Everything I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started My First Website

I remember when I started my first website. I had no idea what I was doing. There were so many things that seemed hard and complicated.

It’s hard to find information about how to do it, too, because most advice is assuming you’re already an expert. So here are all the things I wish someone had told me before I started:

4 things I wish someone told me before my first year. – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Proper planning can save time and prevent common mistakes.
2. Building a strong online presence requires consistent effort.
3. Understanding SEO fundamentals is essential for visibility.
4. Learning from experienced individuals can provide valuable insights.
5. Embracing challenges as learning opportunities is crucial.

Table of Contents

It Doesn’t Take A Lot Of Time To Create A Decent Website

It’s not as difficult as you think. Developers and designers indeed make a web design look easy, but it isn’t. You don’t need to be a professional web designer to create a site that looks good and works well for your business.

You may have heard the phrase “content is king,” which refers to the idea that content, in this case, writing or images – is the most important part of any website or blog.

Even if you’re not a writer or photographer by trade, there are plenty of ways for you to get your ideas across through words and photos without having to hire someone else for help.

It does take time though! A lot of people start their first website with no background knowledge whatsoever about how websites work or what goes into creating one (I was guilty myself).

This will slow down progress because there are so many little things that must be considered when building one: designing templates;

Hosting sites; creating social media accounts; setting up email newsletters, etc., however, if done correctly then just like any other job it can lead to success:

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You Don’t Need Any Coding Skills To Get A Site Up And Running

If you’re not a developer and don’t want to spend the time learning how to code, don’t worry. You can still build a website using one of the many easy-to-use drag-and-drop interfaces or templates offered by popular website builders like Wix and WordPress.

For example, if you want a simple site that uses your domain name (e.g., http://www.examplewebsite.com), but doesn’t need too many bells and whistles, then use Wix’s free option to get started building your new landing page today!

In The Beginning, It’s Ok To Start With A Free Website Builder

I know how tempting it is to shell out for a fancy website builder, but in the beginning, I would have told you that you don’t need to spend money on a website. I’d tell you it’s totally fine to start with a free website builder.

And if that doesn’t work out for you, then upgrade later on when your business has grown (or hire someone else to build it).

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You Don’t Need To Start With A Complex Web Design

It’s easy to get bogged down on the design of your website before you have anything to show. If you’re not sure what direction you want to go in, just try a few different things out and see what works best for your content.

Don’t worry about making it look perfect just yet get some traffic coming in so that you can find out how users navigate through your site, where they’re clicking on links, and how long they stay there.

Once that’s happening, then it’s time to start thinking about making changes based on those user insights. You’ll be able to see which sections are getting more attention than others and adjust accordingly.

You Don’t Need To Be On Every Social Media Platform

You don’t need to be on every social media platform. You can get started with just one or two and then add more as you grow your website and business. And if you don’t have a business yet, it’s not vital that you start using these platforms right away.

They’re great ways to build your brand and promote yourself, but they often require a lot of time and energy before they start making money for you.

So it’s best not to put all your eggs into the social media basket until after you’ve gotten started building your website and figuring out what works for it.

You might think that this is contradictory because I said earlier that social media is essential for any kind of business nowadays.

But what I meant was that having an active presence on these sites will help improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by getting people who aren’t already familiar with what we do interested in learning more about us through our posts or followers’ comments on them! And those are just some examples among many others too numerous even to list here…

There Are Tons Of Elements You Can Start Without

One of the things I wish someone had told me was to not spend a ton of time on things that are not essential, or important, or going to make a difference.

If you have a website and you’re showing it off, there’s no need for bells and whistles no fancy animations, or anything like that. If your site is just meant to say “Hey! I’m here!” then don’t go crazy with theming or trying to get everything just right.

There’s no reason why we can’t use good ol’ HTML5 and CSS3 instead of all these other options out there (like WordPress).

The more complicated they make things, the more likely they’ll break something later on down the road when something goes wrong with one of their plugins (which happens often).

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You Can Do It Without Investing In Paid Tools And Software

You can do it without investing in paid tools and software.

There are many free options out there that you can use to get started, such as Google Sheets and Docs, Canva, PicMonkey, and Trello.

You don’t need much to make a website – just a domain name (I bought mine for $15 through Namecheap), hosting ($10/month at Bluehost), WordPress ($0), and the free theme I linked above!

