I would like to start a small business, just for some extra income really, not to replace my real job. I don't know how to build websites, nothing complicated anyway. Would it be OK to use blog software, such as WordPress?Or would this be too unprofessional even if I had my own URL? I see a website as the main marketing tool of what I want to do, what do you guys think? |
Business website
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PhoenixFlames 9,263 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 11 years ago -
Depends entirely on what it is the business will be doing and how the website will work. On the whole I can't see how a Wordpress blog is going to be a suitable basis for a business website, but then I don't really know much about Wordpress to be honest. -
PhoenixFlames 9,263 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 11 years agoI think with WordPress you actually have a front end website and WordPress is kind of the CMS so it may well work. It seems fully customisable, although I'll have to look in to what level of code knowledge I will need.
The site will just be a few pages explaining what I do, contact info etc. Nothing involving checkouts or selling physical items. -
Ah right, thought it was much more limited to daily blog posting type content. Sounds like it might well be all you need then! -
PhoenixFlames 9,263 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 11 years agoFeZZ wrote:
You're selling fleshlights right ?
You got me! -
burns 1,138 posts
Seen 1 year ago
Registered 13 years agoIt wouldn't take a lot of learning to build a basic HTML site with few pages. -
corimi 1,310 posts
Seen 7 years ago
Registered 12 years agoYeah you can get quite far using WordPress as a basis. Technically, you'll need to learn how to use FTP, install new templates and possibly make graphical tweaks. Some good template examples here. Google has plenty more
Of course, the best idea would be to use one of these as a basis, rather than just lifting wholesale, changing key graphics as a minimum so they communicate what you do.
I'd advise that you spend some time thinking about your brand and if you can (and aren't a designer yourself) work with a designer and tailor the site around your business rather than just finding a cool template to fit your content into.
My 50p -
techierob 336 posts
Seen 5 years ago
Registered 11 years agoa website's the easy part. I'd be more concerned about getting VAT registered, filling tax returns, keeping business expenses and managing my accounts.
Also, I'd avoid wysiwyg html apps like the plague. Web pages that have been lovingly hand-rolled are far better imo. Just make sure to keep the interface as clean and simple as possible and make sure that the content is accurate and interesting. -
Xerx3s 23,953 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 14 years agoAs someone who makes a part of his living with web software, I definitely would advise you to go to a professional company. A small, simple company site could be done for as little as 300 to 500 euro which is a forgettable figure for a healthy company.
You have to remember, these days the website is THE primary or one of the primary communication and information lines to clients. What would you think the reaction would be of a potential client that comes to your site but sees something less than professional?
Some clients don't care about looks, others do, is it worth a risk? -
monkeyspasm 2,954 posts
Seen 10 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoLearn HTML and CSS - I recommend 'Learning Web Design' by Jennifer Niederst Robbins and 'CSS - The Definitive Guide' by Eric Meyer.
You'll be able to optimise the pages for search engines much more easily if you've written them yourself, and (X)HTML is really easy. WYSIWYG software typically kicks out non-compliant code as well as creating tons of code bloat. I rewrote our websites myself in XHTML and CSS in a few weeks (this is learning from scratch), they look far 'cleaner' now and have about 1/10th of the code!
Also, SEO-wise, we are seeing real benefits due to proper optimisation which we just couldn't do with web authoring packages.
Having said that, Dreamweaver seems to kick out good, clean code and you have the option of writing the HTML or using the WYSIWYG window (or both), but it's expensive. Best option is to learn yourself. Be prepared to spend some time on CSS to get your layout right though.
Failing that, try Joomla. I don't use it myself but a mate of mine uses it for his work website and says it's really useful. Wordpress isn't really a CMS. -
Xerx3s wrote:
Really? That little? Not been my experience of asking around here if anyone could fix up my site, which I ended up doing myself. Admittedly it's led to loooooong hours sat in front of Coda and BBEdit etc, with Dan Cederholm's books spread out in front of me and about 20 different browser tabs open on HTML and CSS forums and coding sites, and it's still not exactly where I want it.
As someone who makes a part of his living with web software, I definitely would advise you to go to a professional company. A small, simple company site could be done for as little as 300 to 500 euro which is a forgettable figure for a healthy company.
You have to remember, these days the website is THE primary or one of the primary communication and information lines to clients. What would you think the reaction would be of a potential client that comes to your site but sees something less than professional?
Some clients don't care about looks, others do, is it worth a risk?
But at least it hasn't cost me any cold hard cash... -
monkeyspasm 2,954 posts
Seen 10 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoYeah, a site of 1-3 pages can be had for between £50-100 these days, search on Google for 'cheap website'
Not sure about quality, mind!
edit - mainly it seems to be students halfway through degrees etc trying to gain experience.
