You Can Do It! Make a Build-It-Yourself Site

The thought of turning site maps, content lists, and other plans into a full-

blown Web site can intimidate almost anyone — especially someone who

has never created a Web page. To create Web pages in the early days of the

Internet, you had to know the specialized computer code HyperText Markup

Language (HTML) and be able to write that code by using a program such

as Notepad. Now, however, you can find many tools to help you design your

own site without having an extensive knowledge of HTML.

That said, knowing how to use some HTML is still a good idea because this

knowledge gives you more control over the site-building process. Although

Web site tools can create a lot of HTML code and help you build functions

quickly, you might have to edit the work those tools do to make your site

faster, smoother, and easier for customers to use. You have to direct these

efforts to make sure that your site is an effective communications tool for

your customers to do business with you. These Web site tools can help you

get something done, but you have to provide the “why” of the Web page:

Why is it being built, and why should customers use it?

A good first step is checking with your Web hosting company to find out

which site development tools it provides. Most hosting companies have site

design tools and templates that work with their servers, and can get you up

and running with basic Web page designs. You can update those basic

designs with your own content, labels, and products