Starting a Web Site

[Alexam]

My son and I have been making a few trinket/jewellery boxes and those who have seen them so far would like to own one. We are thinking of starting a small web site, that doesn't cost a lot, but have no idea on what would be best, or what the rules are about having a site. The idea is just to let people know what we do, have some photos and contact details, but not to sell off the site.

Someone mentioned the Wix Web builder and I have been having a play with it, but am not very technically minded and the help information on the site I find is not easy to understand.

Has anyone had experience with this type of thing and could offer helpful advice please.

Alex

 

[marcros]

Are you on a mac or PC? I have a great programme- rapidweaver- which does exactly what you describe but is mac only.

 

[Lons]

Hi Alex

I'm in the process of setting mine up at the minute and it's live but only the first page so far.
All I did was register my chosen domain name. I used http://www.one.com ,cost me about £20 for 3 years registration) and I use their wed tools partly because that's where my son set his up and I can demand his help if needed. :lol: Easy to set up and edit, it's getting the content and photos right that takes the time.

I'm no expert and there are others on here who will give you the benefit of their experience I'm sure.
cheers
Bob

 

[Alexam]

Thanks guys. I am PC and not Mac, but thanks.
Lons ..... I was looking for help particularly on the Wix.com site. I have done a couple of pages, but cannot see how to get the pull down menu into actual buttons that work. Also, it seems that pages need to have the same photo and I wanted to change that. All a little complicated for my old brain. I will get there eventually, but am a little impatient with these technical things that I hate.

Perhaps a few more replies please ......... .?

 

[nev]

If it is just a simple advert for your wares how about a free blog from the the likes of wordpress? see 'not a blog' below.
simply choose a theme(an existing template) (lots are free) and then change the words and pics all via a web interface, no software to download or learn.
You can also point your chosen web address (if you have one) at the freely hosted blog. so for example, when someone types in http://www.alexam.com, they are taken to http://www.alexam.wordpress.com. etc
so no hosting fees, no software to learn. simples

 

[Jacob]

Basically it's between a CMS or a diy site.
"Content management system" (CMS) is a ready made site into which you put your info, with all sorts of options for design and layout. Wordpress is one. Most service providers offer various other options. Usually cheap, relatively easy to work but constrained to a template.

DIY is where you either work it all up in HTML ("hyper text markup language") which is quite easy at the basic level, or you use a design prog such as Dreamweaver. My site is entirely DIY (typed in in text) http://www.owdman.co.uk - (NB out of date and due for revision any month now.) You can see the raw text if you go to "view source" in the menu bar. Mine's done with an html text editor (bbedit) but you can type direct using any simple text app such as notepad, simpletext etc.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Have you considered Etsy? The good thing about that is traffic is already driven there whereas your own site will be largely invisible.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

My site is entirely DIY (typed in in text) http://www.owdman.co.uk

Nice website by the way "owdman"

 

[Alexam]

Have you considered Etsy? The good thing about that is traffic is already driven there whereas your own site will be largely invisible.

Thanks Bob,
I have looked at Etsy and it seems good, but I really don't want to look at selling abroad at present. All the hastle of packaging and postage overseas is more than we need.

This is a 'hobby' rather than a 'real' business, my son has a full time job and I feel that the Web site would be more to spread the word as professionally as possible and show photographs of the individual items, but the owdman site doesn't really grab me as mutch.

 

[Alexam]

Jacob, thanks for your input. The Wix site is a ready made templates to sort through and select and they seem quite good and one can change photos for others r your own as required. It's just that I'm a bit thick when some technicalities crop up putting it together and I don't want to employ someone tpo do it as they cost a lot of money.
I'm OK on building the wording and selecting the images, it's the moving around the site that seems a pain.

 

[Jacob]

Practice practice!
The more you do the more you find ways and wangles to suit yourself, without necessarily having to know your way around the whole system. I don't know anything about Wix but I bet there's a forum somewhere.

 

[Steve Jones]

Hi

Have a look at Paul J's website of this parish (in woodturning).
It was done by myself using the free version of Wordpress

Cheers

Steve

 

[Matt@]

wordpress is brilliant. Google to see some free wordpress themes. Many sites use wordpress now as owners can update their sites with their own content without relying on a 3rd party..

 

[edwardr]

Have you considered Etsy? The good thing about that is traffic is already driven there whereas your own site will be largely invisible.

Thanks Bob,
I have looked at Etsy and it seems good, but I really don't want to look at selling abroad at present. All the hastle of packaging and postage overseas is more than we need.

This is a 'hobby' rather than a 'real' business, my son has a full time job and I feel that the Web site would be more to spread the word as professionally as possible and show photographs of the individual items, but the owdman site doesn't really grab me as mutch.

I think if you want low-hassle "hobby" type selling, Etsy is the least-friction option and will look better than many of the themes/template sites.

You can decide where you sell your items on Etsy. You don't have to ship outside of the UK if you don't want to. You select where you ship to on your listings, like, for example, you would when selling on eBay.

 

[xraymtb]

If it's selling small quantities of unique items I would agree with Etsy but having your own site to promote your work could be done alongside it. If you are relatively PC literate then HTML is a doddle and actually easier to use than many packages, plus you get a unique design (if you use a WordPress or similar theme then someone, somewhere, will have a website very much like yours). Think of it as a project, find some tutorials (W3 schools is one), create your own and you will forever be in charge.

 

[Jacob]

I agree. In fact some of the best sites are done with basic html. All you need is text, links and images and a minimal amount of layout. Most sites are over designed, fussy and complicated.

 

[Alexam]

If it's selling small quantities of unique items I would agree with Etsy but having your own site to promote your work could be done alongside it. If you are relatively PC literate then HTML is a doddle and actually easier to use than many packages, plus you get a unique design (if you use a WordPress or similar theme then someone, somewhere, will have a website very much like yours). Think of it as a project, find some tutorials (W3 schools is one), create your own and you will forever be in charge.

That's a bit much for an old duffer like me. Not into creating in that way. Am progressing with Wix but still need to sort a few things out.