How To Create Your First Website in Less Than 5 Hours Using LinkedIn

When it comes to websites, you have many choices. You actually may have TOO many choices. That’s one of the reasons why many small business owners are using yahoo or gmail email accounts (a big no, no in business), hope that no one asks for their website URL or they’re just loosing business because they don’t a website or their website reads “under construction” or “I’m parked”

If you hire a web designer too quickly you may spend a fortune on your first website only to hate it a few months later. In fact, I never recommended that a business owner pays to have their first site created for them. Instead create your own (it’s not as scary or difficult as you think) because after your first business website is up and running the Internet will look very different to you. Today I’ll show you some quick ways to get a website up and running — by this time tomorrow. No excuses now!

A note to the web designers reading this article. Wouldn’t you prefer to have clients contact you when they know how to talk to you about their website, when you aren’t spending all your time educating clients, when they know who their ideal clients are and can hand you their business plan? I know you do because you’ve been my clients, too.

A little history about what the web looked like in the 1994 when I parted with my 1981 computer and purchased my first “Internet ready” computer. Ya, they really called it Internet ready!

How it was in the 1990’s

• One USA-based company sold domain names. Each domain name cost $70 per year and came with almost no customer service.
• Your website name could be up to 32 characters long.
• A 5-page website cost $5000 – 10000 dollars. Surfice to say, there were few very small businesses online.
• The main website program was called FrontPage by Microsoft, it cost $300
• Website pages were all very long since they had to explain pretty much everything about your business.
• If you had a company the extension of your website (the end 3 letters) had to be .com. Computer companies used .net, Educational companies used .edu, Government used .gov and non profits had .org — that was it!
• Hosting cost $25 to $200 a month for a very small 5-10 page website with 2 or 4 email addresses.
• Ezines were a “new” thing available in text only.
• Most ISPs (Compuserve, Prodigy or the new kid on the block, AOL) had social networking areas called forums or bulletin boards.
• Ezine hosting companies were either free (with ads) through topica.com or what is now called yahoogroups.com but then was known a onelist.
• You could learn HTML (the language that allows your website to show up on the web) in just 7 days.

When I started my business in 1998, I was like many new business owners who have time and no money. I attended an HTML class at a local college for under $50. There were only 8 students in the class and we used the book Learn HTML in 7 days.

How it is in 2010

• You could buy your website name from a variety of places and each name will cost you around $10 each per year.
• Your website name can be 64 characters long.
• Web designers abound, good ones are still hard to find, and there are designers specializing in WordPress or Blog websites. A 5-page website could cost you as little as $500 up to $5000. with no major programming needed.
• Website pages are short and clients know what they want when they come visit. (I no longer have to explain what a coach is).
• Business owners can choose any domain that isn’t used.
• Website names are purchased through an ICANN Registered company located in many different countries.
• Hosting can cost as little as $3.99 a month and you get enough space to create a rather large websites.
• Besides ISPs we now have broadband and cable.
• To learn how to create a professional looking website you’ll need for your business, you have to learn: graphics design, HTML, CSS, PHP, forms design– and that’s to start.
• You can purchase templates to help you create more professional looking websites and blogs and many sellers will customize those templates for you.
• Ezines, blogs, and social networking sites are ways we keep in touch with clients and prospects.

About Your Website Name

If your company name isn’t available, some options are to add LLC or INC at the end of the URL, or use your name, the name of a program, benefits clients receive, feature of your business, etc. Do NOT use hyphens or numbers in your email address. NOTE: According to Gord Hotchkiss “The BuyerSphere Project: How Business Buys from Business in a Digital Marketplace”, 2009, p 80) a full 50% of B2B purchasers typed in the URL of a site they wished to go to, making it clear that an easily recalled and sensible domain name can be of great advantage in this market. Hyphens in website names and extensions other than .com, in my opinion , don’t help your website fall into the category of easy to remember.

About Domain Name Companies

Look for a company that offers customer service via phone. Even with 12 years behind my belt, I still have questions and problems that only a phone call can answer. I have used many domain name companies, and find that those who only have email customer service can leave you very frustrated while you wait for an answer to an important question. I purchase domain names from Dynadot Feel free to use my referral number which is
.com domains cost $7.99 first year, $8.99 for a transfer from another site, and $8.99 each thereafter.

They are a USA based company, open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm and offer a toll-free phone and USA based phone number. If you have an account with Dyadot and someone uses your referral number you’ll get a credit of 10% of the initial order to use towards future services. Unlike the most well known domain company that I used to use, Dynadot DOES NOT place ads during the Super Bowl that are demeaning to women.

To start the search for a domain name, I like using this resource to find domain names along with a piece of paper where I write what names I’ve already looked up. I just don’t use the big name this resource uses because of those ads.

Sometimes the hosting company whose services you purchase from offer you a domain name free or at a reduced rate. When that’s the case, make sure that you, and you alone, are on the billing and administration of the domain name. Otherwise, you may end up not owning your domain name.

About Hosting Companies

There are many inexpensive hosting companies available. The company I use is  SiteGround . Some of the criteria I use when choosing an hosting company are:

1. they are open 24/7 with a help line phone number,
2. they offer me plans I can grow with as my company grows,
3. I can create many email addresses,
4. they offer me lots of space on their server,
5. I can put at least 10 databases on their system (databases are used by WordPress and most other add on services you might purchase in the future.,
6. they offer Fantastico (an easy way to add a blog and other services to your website,
7. they offer a content management system or website builder.,
8. their monthly or yearly fees are reasonable based on the services I’m receiving.

SiteGround  is the company I use. Another way to find a company to use is to ask your clients or business friends what they would recommend and what they use.

Two Ways To Create A Website In Less than 5 Hours

Website with no email

• Choose a domain name ending in dot com with no hyphens or words that can be spelled two or more different ways.
• Create a LinkedIn Page
• Using the help feature at the DOMAIN company, set up your account to forward your website to your LinkedIn account

Website with email

• Choose a domain name ending in dot com with no hyphens or words that can be spelled two or more different ways.
• Create a LinkedIn Page
• Purchase the most inexpensive hosting plan available that comes with email. Make sure that any hosting account you choose offers you growth possibilities and an easy way to add additional domain names to your account.
• Using the help feature at the HOSTING company or by calling them to walk you through the processs, set up your account to forward your website to your LinkedIn account.
• Create a main email address and an email address to use for newsletters.
• Set up those email accounts so that they work in your email account.

Because you’ve chosen a hosting company with a phone number; you can call them if you have problems setting any of the above up.

Now that you’ve created your first website, you’ll have a URL to put on your business cards, in your email signature, and as you social network, too!

In another edition of this newsletter I’ll provide you with the resources my clients use to create a first low cost website with professional looking pages you create yourself.

Strategic Action Plan

Today get your first website up and running.

1. Purchase a domain name (or two).

2. Update your LinkedIn account.

3. Purchase a hosting package.

4. Set up a few email addresses that end in your new domain name!

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©2010. Elevating Your Business