Web 101

This is something completely new for Evenlight - some helpful tips and tricks for fledgeling domain owners!

I've been a domain owner for +5 years, and a web designer/developer for even longer. I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning (and still do!) but I learned from experience. The Internet is one of my favorite things, and I really enjoy searching personal domains and the content they hold. There are some really excellent domains, and some not so excellent domains. The first step to improvement is admitting you have a problem, right? I hope the advice I've complied through my experiences can help domain owners, both old and new! ♥

  Starting Off

So you want a personal domain, huh? Here's what I recommend:

- Brain Storm!
Think about what kind of website/domain you want to create. What are your interests? How will the domain be utilized (portal, personal things, art, blog, etc)?

- Do the research!
Explore hosting options that would work best for you. I currently use 200 MB of space with 8,000 MB of bandwidth, which is MORE than plenty for me as I just host small, "hobbyist" sites. If you're sticking with a similar plan, I would recommend no more than 200 MB. Also, if you are able to get a hold on the domain name + hosting package, snatch it up! It's a great deal, as it covers two for one.

Consider cost. A reasonable monthly cost is $5-8 USD, but that's what I prefer because I'm cheap. Do some research on reliable internet hosting companies. I use E-Starr, and have not had any major issues with them.

- Pick a name!
So you've decided on the direction of your domain, and you've picked out a good hosting plan. How about a name and extension? A helpful way of picking out a domain name is to again, consider what your domain is about. If it's focused on art, how about a word or phrase that describes types of art? Dictionaries and thesaruses are also very helpful. So are language translators. Whatever name you go with, make sure it has some meaning or signifigance to it. It will be more important to you if it has personal meaning.

A little inspiration :
Dictionary.com
Encyclopedia Mythica
BabelFish

  Content Yayes (and Nayes)

Congrads! You have a domain now! Figured out what to put in it yet? NO? Well then, you better get to work! Here's some points to think about:

- Navigation
How will visitors traverse your site? Is the navigation easy to find, is it too small to see, is it too vague and obscure that it's even a link? What can you do to make your navigation "pop"? Honestly, there is nothing more annoying than having to SEARCH for site links, whether they be unlabeled shapes or text too tiny to even read.

- Design
I know not everyone is artistically gifted, I understand that. Designs featuring artwork drawn BY the domain owner is always something fresh and new to see. If you can't draw, maybe you have a good friend that can! If you opt for using a graphic from a wallpaper, manga cover, poster, etc, find the highest quality image possible. It will make designing the layout much easier on you, and will save you several minutes of retouching.

Horizontally scrolling designs are not typical, mostly because they're tough to create WELL and people just aren't used to side scrolling. Stick with what's comfortable. Compress your images, they will load faster for everyone, even those unfortunate people with 56 K modems.

NEVER NEVER NEVER rip off someone else's design or content. EVER. It's a cheap and dirty way of cutting corners, and only makes you look like a jerk.

Always credit graphics used in the design (stock images, official artwork, whatever) or content (see Testosterone for an example of crediting content).

- Content
Have something on hand before you launch your site, that way you're not stuck with a "coming soon" banner until your domain subscription expires.