Although the software allows users to create quite complex web designs, there are times when it pays to call in the professional. But for the best results, spend time planning the site and researching designers."Prices can vary wildly, especially if you want your website to have a database of products or online shopping carts," says Spice "Also look out for ongoing costs Some companies insist on a maintenance charge. Stuart Spice developed a do-it-yourself web development kit, Mr Site, which is available from shops such as Utility Retail in Liverpool, and over the internet. "The basics of HTML can be learnt in a few hours."Alternatively, if you prefer not to handle any software yourself, there are plenty of freelance web developers who can produce a professional site at a reasonable cost.
No specialist software is needed to write a website using HTML: the standard text editor that comes with Windows PCs and Macs is sufficient."Many people are put off their own HTML as they think it'll take months to learn, and although many web designers would like you to think this, it simply isn't true," says Oliver. For more specialist sites, Microsoft sells its FrontPage web design package.Professional designers and business users often find it is worth investing in software such as Adobe's GoLive or Macromedia's Dreamweaver. If you want a challenge, and are not put off by computer code, HTML is not that hard to learn There are dozens of books and online tutorials on offer. These require no knowledge of HTML, the technical language of websites, and there is usually no charge for using them."Web-based building software can be great for people who simply want to put a quick page on the net," says Dan Oliver, editor of Practical Web Design magazine. "The problem with these products is that they restrict how your site looks and functions, and when something goes wrong - as it invariably will - you won't have a clue how to fix it."If the web-based approach is not flexible enough, there is a wealth of easy to use web design software available. It is quite possible to create a basic site using Microsoft Office applications such as Word and PowerPoint. For businesses, a professional web hosting contract can cost as little as £5 a month.When it comes to putting the site together, imagination is more important than technical prowess.
Companies such as the ISP PIPEX and the web hosting company Fasthosts provide online, DIY tools for creating a site. Most internet service providers (ISPs) include an amount of "free" web space with their accounts This will be more than enough for a basic, personal site. Once the preserve of computer hobbyists and academic researchers, the internet is now a widely-used resource for booking holidays and travel, buying CDs or DVDs or tickets for events. But the internet is also growing in importance as a place for small businesses to display their wares, and for families and friends to keep in touch. Creating a professional-looking website need be neither daunting nor expensive. And a growing number of those 13.1 million households are also setting up their own websites. Buy.The above are recommendations from the daily Investment Column. More than half of all households in Britain have now got internet access, according to the Office of National Statistics.
