Personal Websites

Personal Web Site Purpose

There are so many reasons for someone to have a personal website. From hobbies like gardening or car collecting to personal causes or charities. I will work with anyone regardless of religious or political beliefs as long as they are not considered extremist, hateful, hurtful or illegal. If you love gardening and want to showcase your garden, I would be more than happy to help. If you are someone looking to spread hate and harm towards the LGBTQ community, I would turn that opportunity down upfront. I encourage you to communicate your online web site desire and I will help you understand the best path forward.

Personal Web Site Components

Domain Names: The first web site component is a domain name. Domain names average about $20 a year to renew ownership. They act as your address on the internet. You can share this address to people and they can use it to visit your web site.

Learn About Domain Names

Web Site Hosting Services: The second web site component is a hosting service provider. Hosting service average $80 - $150 a year to renew hosting on a shared platform. This is the least expensive and most popular form of getting the files that make up your website on a server with access to the world wide web.

Learn About Hosting Services

Content and Images: The third web site component is content and images. I am a creative writer, however, I always encourage my clients to provide content for their web sites. It is your web site, your personality, a reflection of you. Now, for the sake of performance, user experience and search engine optimization, I may recommend changes. If you come up blank for a topic, I will always be able to find common ground and a starting point. Both textual and image content are subject to copyright laws and there are many out there, that take infringing on their work seriously. I will never recommend using someone else's content of any kind without proper permission. Not all of my clients over the years have listened to my recommendations, especially regarding social media, that is always your choice, you are the owner and have the final say in all matters. You also, bear full responsibility for your website, always keep that in mind, regardless of who you work with creating it.

The cost for content and images varies a lot, from free, if you do it all yourself to affordable, if you use someone like me to partner with you creating it and/or purchasing usage right to use desired images to help illustrate your purpose as I have done on this website. I will explain all of this in great detail when considering using my services. There are places that offer royalty free images and videos, some are affordable, while others can get rather expensive. If there is a way for me to save you money, I will always recommend that path first.

Total Online Presence

Once you have your web site created, then comes your total online presence. This includes listing and directories, if applicable and the use of social media platforms, such as from Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube. You have several options and each have very different purposes and interfaces. I always recommend going with what you know and expand from there. Try to use the most popular platforms first to maximize your reach. Then, get ready for the trolls. I have dealt with hurtful words and hate speech my entire life, social media and the internet have brought out the worst in society on so many fronts. Prepare yourself mentally and avoid online rage as you would road rage, simply don't provide the fuel. Don't let this scare you, just do your homework and be prepared.