These days there are so many free tools available on the web that making websites is not what it used to be at all. There are also plenty of paid-for products which will help you along the way but they aren’t essential until you get your site up and running smoothly.

All You Need Is Your Phone And Some Research

You don’t need a website host, a server, or any other fancy computer stuff. All you need is your phone and some research.

I know this sounds crazy, but the internet is full of great tutorials and step-by-step instructions for creating your website. A lot of free hosting services are available too!

Pinterest Has Everything You Need To Know About Website Building

Pinterest is a great resource for finding tutorials and tips for website building. It’s especially useful for finding examples of good design, which you can use as inspiration for your site.

It’s also a great place to find bad examples it’s very helpful to look at other sites that don’t work well so you can avoid the same mistakes!

Don’t Underestimate Your Creativity

When I started my first website, I was a bit intimidated by the seemingly endless list of tools and resources that were out there to help me get it done. But guess what?

You don’t need all those tools! If you have an idea and you want to execute it on your site (or blog), there’s no reason why you should let other people tell YOU how YOU should go about doing that.

Do not be afraid to use your photos
Do not be afraid to use your ideas
Do not be afraid to use your voice

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You Don’t Need Any Extra Complicated Tech Stuff At First

If you want to build a website, the first thing you need to do is choose a good free website builder. One of the best ways to start is with a free website builder that’s easy to use and offers enough features to get your site up and running.

You can use this free website builder until you have more money or decide that it has everything you need. Then, when it comes time to upgrade and pay for your domain name, there are plenty of paid options available.

Google Analytics Isn’t A Big Deal In The Beginning But Installing It Right Away Is Worth It

Google Analytics is a free tool that can help you understand how people are using your site. It’s one of the most powerful things you can do to make sure your website is working for you, and if you’re just starting it’s definitely worth installing immediately.

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can help you understand your site’s traffic. You should install it as soon as possible so that after the first month or two of business when your traffic starts to pick up (assuming it does).

Google Analytics will tell you exactly what kind of people are visiting and how they got there and then use those insights to grow both traffic and sales in the future.

I Have No Idea What I’m Doing! That’s Normal At First

This is a normal feeling. Nobody is born knowing everything about the internet and web design, so don’t feel like you’re alone if you have no idea what you’re doing at first.

I think it’s often better to start with a site that’s very simple and easy to build so that your focus can be on learning how websites work.

Rather than getting distracted by all of the bells and whistles available in modern-day platforms (and then getting discouraged when they don’t work how you want them to).

I’m going to share some resources here that will help guide you through your first website. You don’t need much technical knowledge most people who learn web design starts with zero skills!

Just take things one step at a time, ask questions when things get confusing (there are lots of people online who are willing to help), and most importantly just enjoy yourself 🙂

There Are Lots Of Things About Starting A Website That Is Easier Than You Expect Them To Be!

A lot of people don’t realize how easy starting a website can be. You don’t need to be an expert, and you don’t need any special skills or knowledge to start your website. All you need is a little bit of money and some time.

Whether you’re brand new to this whole thing or have been thinking about starting your first website for some time now, I’m here to help guide you through the process!

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Conclusion

I hope this checklist is helpful to you as you start your first website. I know that when I was starting, my main problem was thinking that I would need to spend a lot of time and money on my site before it would be good enough.

I wasted so many hours stressing and trying to figure out how to do things that weren’t necessary at all!

Now, of course, the more complex elements are important and should be taken care of eventually but don’t worry about them right away. Focus on what matters most in the beginning: getting your message out there.

FAQs

What are the essential considerations before building a business website?

Building a business website involves various factors, such as defining your target audience, creating a user-friendly interface, optimizing for search engines, and ensuring mobile responsiveness.

How can I prepare myself for leading a company?

Effective leadership requires developing strong communication skills, fostering a positive work culture, being adaptable to change, and continually seeking personal and professional growth.

What are some common challenges bloggers face when starting a blog?

Bloggers often encounter challenges such as finding their niche, creating consistent content, building an audience, managing time effectively, and staying motivated.

How can I ensure my business website is discoverable online?

To enhance the discoverability of your business website, focus on implementing solid SEO practices, creating high-quality and relevant content, and building authoritative backlinks.

How do I establish a successful blog that resonates with readers?

Creating a successful blog involves identifying your target audience, offering valuable and engaging content, promoting your blog through various channels, and building a strong online community.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.