Setting Up a Website?

I get a few enquiries about how best to set-up a website and how to go about it. Basically if you're doing it yourself you have a few options:

1. Buy Software to develop your own site such as Microsoft Frontpage or Dreamweaver
2. Use an online website builder such as www.blogger.com, www.moonfruit.com or www.wordpress.com among others.

In order to launch and set-up you're website for the world to see you will need:

1. A domain name (.co.uk usually used for UK websites, .org or .org.uk for charities and organisations, .com for global or aimed at a global market and the US plus there are others) You can register one of these through searching for domain names on google there are loads about. Depending on what domain you go for you're looking at around £5 > £25 per annum.
2. You will also need web hosting which you can usually get from the same company or use your own with your internet provider. The cost of hosting depends on the size of your size and the expected traffic through it as this adds to the server space required to host and access your website on the webserver at the company you choose. This can vary in price.
3. FTP or method of uploading the website to your webserver/host. This is usually included in the software you purchase and won't affect you if you go for an online builder that will be automatic.

Choice:

• If you want to access your website from everywhere and would like flexibility online web-builders are great and do not usually require training so for volunteers and high staff turnover's this is a good option.
• For something more flash and unique or with staff members with the skills and wanting to design and maintain your own website getting software to do that is better.