have used and am very happy with them:\nMambo Open Source: Very easy to use and is very expanable. The current core team is a bit slow to fix security holes.\nJoomla!: This is a fork of Mambo. Very active core team, comes with 100's of add-ons and thems and support is outstanding.\nWebsite Baker: If you want a website where you won't be needing people to register for your website then this is the CMS you should look into. Exelect for small business and building a portfolio website.\n\nThere is also an outstanding website if you want to try out more than 100 CMS': http://www.opensourcecms.com
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"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.\n\nHere are some marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible: \n\n1. Create the best content you can with the best products you can possibly offer. Your content is your best advertisement - if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others. \n\n2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. If only 10 people go to your site, but these 10 people invite 10 more - that's additional traffic that you get for FREE!\n\n3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area.\n\nIf you are going to read only one piece on search engine optimization, I suggest you read Brett Tabke of WebmasterWorld.com's "Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone: 26 steps to 15k a day." http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/2010.htm \n\n4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. My website (see my profile) accepts free press release submission (no strings attached!)\n\n5. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website. If 50 websites publish your article and it contains a link back to your website, then you easily get 50 links from a single article. The more links you have, the greater your chances for increasing your search engine rankings. \n\nFor example, if you submit articles on my Getting Financing section of my site http://www.powerhomebiz.com/financing/financing.htm you will stand a great chance of reaching people who are looking for capital.\n\nThe above strategies are very simple to do, but they can bring in loads of traffic without spending too much. Of course, if you have the resources, you can also utilize pay per click strategies or other advertising mechanisms to reach your target audience.
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The best site out there for helping you design and operate a website to professional standards is the Sitepoint website. You can find it at:\n\nhttp://www.sitepoint.com\n\nI've followed the site since before it was Sitepoint (was webmaster journal or resources or some such back in the 90's) and it's hands down the best. Many professionals and really smart entrepreneurs and techies hang out in the forums and the entire community is very helpful. They even have a forum where you can request other members to look over your site and offer their opinions which is great to help you stay on track. The articles range from basics to very technical, but all are well written and if you're the least bit computer-savvy, most will walk even beginners through some fairly complicated steps with ease.\n\nIf I had only website that I could visit to use as a resource for web design, web development, coding, eBusiness and eMarketing...this would be it. The guys who operate it started their own press and they've put out many great books over the years. I say this as someone who majored in eBusiness, worked as a PC tech, has a military background in technical intelligence and communications, authored an IT column, and has been building sites and consulting off and on for over 8 years.\n\nIf what you really meant by your question was "How can I have a cool Flash website?" then I would suggest you hit your favorite search engine and look for "Flash designers, Flash design" and see what services they offer. If you're into do it yourself, I'd suggest enrolling at a local college and taking a Flash course to get you rolling in the right direction--but only if you're a bit artsy and patient and willing to read up on good web design and accessibility standards and practices on your own. Otherwise, Flash designers are everywhere, which means it's a buyers market (i.e., you can hire one without going into the poorhouse for 20 years). \n\nGood luck with your endeavors.
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To answer your question first. Yes if you are a commercial operation then it is better to pay an expert to develop and implement your emarketing strategy. The problem is that for every real expert there are 100 scammers and wannabes so  finding a reliable and knowledgeable person is not that easy. This is a good source of basic information here http://www.seo-blog.com/\n\nNormally of course you would develop the emarketing strategy before building the website. In your case there is a slight problem in that the website appears to have been designed by someone who does not have a clue about emarketing or how users use websites or how search engines work or even basic web design principles.\n\nIf you are serious about your business and want to have a presence on the web that shows a good ROI then call in an expert before it is too late.
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for a first time web devloper i would use something like geocitites that makes the site for you and even host it\n\n(geocitites.com)\n\nif your looking for something to make it on your hard drive you could make it on a program like dream weaver or frontpage but please keep in mind unlike geocities this is not free
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I am a web designer and there is no way to create a large scale site quickly unless it looks bad and doesn't work. Many people think this is just a quick thing but there is a lot of back end programming that you don't understand. You need to hire someone who knows what they are doing.\n\nYou may be able to throw together a simple HTML site but nobody does that anymore.
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Do you have a presence on the internet?  That would be a great start.  After that, you can write press releases about your various business activities.\n\nSiteSell can help with creating a great web site for a low price and PRWeb has on-line tools for creating and submitting press releases.\n\nGood luck.
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for free hosting, try google superpages or yahoo geocities ,\nits sort of free hosting, but you are limited to a subdomain on googlepages & geo has ads on your website - otherwise I would use http://www.interkeys.com/tophosts to get one for a few bucks a month with 500 GIG bandwidth and the rich with features\n\nits up to you how developed a site you want and if you want to use your own domain name \n\nMy recommendation is to go with POWWEB, they have a forum builder (1-click website) - where your forum will be up in minutes and people can post in a forum with you as the administrator