Website Quick Start Guide

This Quick Start guide just scratches the surface of what’s in the full guide. But, candidly, the full guide is pretty long. So, I thought I’d provide a “simple” option, too!  Enjoy!

If you have no website experience you may want to start with the full  Simple Life Guide To Building Your Website. It’s long and no where near as simple as this one, but it is really packed with information (If you’re prompted for the password it’s the same as for this page: sltguide4u)

Module 1: Creating a Website for Your Lifestyle Business

  • We discuss how important your website is for your new business.
  • You learned the two basic types of websites, both free and paid.
  • There are advantages and disadvantages to each.
  • You decide, but we recommend using paid website platform that you own and control.
  • Figure about $200 or less for your first year (less if you go through our Bluehost Affiliate link), which includes your domain name, hosting, and even a premium theme. In follow-on years it will likely be around $100 since your theme is paid for.

Module 2: Choosing a Domain Name

  • We discuss the two “schools of thought” when picking your domain name
    • The “Keyword Rich” domain
    • Thee “Branded” domain
  • Some big domain mistakes that you should avoid
  • A little bit about a popular concept known as Search Engine Optimization or SEO.
  • We do all our domain name SEARCHING at GoDaddy, but we buy them on Bluehost because that’s where we host our account
  • If you host with Bluehost right now they’ll give you a free domain name. Bonus!

Module 3: Choosing a Hosting Provider (Some key things to look for)

  • Ability to purchase your domain through them.  Registering your domain is not a major expense.  Plan on spending between $10-15 on a standard “.com” domain.
  • Check to see the amount of storage space that is available on their hosting plans.  Ideally, the host you choose should offer “unlimited” storage which will give you some room to grow.
  • Make sure your host has good bandwidth levels.
  • See if your host provides email through their service so you can send/receive email from your new domain (me@SimpleAwesomeLifestyleBusiness.com).
  • Hands down the number one thing to look for in a hosting service is their level of customer service.  It should be plain on their site that they provide 24/7 support, ideally via a phone number.  Live chat is another option, too. If you have just a quick question that you need to ask an expert, live chat is usually the fastest way to do it.
  • We host all of the SimpleLifeTogether.com website on Bluehost. As I wrote this guide I had 49 domains on one hosting account, all for $6.95 per month! With Bluehost you get unlimited domain hosting, one free domain name, plus free Google credit (as this course goes live Bluehost gives you $100 in Google credit…not bad huh?)
  • Just FYI, Bluehost doesn’t host pornographic sites…we appreciate that!

Module 4: Which Website Platform to Use

  • We exclusively recommend free WordPress.org software hosted on a Bluehost hosting account. You can load free WordPress in a couple of clicks on Bluehost.
  • Here is a great series of tutorials from Bluehost for installing WordPress and developing your site…it will walk you through a complete intro to your new WordPress website:

Part 1:  Explains WordPress as a fully functional content management system (CMS)

Part 2:  Installing WordPress on your Bluehost account

Part 3:  Changing themes and appearance

Part 4:  Creating a static page (a page that doesn’t change)

Part 5:  Creating a page for blog posts

Part 6:  Create and upload a photo gallery

Part 7:  Uploading documents

Module 5: Giving Your Site More Functionality

Themes: The look, feel and function of the site

  • Themes give your site a unique look and functionality
  • There are TONS of great FREE themes, although some lack functionality
  • Premium or “custom” themes give lots of additional functionality and look great
  • We use Thesis and used to recommend it, but it has gotten too complicated after a recent “upgrade.”  Now we recommend the Catalyst theme
  • With  the Catalyst theme you can also use what are called “skins” to give your site a very, very custom look without any coding experience.
  • Part 3 of Bluehost’s video series (mentioned above) talks all about themes

 Basic Plugins: Free..makes functionality easier, so it’s just the way you want

  • Akismet: Protect your blog from comment and trackback spam.
  • Blubrry PowerPress:  Blubrry PowerPress adds podcasting support to your blog
  • Contact Form 7:  Lets you build a form with the fields that suit you best.
  • Google XML Sitemaps:  Generates a special map to help search engines
  • Page Columnist:  Lets you make different column layouts.
  • SexyBookmarks:  Adds a list of social bookmarking icons to each of your posts.
  • Surveys:  Lets you add surveys to your blog.
  • Thesis OpenHook:  Allows you to customize Thesis, if you use it.
  • WordPress Database Backup:  Backs up your site and emails you the files.
  • WP Super Cache:  Helps your site load faster for returning readers.
  • Using plugins is covered in Bluehost’s free video series, Part 6.

Module 6: Getting Creative with Your Brand (logos, headers, print materials, promotional merchandise, etc)

  • You’ll be remembered by your brand!
  • Don’t rush it!
  • If you’re good at graphics, do it yourself…save $. But, get another opinion, too!
  • If you need graphics or design help, check out:
  • If you are looking for amazing promotional item ideas, check out:

Module 7: Tapping the Power of Social Media

  • Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and even LinkedIn are becoming critical to the success of start-up business and side gigs
  • Not sure about the importance of social media? Check out this video: Social Media Revolution 2012
  • Great ways to “syndicate” (post once…have it show up everywhere) are these tools:
    • ifttt– Make “recipes” for what what you want to happen based on “if this then that.”
    • buffer– Post to many accounts at once, preload & schedule posts

So, thanks for checking out our guide. It was made from the last 3 years of notes that I took as I struggled to build our first site, and subsequent sites. We’re considering making some more “guides” or courses and we’d love your feedback on that.

Again, we’d really, really appreciate it if you used the affiliate links in the guide if they work as part of your plan. They won’t add a penny to your bottom line and they would sure help us as we work to bring you the best content we can here on  SimpleLifeTogether.com.

Take care…and most of all, we hope you are able to put this guide to good use & begin your journey toward shaping your own simple life…that looks & feels just the way you want. If starting your own business or “side gig” is in your plans then it would be awesome to know this guide helped in some small way. Please let us know, OK?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive a small affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use personally or come highly recommended by experts we trust. We truly believe these will add value to our listeners and readers. We're disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Plus, we just like to be transparent. That's how we roll. PS: Don't buy stuff you don't need, OK?

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