Here are some things you need to consider before getting started:
1) Is this a personal website or a business website?
Often times people will think that if they build a website and just let it sit business will start flowing in. This is not true. It takes a little more effort to start driving traffic. 
SBI (Site Build It) works great for those who do not want to purchase expensive software. It also has a high ROI (return on investment).
You found my website because I have created it for people like you. Someone or something has referred you here because it was relevant to what you were looking for. Search engines strive on relevancy. If your website only has a few links on it and some words you will not rank high and it will be hard for people to find you. My suggestion is that if you are building a personal website build something that you are passionate about. If you are passionate about web designing build a website for that. If you are skilled at fixing cars make one for that as well. It will be much easier for you to fill in the content needed and to help answer any questions from your audience.
2) Who is your target audience (Teens, Pregnant Moms, Adults, Kids)?
Cater your website to your viewers. If you are making a website for kids make it interesting. Use bright colors and BIG images. If you are creating a website for your business keep it clean and professional.
As you can see this website does not have a lot of colors. I have purposely left out all the unecessary things that other web designers use to distract you with because this is an informational website. Remember search engines like websites that are relevant and clean. You will not find me talking about candy in one post and talking about weddings in another.
Also, be sure to copyright your content. If you find others using your material you can normally get their website banned by speaking with the search engine companies. Nowadays, it is not as easy to just copy and paste someone else's work and get good rankings. Search engines are becoming smarter and changing continuously.
3) How will your website look (colors, images, etc)
The layout can play a crucial role when it comes to
building a website. What colors will you use and where are the buttons going to go? A good idea is to plan ahead. Use a paper and pencil to jot down your notes. In most sitiuations the top is the header which will contain your logo and links, the bottom is your footer, and the middle is your content. That is pretty much it.
Here is a list of the most common colors and their meanings:
Red:energy, passion, excitement, power; also implies aggression, danger.
Blue:peace, spirituality, patience, loyalty, trustworthiness
Yellow:optimism, happiness, brightness, joy.
Green:life, naturalness, restfulness, health, wealth, prosperity; in certain contexts, can imply decay, toxicity.
Orange:friendliness, warmth, approachability, energy, playfulness, courage.
Violet:wisdom, sophistication, celebration.
White:purity, cleanliness, youth, freshness, peace.
Black:power, elegance, secrecy, mystery.
Gray:security, maturity, reliability.
Pink:romance a feminine color.
Brown:comfort, strength, stability, credibility.
4) How will you get exposure?
There are many ways to let everyone know that you are open for business. Once you have picked your design and learned how to code it you will then be able to submit your final website. There are some websites out there that offer free website submission but they may require you to enter your email first. You can always submit your website manually if you do not feel like exposing your email to an unknown company.
Google Site Submission
SBI (Site Build It) | Build Quality Sites With Simple Tools
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