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Create Your Web SiteHow to Create Your Web Site

A Web site connects you to your family, friends or customers. You create a Web site to share pictures and stories about your life or sell your products and services to clients. A Web site is a powerful communication tool that can help you keep in touch or grow your business.

Whether you create your own Web site or hire a professional Web designer, planning your Web site is easy. Read on for a Web design guide with step-by-step instructions on planning, creating and driving traffic to your Web site.

Step 1: Develop a Web Site Plan

You’ll create an effective Web site that visitors understand and enjoy if you take the time to plan it out first. Plus, you’ll learn how much help you need as you develop your Web site plan.

Step 2: Write a Plan

Disorganization doesn’t work on the Web. Whether it’s a one-person project or a Web development team, a written plan will serve as a guide to creating a professional and well-organized Web site.

Step 3: Web Site Graphics

It’s not enough to describe things on your Web site—you need attention-grabbing graphics to break up your text and illustrate your points. There are many ways to get graphics for your Web site.  

Step 4: Writing for the Web

People don’t read Web sites word for word; they scan for the information they’re looking for.  Learn some simple techniques you can use to write content for the Web that catches your readers’ eye.

Step 5: Hire a Web Designer

A successful Web site grabs a viewer's attention with a strong design and keeps the viewer clicking with intuitive navigation and well-designed and maintained programming. If you don't have the skills or the time to create a top-notch interactive experience for your Web site visitors, consider hiring a professional Web designer.

If you have the time and skills, or a desire to learn Web design and programming, you might enjoy building your own Web site. All it takes is patience, the right software and a little reading.