How to Publish Your Website on the Internet

Do you wonder how to build websites? Do you have a great idea that you would like to publish, but don't know how? If so you have a lot of questions! What is FTP? Where can you find web site tutorials? How can you find out how to register a domain name? Learn more about building and publishing a great website!

Websites are written in a computer language called HTML, which stands for hypertext markup language. Understanding HTML is one of the first steps in learning how to build websites. HTML structures the website information. It will tell the website where to put headings, lists, pictures, and everything else! The great thing about websites is that you do not have to know about HTML to build a website. You can use a WYSIWYG HTML Editor to generate the HTML code for your website. WYSIWYG stands for "what you see is what you get." WYSIWYG editors, like Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Studio, give you the ability to put the pictures, text, headers, and whatever else you want for your website, then generates the code for you.

Once you have your HTML code, you will need to find hosting for your website. Hosting refers to the server that will carry your website. You will upload the HTML for your site to the web host. Many web hosting companies will also help you build the HTML codes. You will need to register your domain name. Your web host should have an option that allows you to search and see if your preferred name is used or not. Then you need to register your domain name. Your web host may offer free domain name registration. If they do not, go to a site like www.1and1.com where you can register your domain name.

Hosting Options

There are two different types of website hosting. The first way to build a website is through your Internet Service Provider account, or ISP. If you choose to host your website this way, your web address will be something like www.yourispcompany/johndoe123.com. A benefit of hosting your site through your ISP is that they often have pre-built websites that you can just enter your information into, making it easy to start your website. Hosting through your ISP will often be a very affordable option. One downside to hosting through your ISP is you may not be able to create the domain name you want, and you may be limited in what you can do with your site.

If you want more flexibility, you can host your own domain through a professional website hosting company. This is the better option if you want to have a snappy website name. Your web address will be www.yourdomainname.com. Keep your domain name between five and fifteen characters if you can. You want it to be something your visitors can easily remember. Professional hosting gives you the best option for creativity in design for your website, but it may cost more.

Continue to: What to Do with Your Files or to Set Up FTP

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