I knocked up a holiday site (only 1 page) for my boss's mate for £50 but that was a definite favour! -
I'm much more satisfied with doing it myself in my spare time, to be honest. All I really miss is having a pro designer give me their opinion on the actual layout etc, and how cool simple things can be achieved with very little code. However, Dan's books are great for that sort of inspiration. -
DaM 17,061 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoHave a look for free web templates, or free CSS templates - there are 1000's out there, most of them dross, but have a good look, there are a few nice ones here. I used the Choice one for one of my sites, the punters seem to like it. You just fill in your own content.
Probably helps if you have some basic html knowledge though, I would read up on that.
Once you get going and make some money, you can pay someone (there are a few people on here who should be able to help you). -
Xerx3s 23,953 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 14 years agoMrED209 wrote:
I'm much more satisfied with doing it myself in my spare time, to be honest. All I really miss is having a pro designer give me their opinion on the actual layout etc, and how cool simple things can be achieved with very little code. However, Dan's books are great for that sort of inspiration.
This forum is FULL with (wouldbe) designers. Make something and pitch it on this forum. I'm pretty sure that you would have atleast 10 tips within an hour.
My first tip would be, see what the competition in the branch has. You usually see a pattern in the type of sites that they use and it usually is for a reason. -
Xerx3s 23,953 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 14 years agoIf you want coding help:
All client side things: w3schools.com, while they don't have a very uptodate and detailed db, it's good and clear enough to learn js, ajax, css, xhtml, etc.
all serverside things: php.net, The only thing that you will EVER need.
Design inspiration: mezzoblue.com/zengarden/alldesigns/, it's usually useless but some designs have nice elements worth considering.
Free photo material: sxc.hu, it's an awesome place if you are looking for photo's and images without paying royalties. -
Jos 712 posts
Seen 9 months ago
Registered 16 years agoDepends on what your business is. But the build it and they will come philosophy is not a good one. SEO or not.
The simple website creation tools that some hosts provide might be ample if you are not going for a creative/visual or technology company.
Don't try and learn web site making yourself for the sake of your business - spend the time actually doing your business. If you fancy learning it as a hobby then fine but don't tie your business success to it.
Same with everything else - get cashflow and worry about everything else after.
Now how to generate cashflow? Harder, but a pretty website won't do it on it's own.
Go on the businesslink website - there are a ton of articles on how to start up. -
Charroux 800 posts
Seen 5 days ago
Registered 12 years agoWordpress is a great CMS for a small site (or a blog site, obvously).
Joomla would be complete overkill for a small 10-page site, in addition to the fact that it's absolutely horrible to use.
Like others have said, you can get a really good little site made professionally for around £200-300. It might look like plenty of other sites out there, but that really isn't a bad thing. And at least it'd look professional. -
Stormflood 2,263 posts
Seen 4 years ago
Registered 12 years agoThis is a wordpress business site: http://www.redflymarketing.com/ -
Xerx3s 23,953 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 14 years agoJos wrote:
Depends on what your business is. But the build it and they will come philosophy is not a good one. SEO or not.
The simple website creation tools that some hosts provide might be ample if you are not going for a creative/visual or technology company.
Don't try and learn web site making yourself for the sake of your business - spend the time actually doing your business. If you fancy learning it as a hobby then fine but don't tie your business success to it.
Same with everything else - get cashflow and worry about everything else after.
Now how to generate cashflow? Harder, but a pretty website won't do it on it's own.
Go on the businesslink website - there are a ton of articles on how to start up.
This. It's one skill to make a site. It's another to make a site that actually shows up in searches. -
PhoenixFlames 9,263 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 11 years agoThanks for the advice everyone. Very useful. I know a bit of HTML, I use it in my job to update our website. I think Wordpress, my own URL and a bit of tweaking with an existing CSS file will be the way to go. Free (apart from buying a domian/hosting) and a bit of fun too.
Tax eh? /runs -
DaM 17,061 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 16 years agoHey PF, where's the website for us to appraise then?! -
PhoenixFlames 9,263 posts
Seen 3 years ago
Registered 11 years agoDaM wrote:
Hey PF, where's the website for us to appraise then?!
lol! Not happened yet I'm afraid, but I have convinced work to pay for a 3 month Open University CSS/XHTML course though!
Watch this space! -
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DaM 17,061 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 16 years ago/still watching space
(I didn't bump it!) -
** SUPER BUMP **
Morning all.
I've been tasked with looking at ways to improve our company website, and am currently in a position where I could carry on with our current suppliers who use Drupal as the platform, or get shot and start again (taking the content with me).
It's my opinion (having researched it a bit) that Drupal is pretty rubbish compared to alternatives such as joomla. There is a lot less support/community for Drupal for instance.
Recently though, I've noticed Wordpress being pushed a lot to look after SME websites. Powerful CMS and very handy for SEO.
Is there anyone here that looks after company websites? Thoughts very welcome. -
Everyone will have their favourites, but I honestly prefer Wordpress over Joomla or any other template type CMS - just so much easier to manage and develop for (if you need to).
Thousands of plugins and tons of support. And damn easy to customize yout themes if you know a bit of html/css.
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