Create your own website

Create your own website

Create your own website

Adding your Directory entry on the Seer is a great starting point for promoting what you do, but of course the amount of info you can add on one page is limited. If you already have a website, adding a link to it on your Directory Entry can really improve your site's chances of appearing high up on search engine rankings. If you haven't already got a website, then the information below outlines some good places to get started.

We encourage all artists who are registered on the site to create their own website, so that they may get exposure by showing their work. There are many courses run by local colleges and Learn Direct in local community centres. We have also been working together with a visual arts organisation called ACAVA. This organisation specialises in digital training for artists. Details of courses organised will be posted in the Opportunities section as they become available.

Alternatively there's a myriad of online tutorials that will take you through the process of creating a website on your own, so do feel free to search for your own solutions, but to get the ball rolling, we've listed some starting ponts below.

Set up a blog

Many artists and designers now use blogs either as their main portfolio site or as a place to add news, etc. They are very easy to set up and more importantly, easy to keep up-to-date. Some require you to register your own domain name and hosting, but most will provide this for you. With all of these tools, you can change the look of the site by choosing existing themes or creating your own. Below is a short list of popular blogging applications that we've found to be the most popular/useful:

• Read the article What is Blogging? from Wikipedia (the free online encyclopaedia)
• Wordpress
• TypePad
• Moveable type
• Blogger

Free website hosting

Many sites that provide free web hosting will have a caveat of one sort or another. These usually take the form of advertising that you can’t get rid of, or limitations in how much you can upload, or are restricted in what type of files you can upload etc. Often you have little or no control over the domain name. Also, many will not allow you to host content that is commercial in nature. If you wish to advertise your services, it may be best to pay for a proper web hosting account (more information below).

• Read this simple guide to free hosting
• Browse Yahoo's free hosting directory listing
• Do a Google search on the subject of free website hosting

Something more bespoke and professional?

You can purchase a yearly web hosting package from a UK-based web hosting company that includes both a domain name and a simple web hosting solution to host your website, along with Blogging or CMS (Content Management System) software. This is recommended if you want your own domain name, or if you want to advertise your services commercially.

Before you start

• Please note however that some technical skill and learning along the way will be required if you want to go down this route.
• Read the article What is web hosting? from Wikipedia (the free online encyclopaedia)

Some good web hosting companies

• Free Virtual Servers - from free (with no adverts) and upwards
• UKWebsolutionsdirect from £25 per year plus £10 per year for the domain name
• Easyspace from £25 per year plus £10 per year for the domain name
• An excellent easy to understand guide to web hosting
• Another simple 4 step guide to web hosting
• Complete listing of web hosting companies in the UK from Yahoo

Some of these products also allow you to choose and install various free (commonly known as Open Source) Blogging, Gallery (great for portfolios) or CMS software, some of the best free software are listed below (for info on blogs, please see above).

Install your own Gallery software

• Gallery (recommended for portfolios - free)

Install your own Content Management System (CMS) software

Before you start

Please note that although CMS systems are created to be as easy to use as possible, they can often involve a lot of work and technical know-how to set up and use correctly. There's lots of online documentation and forums supporting these systems, but be prepared to delve into some code sometimes! 

• What is a CMS? from Wikipedia (the free online encyclopaedia)
• Drupal (free)
• Joomla (highly recommended – based on Mambo - free)
• Mambo (similar product to Joomla - free)
• Expression Engine (free for basic version if for non-profits - highly recommended)
• Typo3 (free)
• OpenSourceCMS A great site that lets you demo various free CMS software

Commission a designer

If you have a budget, choosing a professional designer can often save you a lot of time and energy, alongside ending up with a polished product. Costs of services vary widely and we're unable to recommend particular firms, etc. here. If you do go down this route, make sure you do a lot of research first and get a quote outining exactly what will be provided for the fee. Choosing someone with a portfolio of work you like and someone you get along with are key!

You can always browse the theSeer's Directory to find designers or use the Opportunities  section of the site to say that you're looking for someone to design a site for you.