Tips and resources for web development beyond class!

• First, check out my massive list of incredibly useful things  to help with your web, app, or game development.
• Second, consider doing online courses or tutorials (you will find some on the Useful Stuff page) to build your skills.

What to do when considering launching your own website, or if someone asks you to help them with creating a website?

1- PLAN the site

• What is the main goal and topic of the site (informational, blog, sales, promotional, etc.)
• Gather resources for the site (images, links, information, videos, graphics)
• Wire frames (sketch out pages of site and rough page layout; you can use a variety of tools for this, both digital and pen/paper)
• If you’re working with a client, communication is critical! Make sure you’re super-clear and that all expectations are very clearly stated.
• A project proposal or contract is a very good idea; find some samples here. 

2- Determine platform

• First, consider if a free Facebook page (or other social media account) is appropriate. That is a good place to start. It is easy to use and manage, and can help you, or whoever you are working with, get into the right mindset of how to communicate online and how to organize content. It can also be integrated with Twitter and Instagram to immediately help increase the site’s reach.
• Create pages by hand using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a text editor
• Use a template like Bootstrap  or HTML5up  to create a nice-looking, responsively-designed, mobile-friendly site
• Use content management system such as WordPress , Joomla , Drupal , or other CMS
• Use Google Sites , Weebly , or ready-made template on a site like Wix  or SquareSpace , for example
• Depending on platform, choose web host– see hosting-review.com  also see http://hostingreviews.io/ 

Registering Domain Names and Choosing a Web Host

• To make your life easier try to register your domain name through your web host. It keeps your records and billing in one place and you usually get a better price. Don’t be fooled into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to secure a domain name!
• Web hosts– talk to people you know to see who they use and if they like them; also check out https://www.hosting-review.com/  and other review sites. Web hosting should cost some money (free ones will be limited) and you should make sure your host will be compatible with whatever you will be using for your website. For example, WordPress needs a certain server, so make sure to find out if your host is compatible if you want to use it.

Web Stats and Analytics

• Your web host will likely have a way to determine your web traffic (page views, unique visitors, hits, etc.)
• If your web host doesn’t have an analytics program Google Analytics is free and easy to use. Just sign up for a free account and don’t forget to add the Google Analytics code to every page of your website!
• A unique visitor is basically one IP address (usually one computer) that accesses your website. This is a good measure for how many people actually visit your website. Hits are the number of downloads of content on your site so they don’t accurately represent how many visits you receive.

Remember:

• Websites are always a work in progress– they are dynamic and there are always ways you can improve them or make them more user-friendly. You should constantly be evaluating whether the website is meeting your needs or your client’s needs and goal(s)
• Think about ways social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) can be used to grow your site’s audience and to communicate. You can always go to the Developer or Settings sections of any social media site and get their code for widgets and embeds.
• Think MOBILE first. Design your site so that it will look good on all screen sizes, or choose a theme (if using something like WordPress) that is mobile-friendly. Don’t just build a site that will only look good on a desktop computer or laptop.