The main components of a website are as follows:-

Web Host - Web hosting simply refers to where your files are stored. Web hosting is readily available on the internet for a small monthly fee.

Website Files - These are the files that you upload to your hosting. These are normally.html files but they could be a variety of different extensions depending on how the web pages are programmed. Each website has an index.html file which will become the homepage. Your website files are stored in a folder on your web host.

Domain Name - This is also known as your URL and is the address people type into a web browser. Domains typically end in.com although there are variations and countries have there own extensions such as.co.uk. Domain names can be purchased quite cheaply and are normally registered for a chosen number of years and then can be renewed.

DNS (Domain Name Settings) Settings - Your domain points to your hosting and this is done through your DNS settings. These settings are given to you by your hosting company.

FTP Program - This is a file transfer protocol program and it allows you to transfer files from a computer to a web host server.

So to get a website on the internet your website files are uploaded to your web host via a FTP program and your domain points to your hosting via your DNS settings.

Having your own website has the following benefits:-

You can express your own ideas and opinions. You also get to create your own content.

You can update your pages as and when you wish, allowing you to make improvements and keep your site fresh and relevant.

You can promote and sell your own products.

You can build an online brand and company identity.

You can optimize your pages for search engine optimization.

You can collect email addresses

You can collect and store data.

These days you do not need a lot of specialized programming knowledge to build a website. There are excellent services such as Site Rubix which is a website building tool that will allow someone without any experience to build a website. Site Rubix implements drag and drop technology which allows a user to put a site together in a matter of hours. It is better to sort out your domain name and web hosting prior to building your site.

The main aim of your website will be to get any visitor to perform a task such as give their email address or buy a product. The quality of the page the user arrives on (your landing page) is crucial to your success. Here are the four key components of a successful landing page:-

Headline
Relevant
Easy To Use
Flowing Content

A landing page needs a great headline that will grab the users attention. It must also be relevant to what the user actually searched for. Any activity the user has to perform such as giving an email or purchasing a product needs to be as simple as possible. It is also important that the content makes sense, is readable and engaging for the visitor. Writing good quality content is key to the success of your website.

So why not have a go at creating your own website? It can be great fun and very satisfying personally. Having your own website certainly provides with a great platform, flexibility and an opportunity to work online and make money.