Install a Blog, Design the Layout and add Content
If you have set up domain name and web hosting account, you can look at other aspects like Content Management (CMS) Installation. But what is CMS and why is it necessary? Before answering that let’s try to find the answer of another basic question – difference between a website and blog.
Website vs Blog
A blog is also a website, but it has some additional features which makes it special. Blogs are usually delivered with the help of Content Management Systems (CMS), while this is not mandatory for websites. Content Management Systems are software frameworks available for central management of web files. A website can be created purely based on HTML files, but for blogs, technologies like PHP is also essential.
To make it simple, we can call blogs as dynamic websites. As they use CMS platform, there is central organizing of content, and it is very easy to manage and update. Categories, Tags, Archives, Comments etc are some of the special features of blogs. Example of CMS platform include WordPress, Joomla! and Drupal.
What should I need, a website or blog?
It’s entirely personal. If you have only static contents and limited pages, a website would be enough. But if you have dynamic content which needs regular updates as if in a news website, you might need the help of a CMS. In that case install a CMS like WordPress. As a general rule, a blog associated with a website domain has many advantages.
MyCompleteSite.com runs on WordPress Platform, but it is designed in such a manner that the traditional look and feel of a website is not compromised. This is possible with almost all CMS platform. For beginners, we advice to install WordPress. This can be done with ‘one-click install’ available in most web servers. If that option is not available, upload WordPress files into web server account.
Web Technologies
You don’t need to be an expert in any specialized software or language to create a website. For creating a static website, preliminary knowledge of HTML and CSS is advised. (A good online starting point can be w3schools.com). For creating a blog, a preliminary knowledge of WordPress is advised. You don’t need to know any coding to handle WordPress and there is a visual editor. (For doubts regarding WordPress, see some YouTube videos or refer WordPress codex).
Once you become familiar with websites or blog, if interested, you can learn higher technologies. These include JavaScript, PHP, ASP.net etc. If you need to shift to other CMS, learn Joomla! or Drupal.
Web Design
Whether you develop your website with or without the help of CMS, you need a good web design. An eye pleasing design is a must for retaining visitor. Having said that, avoid bulky codes and flashy designs. It’s not the visual content in your website which matters, but the text content.
Things to note about web design:
- Use contrasting colors. Your text should be properly readable.
- Go for a 2 column design or 3 column design.
- The hierarchy should be clear. Have a good navigation menu.
- Prepare a Web Design, a layout on paper with major details like columns, navigation etc. first. Incorporate these design features into the website or blog.
Content
In case of websites, there is a saying that “Content is the King”. It is true that search engines like Google index a website higher not based on its visual appeal, but based on the quality of content in the website. Avoid copy pasting content from other websites. Originality of the content, proper use of keywords, relevance etc plays an important role in getting good rank in search engines.
Once the design is complete and you start adding content to the files, your website will start to grow and attract visitors. Continue creating good posts, if you are a blogger. To reach a visitor count of more than 1000 per day for a normal blog, more than 200 quality posts might be necessary.