Here is how you can design your first web page today

Web design remain one of the most intriguing, vital aspect of the internet. But despite this, most people considered designing website as one of intense tasks to accomplish. The reason commonly adduced for this fear is the seemingly daunting arrangement that HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), and hyperlinks requires.

However, this shouldn’t be so, because just like any craft, you can learn it, and even become a confident master of web design over time. Today, you can jettison HTML and all its complications. With the development and growth of certain software generally called web authoring, you are few steps away to designing your first web page. They’re simple, yet extremely effective produce professional looking websites.

Now this article will not only encourage you to use one of them, but will boost your confidence as you get ready to design one today. But there’re information and methods to follow.

Firstly, you must follow simple instructions as we take you through designing your first web page. This approach will help you get a hang of the basics, while gradually becoming a better professional on a continual basis. Now, you may ask, what stuffs do I need to start? Apart from web page editors like Microsoft FrontPage Express, you also need a good web host, and a basic FTP client.

Let’s start the lesson:

Don’t allow the joy of designing your first website influence you into rushing things. But instead, mentally visualize your website and put it on paper. You can sketch how it’ll look, the color, name, pictures, data, headings and so on a paper. This simple approach will give you a compass-like plan to follow, and avoid confusion later.

But it depend on you, and your budget. Assuming you have limited money, what I suggest is to approach your Internet Service Provider (ISP), and ask if they can host your site. Most ISPs allow for their customers to host a web page on a limited, free space on their servers. Or, alternatively you can choose one of thousand companies offering free hosting. But, you may have to bear the snag of adverts on your page.

Load your web page editor, and follow the instructions: First type your site’s title – your visitors will see it on top line of their browsers. Save it into a folder and name it. Then right-click on the blank page, and choose “page properties.” Where it’s marked “Title” will appear “New Page 1” as default name. Simply place your cursor on the line and type in the name of your Web site. Then clock OK.

Move on by selecting background tab and/or background image, and text colors. You will need this later to select your desire colors for every hyperlinks. Anyway, you can decide to use the default settings.

This is very easy to do, just like when you’re using word processor. You can either type directly on the blank page or use MSWord, then cut and paste on the page. You may also select and format font types, color, point size to meet your desire.

But care should be applied when choosing heading, because it does have different levels of headings. Highlight a line of text, right click and choose “Paragraph Properties”, then pick the heading level you want.

If you want to add image to your page, simply place the cursor exactly on the area the image will appear. Select Insert – then Image. Enter the path to the image file, or click “Browse” to locate it on your hard drive. Select and click OK.

Though this is optional, but since you may need it eventually, I suggest you try it out now. Moreover, table will enable you format listed information in a well-organized manner. Start be selecting Table – Insert, then enter the number of rows and columns you want. Click OK.

Don’t bother about other fields yet. Now, add required information into table’s cells. If you like, employ the font attribute tools to change the font style and size.

This is done in two or more parts, that is linking to pages within, to external web sites, and links that start Email messages to certain addresses. The linking process is vital because working links is what you will need to operate proactive on the web.

How do I add links? To turn a text into a link, highlight it and click Hyperlink icon on toolbar. Then type in your URL – that is, complete website address: http://www.yourname.com. Click OK. It will immediately shown in color (blue being the default color), and underlined. Do this same for every link you wish to create for your website.

For Email link, also highlight the preferred text for the link, click the Hyperlink icon, select Hyperlink Type. Then type Email address after the ‘mailto’ entry. Click OK.

After these processes, save your Web page. But the standard way is to save it with webpage URL, http://www.yourname.com. Remember to save it into folder you earlier created.

Now, the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) device is most needed for this assignment. Don’t worry, there are many shareware programs you can use. Or use some dirty cheap FTP that are sold under $30 dollars.

As a start, your host will provide you with the following information. Host name, log-in name and password, and directory for your Web pages.

After successfully connected to your host and get into the right directory, then you can upload your page and all images. After this, disengage and close your FTP, then run your browser to open your newly hosted website. Why? To verify if it conform to exactly as you’d designed it. If not, make corrections or ask your host for assistance. But once it look right, congratulations! You are now a proud owner of full fledged website.

It is wonderful to have your own domain name, instead of clinging to the long attachment given by your hosting company. Ordering a domain name is very cheap now, but just like registering a company offline, you must first make sure it’s still available for you.

So check for availability. Your ISP will register your domain name, and majority do have a little page where you can check before registration. And, it’s free. Or, Go and type in “domain name registration” you will find arrays of websites you can verify domain name availability.

However, to avoid being caught napping, try to have a number of pre-written names before searching. Today, you can register one for as little as $8 dollars per year.