Need a website? Well it’s never been easier! One option is to hire someone to set up a site for you, have them spend a couple hours teaching you the basics, and then you are well on your way. Below are some beginning steps to ensure a great start.

My trifecta: Bluehost, WordPress, and Thesis

A Quality Web Host

I have used Bluehost for my web hosting for the past 3 years and have been very happy with them. I’m not surprised when I check out various web hosting reviews and find Bluehost frequently in the top  five. Their hosting plans come with valuable extras and their customer service is awesome. I highly recommend Bluehost. Good News: They are available 24/7, eager to help, in the U.S. and easy to understand.  Cost: $107.40 annually ($8.95 a month)

A Great Domain Name

When picking a domain for your site, the key is to pick a name that is easy remember and not confusing. to spell. You can buy your domain at a variety of sites. GoDaddy.com is probably the cheapest and most popular. (I’m not a big fan though) You’ll pay between $8-$12 for one year and as long as you renew annually, you own that domain.  Good News: When you sign up for annual hosting with Bluehost, you get one domain for free! Cost: $0

Install WordPress

Even if you don’t think you want a blog, it’s smart to have your website in blog format. Regardless of the purpose of your website (business, e-commerce, nonprofit, personal) WordPress is a great foundation. Good News: Bluehost offers WordPress installations as part of their hosting service. Cost: $0

Install Thesis

You may not understand what a WordPress theme is, but trust me when I say that Thesis rules! Sure you can obtain a free no name brand template from just about any web hosting site available today, but it won’t come close to giving you the design and SEO capabilities that Thesis does.  Good News: This is a one time cost and well worth the price. Cost: $87

Third Party Apps

Now it’s time to install some important third party applications that make your WordPress/Thesis combination work even better. Sociable, Akismet, Google Feedburner, and Google Analytics are just some of the staples. Good News: Most third party apps for WordPress are free! Cost: $0

For example: Akismet (Automatic Kismet) blocks spam comments and spam links that show up on your website.

Next steps

Now comes the really important stuff. Deciding on content for your website and incorporating social media into your overall marketing strategy.

Social Media Therapist’s additional recommendations:

1. Accept the fact that you’ll never know it all, and if you hire someone to help you, they won’t know it all either. It’s impossible, so just have fun learning!
2. Understand that your website will always be a work in progress. Static websites don’t make sense. The goal is to be frequently adding fresh and relevant content.
3. Don’t just hire someone to do the work for you, hire someone who will teach you as much as you would like to learn. You never know when a little explanation might make something finally click for  you.

WEBSITE SETUP PACKAGE:I am currently offering a pre-set package to set up WordPress/Thesis websites.  Please email me for package details.