building my first new website, recommendation please !!!

[mhamill83]

So.... im in the process of building my new website, im at a slight advantage as ive a brother who is a IT whizz in Australia and will be helping me out

from what ive researched the template will be from www.themeforest.net, hosting from www.hostgator.com and to register the domain ive seen loads of places but might play it safe with godaddy.com

can anyone advise the DOs and DONTs and the pitfalls of photography website building ??? thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions !

 

[UaeExile]

Build it properly before setting it live. Nothing worse than a half arsed website covered in Latin text and stock photography.

 

[afasoas]

Before you even think about registering the domain and finding a host, set-up your own hosting environment and use that to develop the site.
What you learn will help you understand the ins and outs of web hosting, what can go wrong and how to make sure your site remains safe and resilient.

If you are on Windows, spin-up linux in hyper-V or Virtual-box. I'd suggest Ubuntu Server or Debian Net-install. Then install/configure apache/nginx as web server and MariaDB as the database server. You will encounter all sorts of problems, but the experience will leave you better placed when things do go wrong.

There are already enough websites out there just primed for compromise.

If you aren't prepared to do that, then pay someone who is. Your use an off-the-shelf solution that doesn't require you to procure any hosting of your own.

 

[mhamill83]

Build it properly before setting it live. Nothing worse than a half arsed website covered in Latin text and stock photography.

im "assuming" that themeforest provide and range of text that can be added or changed during production

 

[mhamill83]

Before you even think about registering the domain and finding a host, set-up your own hosting environment and use that to develop the site.
What you learn will help you understand the ins and outs of web hosting, what can go wrong and how to make sure your site remains safe and resilient.

If you are on Windows, spin-up linux in hyper-V or Virtual-box. I'd suggest Ubuntu Server or Debian Net-install. Then install/configure apache/nginx as web server and MariaDB as the database server. You will encounter all sorts of problems, but the experience will leave you better placed when things do go wrong.

There are already enough websites out there just primed for compromise.

If you aren't prepared to do that, then pay someone who is. Your use an off-the-shelf solution that doesn't require you to procure any hosting of your own.

thanks for the tips, again i will forward your info to the brother, im already guessing im out of my depth with the software you quoted but still thanks again

 

[Alastair]

Before all the techy stuff, first decide WHY you're building a website, what it's purpose is and what you want visitors to do.

A website without a purpose is pointless.

Note, vanity is a valid purpose..

 

[jonbeeza]

Have to agree with @Alastair, depends what you intend to do with it.

Back in the day, when it was fashionable to have a domain / website. I bought about six domain names and paid for the hosting, and other related costs in running websites. They covered various topics, and I spent ages tweaking them, then adding content. I used Wordpress and PHPBB, and various other open source software.

In the end, it was too much like hard graft for no return, plus it cost me money.

 

[eeyore]

Before you even think about registering the domain and finding a host, set-up your own hosting environment and use that to develop the site.
What you learn will help you understand the ins and outs of web hosting, what can go wrong and how to make sure your site remains safe and resilient.

If you are on Windows, spin-up linux in hyper-V or Virtual-box. I'd suggest Ubuntu Server or Debian Net-install. Then install/configure apache/nginx as web server and MariaDB as the database server. You will encounter all sorts of problems, but the experience will leave you better placed when things do go wrong.

There are already enough websites out there just primed for compromise.

If you aren't prepared to do that, then pay someone who is. Your use an off-the-shelf solution that doesn't require you to procure any hosting of your own.

Massively OTT, there are simple wordpress standalone programs that do that without the hassle.

im "assuming" that themeforest provide and range of text that can be added or changed during production

They do, or at least the ones I got did.

 

[mhamill83]

getting to grips with a few programs wampserver and loads of youtube videos, this will be a learning curve if anything and a developer on hand to direct very soon

 

[afasoas]

Massively OTT, there are simple wordpress standalone programs that do that without the hassle.
.

It's no different to letting somebody with a good camera photograph and minimal training/experience photograph your wedding.
I've fixed dozens of hacked and broken wordpress installations, both tinned and standalone to understand the foibles. Often with no backups because the web-admin either hasn't bothered or doesn't know how to.

My advice to the OP stands, get to grips with the way the internet works first. Particularly if you intend on selling your photos etc. Otherwise, pick a platform for hosting yourwebsite that does not involve anything more than buying the domain name and signing up somewhere.

 

[Alastair]

So why are you building this website?

.. and to minimise hassle, have you looked at Squarespace?

 

[Snapsh0t]

I suggest asking someone competent in English to proof-read it before you publish it. There are few things more amateurish on the web than sites with poor spelling, grammar and punctuation.

 

[petersmart]

Your site also needs to be "Responsive" - meaning that it will re-size and re-order itself depending on the medium that it is displayed on, whether it's a pad, a PC, laptop or mobile.
Which means HTML5 so make sure that whoever creates it appreciates that.
.