Build A Craft Website
How to Build a Website Step by Step for Beginners

The following pages provide you with the tools needed
to build your own web based business.

Links on this page may be affiliate links.
When buying products from the companies below
assume that my company will receive a commission.

The information presented is for your information only.

Clicking on a link below takes you to a website that IS NOT the property of The Extravaganza Craft Productions. The Extravaganza Craft Productions is not responsible for and DOES NOT make any warranty or guarantee, express or implied, to the completeness and accuracy of any content, prices or services of third party sites.

There are several steps to creating a website. Notice missing steps please email me

You will need:

• A computer with enough memory, a modem and internet access is imperative. NOTE: If you're accessing this page from home then you are set.
• Get an e-mail account. Some web hosts will provide a free e-mail address but web hosts need one to mail you instructions and passwords to sites. Having an e-mail account will save a lot of time later. Several companies offer free e-mail such as Hotmail, G-mail by Google, etc. Most internet service providers (a.k.a. ISP) offer free e-mail with their service. Many paid e-mail programs allow for you to send automated responses to certain actions and will personalize the e-mail with certain characteristics you choose from your databases efficiently improving your customer service.
• The theme of your website would be the arts or crafts you produce. The look of your site will be guided by the theme you choose. Write down one craft you produce then write down everything it makes you think about in terms of color, pictures, personal values, etc. I'll use bath and body products as my example. When I think of homemade bath and body products I think of luxury, softness, and smoothness. I see peach roses, peach silk, white towels and bathrobes, and white candles. I feel warm bubbles and a large bathtub. These would be the images I would place on my site with care not to draw the attention away from my products and to use only the images associated with pleasant feelings.
• Your content will be what gets your customer to your site and it will be what keeps them there as well. Give your customers what they want. Everyone wants answers but we're often afraid to ask the questions we have, a Frequently Asked Questions page gives your customers the answers they seek. Tell your story sometimes people will buy a product from you (over the competition) simply because they like you or can relate. Tell your customer how the product you make can benefit them, will it keep them more organized, give them more time, make them look more professional, help keep their house cleaner? Will your handcrafted soap make their skin feel softer, look smoother, have more moisture, eliminate wrinkles, reduce blemishes?
• Draw your website on paper. Make on outline showing each main page and sub page. See example below:
  • Home
  • Products
    • Bath and Body
      • Soap
        • Homemade
        • Commercial
      • Lotion
        • Allergy Free
      • Shaving Cream
        • Special Formulation for Men
        • Special Formulation for Women
      • Shampoo and Conditioner
        • Dandruff Formula
        • Color Treated
      • Candles
    • Shopping Cart
      • Check out
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
• What are HTML, XHTML, PhP, CSS? Some software almost makes code unnecessary however basic knowledge will help you fine tune your sites look and most programs still have a place to enter code. Get a basic knowledge of code by taking courses at a community college, adult education, or even on the web. Check out the free classes on HTML at About.com or try the free class on Web Design . Try HTML Goodies for great tutorials on everything to do with websites.
• An HTML editor or web builder, unless one comes with your web hosting package. Macromedia Dreamweaver is one example of an HTML editor.
• A web host will store your web pages and make them available to the world via the internet. Follow the instructions your web host provides to install your site. If you have any trouble contact their technical support. Your web host will provide a template for the background of your site but if you don't like the way it looks you can create your own or purchase them in a package. You will also need a domain name that will either come with your web hosting or package or you will have to pay for one at a domain name registrar.
• A shopping cart will take orders for your products 24/7 but it's only effective if you take credit cards. A fully automated system makes the most of your time by taking the order from your website sending it to a fulfillment house, where the product is shipped. The payment is processed on your customers credit card and you're e-mailed that an order was placed. You can of course fill your own orders and save money but you will spend your time packing and shipping orders instead of creating your product.
  • Accepting credit cards will make your internet shopping cart an effective sales tool. Your customers will be less likely to buy if paying for your product is difficult. Accept Payments Online with PayPal. Fast, Easy & Secure. Sign Up Now!
• Now think of your website as a spider web in a tree. It's up and it's catching a few flies but if you could network with websites that focus on your selected topic you could possibly catch more flies than working alone. One free way to network is using WebRing featured at right, you might also consider exchanging links with other related sites. Think about the level of competition you want to face. Don't point your visitors to someone who has exactly the same product for less do point them to other content on the same topic. Your customers will be confident in your product if you are, so be sure your product is the best and work to make it so.
  • Your keywords and meta-tags are the words that search engines will use to find your site. It is vital to your site that you use your keywords in the proper places when coding your site as well as in the headings, subheadings, and content of your site. A keyword program like Wordtracker can help you choose the right keywords for your niche. Learn about keyword optimization and watch your search engine rankings soar.
• To have your site listed on the directories you need to submit it to the search engines. Type in free search engine submission and you will come up with many sites that do free search engine submission. Be sure to read the terms of use for each site before using their service. Also submit your site once a month and don't repeat submissions to the same search engines more often than that. Submit your site to Yahoo and Bing