Hello my name is Dave and yes I'm a bean counter. For those of you that don't know a bean counter is slang for an accountant. Don't worry this tutorial is not about bookkeeping or accounting, although if you get some free time and want to learn the basics of bookkeeping you might want to check out my free bookkeeping tutorial So, you want to learn Bookkeeping! .

This tutorial is geared to business owners, managers, and individuals who want to move out of the Stone Age and learn how to build and promote their own website or at least learn what to do, what is needed, and where to go to get a website built for them. How do you go about making a web site ? Just like a carpenter needs some knowledge and his tools to do his work, anyone wanting to create a web page or site also needs a little knowledge and tools to properly do the job. They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Well my goal is to make YOU dangerous. Bye the way, you can teach an old dog new tricks. How do I know ? I'm an old dog.

Tutorial's Purpose and Objective
The intent of this tutorial is to provide an overview of the benefits of a website and what tools, tasks, and information are needed to build one, and where to find the needed tools and information. After completing this tutorial you should know whether you need a website, have a basic understanding of the terminology, whether you want to build your website yourself or hire someone to do it, and if you decide to do it yourself where to find the tools and information you need.

What This Tutorial Does Not Do
I'm a firm believer in not trying to reinvent the wheel. Since there are already many excellent books and tutorials that provide detailed step by step instructions on how to plan your website, use specific types of software and how to actually "code" your webpages using HTML (webpage coding language) this tutorial does not present this type of information. I do, however, provide links to sites to get you started if you decide you want to learn all about the "nuts and bolts".

Tutorial Navigation
A menu of all the lessons is presented at the top and bottom of all the lessons. A back and next arrow also allow you to go back to the prior lesson or on to the next lesson. If you click on any of the links to my reference page use the Back Button on your browser to return to the page you were originally on. Links to other sites open in a new window. Just close the window to return to the tutorial.

You may want to bookmark this tutorial in order to return later Bookmark So, you want to build a Website! or download the ebook version of the Website Tutorial and study at your own convenience off line.

What's Covered ?

This Introduction discusses why you need a web site.

Lesson 1 Web Site Tools
Lesson 1 presents and defines the skills, tasks, tools and information needed to build a website.

Lesson 2 Domain Names
Lesson 2 defines and presents the benefits of having your own domain name (fancy term for the name of your site).

Lesson 3 Hosting Services
Lesson 3 takes the mystery out of the terms and services a hosting service provides.

Lesson 4 Create Your Web Pages
Lesson 4 revisits the software (editors) that is available to help you actually make your webpages and the language (HTML) that is used, web site content, and additional tools such as scripts that are used to make your site interactive.

Lesson 5 Publish, List & Promote Your Site
Lesson 5 provides you with the information needed to help you get your site noticed.

Lesson 6 Your Done-Wrong
Lesson 6 tells you why your work on your website is "never" done.

Reference Section
The reference section provides you links to sites that provide mostly free information, services, and tools you need to build a website.

Why A Website ? Whether you're a small local mom and pop shop or a national or international conglomerate (big word for a big company) a web site can benefit your business without costing you an arm and leg (just an arm -kidding). In the early days even a simple web site was relatively expensive; however, since we are blessed to live in a free economic society more and more services have sprung up providing web site services resulting in very affordable prices including me. In addition, the internet itself has provided those wanting to learn how to build their own website the tools and resouces necessary to accomplish this task. Be patient, you'll find out what tools and resources and where to get them in later lessons.

The internet is rapidly growing and becoming a primary tool for locating and finding out about products and services. Can they find Your Business ? What follows are some reasons for you to at least think about building or getting a website. You be the judge.

Changing Times More And More Individuals (potential customers) are going online - can they find you? Whether we like it or not, one of the first places anyone with access to a computer goes to find information is the Internet. Think of the internet as the world's biggest library and everyone with computer access as a card carrying member. Advertising Costs A website is extremely cost effective. When you look at the cost of radio or TV commercials,flyers,mail outs,and newspaper ads and compare them to the cost of a web site you quickly see that you get more "bang" for your buck with a web site. Ad Run Time A website allows for constant advertising 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ,365 days a year at a fixed price. Conventional Ads run daily,weekly or monthly. Every time you renew your ad the cost multiplies. Your Image At one time in our live's we've probably all said "I don't care what you think", but we really do care. A website allows you to introduce your company to your potential customers and tell them why they should trust and buy from you.

Everyone else is getting one or the keeping up with the "Jones's" syndrome No you can still take the path less taken, but is everyone else following the wrong path or do they know something you don't ? Maximize the benefits of your conventional advertising methods A web address on your flyers,business cards, letterhead, radio commercials, or television commercials allows people to get even more information about your company and hopefully presell them before they ever make contact. Provide Technical support via e-mail Fast and inexpensive technical support can be offered to your customers, saving you money and increasing customer satisfaction. Your Business Competition The Web allows smaller businesses to compete on the same level as the large corporations. Ease of Customer Interaction Make it easy for clients to reach you. Your clients can instantly request more information. All they have to do is click one simple link or icon. This inquiry can be as simple as request for more information or to have their name added to your mailing list.

Yellow Page Ads I know you've got a great expensive ad in the Yellow Pages and that's all you need. In the past you were probably right. A customer looking for a product would grab their yellow pages and search for the product or service they need and hopefully pick out your business and give you a call. The ad's got your name, phone number, addresss, and possible a picture and listing of your services or products. With a web site, that same customer can turn on their computer and use a search engine or directory (listings of businesses) to search for the product or service that they need. A list of possible business offering that product or service is displayed . When they choose a specific business, that company's web site is displayed. This is not a "tiny" full page ad ,but a full blown company brochure containing among other things pictures, maps,phone numbers,price lists,and references. Simply put, not having a web site will soon be like not having a listing in your local Yellow Pages.