A Student’s Guide: How to Create Your First Website
Hello students! Today, I will be teaching you how to create your first website!
Relax, don’t let the introduction fool you. I’m not a professor. In fact, I am a student, just like you. And I will not exactly be teaching you, I will simply share my knowledge and advice with you. So, stay with me on this one.
If you’re like me (at least me until recently), you probably believe that a resume is the most important tool you need. Well, I am here to tell you otherwise. In today’s world, you don’t need to rely on a static resume. A personal website can actually do much more!
A personal website will help you build your online presence and get ready for the future. It is a great way to show your gained knowledge and skills, as it expands on the information from the resume. That is because the website includes evidence and details on what you’ve said in the resume. You can showcase your work, projects, training, courses, etc. From your personal website, your potential employer(s) can learn about you, and get a sense of who you are.
So, in this article, I will guide you through the process of creating your first website!
Step #1 in Creating Your First Website: Choose Your Platform Wisely
The initial step when creating your first website is choosing a website-building platform. You may find some platforms easier to use than others. Every one of the builders has different strong points. I recommend you try out some of them and then choose the one that works for you.
I have singled out some which proved to be good options for a student website.
Vsble.me is one of the website builders I would recommend. Apart from being very easy to use, it offers customizable templates. Vsble also allows you to include videos, animated effects, etc. They offer a 14-day free trial without the credit card involved. As I mentioned, Vsble comes in free and low-cost variants, and the free version still has plenty of features.
WebWave.me allows you to create a website without coding and it allows publishing it online for free. On the WebWave you can either start from scratch or choose one of the many pre-made templates. They offer a free package that includes free website hosting and the possibility to make visually appealing pages. Other than that, they offer premium and custom packages.
SquareSpace.com is very simple to use and is a good option for a student website. They have praiseworthy, award-winning templates. With a free trial, you can check how the platform works. Their great visuals will help your website stand out.
Wix.com is another great option. There are no tech skills required. Websites created with Wix are mobile responsive and SEO friendly. They allow you to choose from hundreds of templates and give you the freedom to express yourself visually. It is also a highly rated platform, with more than 100 million users from different industries.
Apart from the ones mentioned, there are many more builders you could use. Be free to explore further, try some out, and make your decision.
Step #2 in Creating Your First Website: Choose A Unique Domain
Now that you have chosen a website builder you want to use, you should go ahead and choose a unique domain for your first website. As a website owner, this might even be one of the most important decisions you will make.
First of all, let’s clarify what the domain is. A domain name is a unique, easy-to-remember address used to access websites, such as domain.me.
As a student, it would be just perfect to incorporate your own name in your domain. That way when someone googles you, your website pops up. It also helps avoid confusion.
Choosing a unique domain name is a very important part of building your personal brand. And we all know that personal branding plays an increasingly important role, as the role of digital media evolves.
Anyhow, keep in mind that domain names should always be short and memorable. Keep it professional and simple in order to nail that first impression! Avoid symbols and numbers. Also, make sure it is easy to spell and pronounce. You should really think this one through, as domain names are pretty hard to change.
It may happen that you are not lucky, and that name you wanted to go with is already taken. But, the good news is, that you can check for domain availability on our website.
Step #3 in Creating Your First Website: Have Fun Setting it Up
Now the fun part! The final step in creating your first website is setting it up. Let your imagination run wild!
First, explore the rich collection of website templates, created by professional designers. Choose the one that is most relevant for you. Maybe you want a colorful and fun website. Perhaps, a simple, monochrome, and minimalistic website suit you better? If you are brave enough, you can also build your website from scratch! Whichever option you choose, keep in mind that it is important to highlight what you want to show.
Depending on what you’re studying, or what you want to do in the future, you choose what you want to show. So if you are a designer, go ahead and highlight the design works you are proud of the most. On the other hand, if you are a writer, show your best texts, essays, or some similar works you worked on during your schooling.
It is important to know that it is okay if you don’t have much content to show. You are a student, and your work is yet to come. However, try to get the most out of your experience so far. So any kind of course, training, extracurricular activities, accomplishments, a summer job that is related to your career etc. Everything you find relatable and are proud of, include it in your website!
And that’s the beauty of it – you have the freedom to create and design your own website! You can really show your personality that way. But do not forget (this is an absolute must) to have lots of fun in the process!
Read more: Don’t Make These 3 Mistakes on Your Personal Website
To Sum Up
As students, we aim to present our skills, accomplishments, and knowledge. The best way to do so is definitely to create our own, first website. There are 3 steps helping us in that process. First – choose the website builder platform. Then, find the most personal, most unique, most you domain name of all the domain names out there. Finally, the last step is to set the website up (don’t worry, a lot of builders will actually do this job for you) and choose what you want to showcase wisely. Because, in the end, the essence of the website is well-chosen content.
Creating your first website requires effort, and most importantly, knowing what it is that you want to accomplish with it. You will also need a bit of creativity. But be assured that it is one of the smartest long-term career moves you can invest in. I really hope this article will motivate you, and help you through the process.
Until next time!
