building and managing your own website

[spots n splashes]

I have a website that I built using YahooSitebuilder, but I am getting unhappy about it because it's messing up the pages once I publish them. They look fine on the screen, but look nothing like it when published. And its not always centered, though it looks centered on screen. Its time to find another web host so I can make a better site. I'm just tired of redoing our website every month. It never looks the same. I don't know anything about building and making websites (just started learning), but I do like doing it myselft and managing it as I have time to update it daily. Also I have a domain name. Just need a new host.

Does anyone build and manage their own? If so what site are you using? What are some ups and down about it? I would like one that supports flash and video files as I would like to make videos of our horses once I learn more about website building.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I think that you are better off buying a site, the free ones seem OK to start with, then there are problems. Mine is quite inexpensive and I am very pleased with it, it seems to work OK. I am not managing it myself, not yet, so I cannot comment on that but my friend who does it for me is not professional, but has managed to get a very professional look...

 

[spots n splashes]

I think that you are better off buying a site, the free ones seem OK to start with, then there are problems. Mine is quite inexpensive and I am very pleased with it, it seems to work OK. I am not managing it myself, not yet, so I cannot comment on that but my friend who does it for me is not professional, but has managed to get a very professional look...

Well I wouldn't exactly say that its free. We're paying close to $20/month for running it. I know the price is not bad but I don't see paying for something I am unhappy with. How do you go about buying a site? What about buying a software for website building from like Best Buy or Office Depot?

 

[Mini Gaits Farm]

I would just like to say that I have been so very satisfied with Debby of Bowens Designs. I find her very inexpensive, extremely customer service oriented and an overall pleasure to work with. Debby is well worth my investment and I highly recommend her services to anyone looking to create a website or just have their current one hosted.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I used the same Yahoo server as you. When you say its not centered have you gone onto your page properties and click Center for that page? Otherwise it won't be centered everything will be flushed to the left. It takes a while just learning all the tricks, and like you wasn't real happy with mine. I deleted my site as I just wasn't updating it and was letting it go.

You can have someone build you one but if you like to update it alot that could cost you extra. I say if I ever get a site again I'll probably go back to Yahoo, but I'm just not sure when that would be yet. Right now all I have is geldings and so I just have a free page with Facebook. Works well enough.

Good luck!

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

I have done my own website, and was hired to do several others. I no longer do websites, I simply don't have the time anymore, but what I used, and still use for my own (which rarely gets updated anymore!) was www.godaddy.com for the domain name and space, and Microsoft Front Page for the software. Although GoDaddy also has website design program with their accounts, I believe. I've never had any problem with their services....I have been using them for years, their customer service has been great....and my clients never had a problem with them.

Good luck!

Angie

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Whoa, $20 a month! For that I would expect a lot, I can tell you.

Mo works for grateful thanks but the website costs $80 a year, all in.

 

[spots n splashes]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I will have to shop around and do some research on google. I would hate to sign up with a host and then end up having to cancel till I find one I like.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

I use freewebs.com and haven't had a problem with it.. You can check out my website at: www.luckycacres.com

 

[lilnickers]

I also use webs.com, formerly freewebs.com. I still use the free version, but hope to upgrade with my own domain name and no ads.I have had it for years.

Webs.com is very easy to start with for beginners, I really like it.

Good luck to you

 

[SampleMM]

I use freewebs.com and haven't had a problem with it.. You can check out my website at: www.luckycacres.com

Cristina, your site looks wonderful. I just visited it the other day and my, I must say it looks so professional.

:yeah

If doing your own website doesn't work out, I highly recommend Debby Bowen. She is so talented it's unbelievable! Check out my site to view her design ideas. I told her that I wanted flowers and ribbons and she took it from there. I've actually had people tell me that my website is light and airy and makes you want to buy a miniature horse.

Anyways, I ditto everything Mini Gaits said.

 

[Genie]

We use Freewebs as well.

I pay a small annual fee to remove the advertising.

Easy to use and nice to be able to keep it up to date ourselves.

Reble got us started with ours!

 

[spots n splashes]

Cristina, your site looks wonderful. I just visited it the other day and my, I must say it looks so professional.

:yeah

If doing your own website doesn't work out, I highly recommend Debby Bowen. She is so talented it's unbelievable! Check out my site to view her design ideas. I told her that I wanted flowers and ribbons and she took it from there. I've actually had people tell me that my website is light and airy and makes you want to buy a miniature horse.

Anyways, I ditto everything Mini Gaits said.

I just love your website! Its very neat, light n bright and easy to navigate.

 

[SampleMM]

I just love your website! Its very neat, light n bright and easy to navigate.

Thank you. I really appreciate your compliments.

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

Cristina, your site looks wonderful. I just visited it the other day and my, I must say it looks so professional.

:yeah

If doing your own website doesn't work out, I highly recommend Debby Bowen. She is so talented it's unbelievable! Check out my site to view her design ideas. I told her that I wanted flowers and ribbons and she took it from there. I've actually had people tell me that my website is light and airy and makes you want to buy a miniature horse.

Anyways, I ditto everything Mini Gaits said.

Thanks dear! I think I finally got it where I want it! Still needs a few tweaks and updates here and there, and I definitely need some updated photos, but overall I'm happy with how its coming along!

 

[Sandee]

Thanks dear! I think I finally got it where I want it! Still needs a few tweaks and updates here and there, and I definitely need some updated photos, but overall I'm happy with how its coming along!

My husband downloaded a program called Joomla. I believe it is what AMHR is now using, at least it is very similar looking. It is not too difficult to use, however, he was a programmer. He's now trying to teach me to keep up the pages. Then we contract with a web host called IDCsoft that costs around $100 a year (partly because he needs so much room for his geneology pages).

 

[walkermini]

I use 1and1 dot com. I have used them for several years, and am very pleased. I pay about $30 every six months. They do have more expensive options, depending on how fancy or large you want the site. Im not sure if you can transfer your domain name, you probably can but I havent looked into it with them. I just got a domain name when I signed up with them. They are very easy to use also. You dont need to know any complicated computer stuff. That was important for me LOL.

 

[Carriage]

Hi Spot,

I tried to send this privately but could not.

Web design and maintenance has been a 7 year long, multiple-person nightmare for us. So much so that we built our own sites only to find out that this was the easy part and that SEO was the begger.

I do not share the confidence in Bowens Design that another has expressed.

Learn to do every thing your self and it will come out the way you want on your time line and with-out the attitude so often attendant with folk in this field.

Also if you are in ownership of the site, we have used IX webhosting for a few years now and we have no complaints and have been VERY happy with customer service. Customer SERVICE is the key and is what is most often lacking in my experience.

Bb