Help to build your own website.

Is it as easy as they say?

**Introduction**
When you search online for help, you might be led to believe that creating a website is a breeze. While starting a basic website is indeed straightforward, the complexity increases as your ambitions grow.
As many of you know, I took over this village website from my brother-in-law, who had created and managed it for nearly 25 years before he became too ill to continue. Over those years, the website has grown to enormous proportions, now boasting approximately 200,000 pages, 200 videos, and countless photos. It has become a significant historical resource for our community.
Taking over such a vast and intricate site has been a challenging task. This experience has prompted me to share some of the mistakes I’ve made along the way and how you can avoid them.

 

The components of a website

A website is made up of several components .

1.Header:

      • Contains the logo and navigation menu.
      • Often includes contact information or a search bar.

    2. Navigation Menu:

      • Links to the main sections of the website.
      • Can be a horizontal bar at the top or a vertical sidebar.

    3. Hero Image/Slider:

      • A large image or slideshow at the top of the homepage.
      • Often includes a headline or call to action.

    4. Main Content Area:

      • The central part of the page where the main content is displayed.
      • Can include text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements.

    5. Sidebar:

      • A vertical column on the side of the main content area.
      • Often used for additional navigation, ads, or links to recent posts.

    6. Footer:

      • The bottom section of the website.
      • Typically includes contact information, social media links, and copyright information.

    7. Call to Action (CTA):

      • Buttons or links that encourage visitors to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.

    8. Forms:

      • Used for collecting information from visitors, such as contact forms or subscription forms.

    9. Blog/News Section:

      • A section for regularly updated content, such as articles or news updates.

    10. Multimedia Elements:

      • Videos, images, and audio files that enhance the content.

    11. SEO Elements:

      • Meta tags, alt text for images, and other elements that help with search engine optimization.

    12. Analytics and Tracking:

      • Tools and scripts that track visitor behavior and website performance.