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How to put up your website in One Week

Guest post by: Veronika Noize

Article Overview: Want YOUR web site up in a week? It can be done, and here's what it takes to do it:

How to put up your website in One Week

Day 1 Tools: Credit card, paper, pen

Estimated hours: 3.5

Difficulty: Low to Medium; requires strategic thought and typing

Panic level: Low; feelin' fine because this whole project will be a piece of cake!

Register your domain name (see internic.com/ for a list of registrars). This will cost between $2-45 for one year, and you'll need to pay by credit card.

Decide what part you want your web site to play in your marketing mix: relationship tool, sales piece, information gathering or sharing, and so on.

Figure out who your visitors will be, and why they're visiting your web site. Understand what you have to do or provide on your web site to serve those visitors, keeping in mind that you may have multiple categories of visitors (clients, prospects, competitors, info gatherers).

Decide what information your first five pages will contain. A default list might be Home, About Us, Contact Us, Services, and Client Testimonials (or Case Studies).

Document all the decisions that you've made. You'll be glad you have this information in writing later.

Day 2

Tools: paper, pen, highlighter pens in various colors

Estimated hours: 6.5

Difficulty: Low to Medium; requires strategic thought, typing, and copy writing

Panic level: Low; may be edging toward Medium if you discover that you don't have a single page of written material for your business. But don't sweat it, 'cause you still have plenty of time to compose new verbiage and still get this site up in a week

Review your list of all the pages you will create for the first version of your web site. Color-code the pages by choosing a different colored highlighter for each page (e.g. yellow for Home, pink for Contact Us, green for About Us, etc.). Document your color choices so you don't forget them.

Gather all written material you already have for your business, including business cards, marketing or business plans, any marketing materials such as brochures and project proposals, articles or press you have earned, and written letters from clients (testimonials).

Review all materials for verbiage to include on web site, keeping in mind that quoting other sources (newspapers, newsletters, clients, etc.) about your capabilities and accomplishments is infinitely more credible than saying such things yourself.

Make copies of materials that contain verbiage you can use, then circle appropriate copy for each page with the corresponding color of highlighter pen.

Compose any copy for your web site that is not already written.

Locate any electronic files you may have, such as your logo, photo, and any product photos you may have.

Day 3

Tools: Credit card, verbiage notes, electronic files of logo, photos

Estimated hours: 7

Difficulty: Low to Medium, requires high level of focus, strategic thought, typing, and attention to detail but most templates are very easy to use

Panic level: False reading of Medium to High, due to new experience/technology but nothing a candy bar and a few hours of concentrated effort won't fix

Open account with web host template service such as quickbizsites.com/main/home.htm?bpn=A617400.

Review available templates, and choose one that complements your logo and/or that reflects your style.

Adjust color choices and fonts to match your marketing materials.

Create (using the easy template) your initial pages.

Upload your logo and photos to the appropriate pages.

Enter copy from verbiage notes onto appropriate pages.

Congratulate yourself for accomplishing everything on your list so far.

Day 4

Tools: Verbiage/notes

Estimated hours: 4.5

Difficulty: Low to Medium, requires high level of focus, strategic thought, typing, and attention to detail but most templates are very easy to use

Panic level: Medium to High if web site isn't coming together as well as you would like; Low if it's all looking pretty good

Finish entering all remaining copy.

Review site for consistency, spelling and punctuation.

Upload any remaining images.

Breathe a huge sigh of relief because the light at the end of the tunnel is now clearly visible or...

Start thinking about getting some help to polish that copy and get this web site thing together. If you can't write, ask a friend, colleague or heck, pay somebody to write it for you. Don't bail out now, though, because you're almost there.

Day 5

Tools: none

Estimated hours: 2

Difficulty: Low to Medium, requires high level of focus and attention to detail but most templates are very easy to use

Panic level: Creeping toward High and Beginning to Feel Agitated if web site isn't coming together as well as you would like; Low if it's all looking pretty good by now

Review web site for content and edit as needed.

Start thinking about who can help you if your reaction to your web site at this point is "that ain't right!"

Invite three trusted friends to visit the site to proofread and offer suggestions.

Add another page or two if you're feeling frisky. Recommended: Add a page that clearly demonstrates your knowledge or expertise, such as an article or a top 10 list.

Day 6

Tools: none

Estimated hours: 1

Difficulty: Low

Panic level: Beyond High to Very Agitated and Possibly Insane if your web site hasn't come together by now; Low if you're right on schedule and everything's under control

Make any final corrections.

Transfer your web site from development site to your own URL (this takes about two minutes, and they guide you every step of the way).

Add your new web site to your electronic email signature.

Compose an announcement message to email to your friends, family, colleagues and clients inviting them to come visit your new home on the web.

Stop tearing your hair and use those hands to pick up your phone to call for help if you're way behind. It still may be possible to get something up in the next 24-48 hours, so if you absolutely have to get this site up immediately but you're stuck, face the fact that you need help and get it now.

Day 7

Tools: none, unless you need an aspirin

Estimated hours: .25

Difficulty: Low

Panic level: Low if you're right on schedule, Cranium-Poppin' High if not.

If you feel like your head may explode because you still haven't finished the work from days two, three, four, five and six, and you haven't called in some help, do it now. And then take an aspirin and try to relax! This isn't brain surgery. Or...

Congratulations! If you're right on schedule, your web site is up and you have an announcement message ready to send. First check to see that your site is up and running, then send the email you wrote yesterday to your friends, family, colleagues and clients inviting them to come visit your new home on the web. That's it! Now all you have to do is kick your shoes off and put your feet up. Hey, even the Almighty rested on the seventh day. You've earned a break!

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Article Tags: business cards, case studies, client testimonials, color choices, colors, copy writing, credit card paper, decisions, domain name, gatherers, marketing mix, pens, piece of cake, prospects, registrars, relationship tool, tool sales, verbiage



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