Websites? Where to start?

[jerseygirl]

Hi everyone, my name is Jo and I've been making jewellery for a while now and attending craft fairs and making bespoke items mainly for friends and some brides recently. I have been asked if I have a website and was wondering where to start with organising one.

I have been looking at some of your websites and I must say I am so impressed by how lovely all the jewellery is and the websites look really good.

Can they be quite expensive to set up? Can anyone recommend any companies that do them?

Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

[Caroleecrafts]

I use a MAC so use Sandvox and can only comment about this one, I know several other members use Mr Site. I think there are problems with any web builder some are easier than others the main thing is to get good support with whichever design you use.

Several of the sites have trials this may be the way to go as you can test how easy you find it etc.

The first thing you need to do is get your domain sorted, I used Easily for mine and again they have their own template for web pages as well, the support was excellent and very quick. I started by using their own design pages but moved when I was happy and bought software instead, this way no annual fees. I paid about £40.00.

Good Luck and let us know when you have finished so we can all have a peek.

[coolkat]

Hi I used microsoft small business office to start mine. I booked my domain and got the first year hosting for free. It has a very friendly tool for making your own site. My site is here: www.SiverCelebrations.com
It still needs a few tweeks but i think it looks really great so far.
Good Luck!

[flame]

hi there

my hubby is a web designer and has designed various websites ranging from mine to florists, builders, music shops, kilt hire and is currently working on one for a pipe band.

please feel free to email him at [email protected] if you are interested, he does a basic website for crafters for 50.00 and will work with you to ensure that you have the website that you want.

hth
vicky xx

[craftynclothy]

I got mine through wahm.co.uk

[RenataHarris]

Mine (hosting) was £30 for two years and £4 a year for a shop... which i think is very good value. cool but i cannot set up paypal as there is already someone in my household using one so I have to borrow theirs! Paypal is really annoying, but what else can you do!
I cant access the html on my website so it is limited with templates, i just wanted subtle greys and there are a lot of gaudy coloured templates with cheesy office people photos!

[just sally]

hi renata, i looked at your site the other day and wondered.........
then decided that it was not a pic of you
by the way i love your jewellery

[coolkat]

What is the best way to promote?

[MrSwirl]

I've just redone the Swirly site yesterday and this morning. It's a showcase really, with links to etsy, Dawanda and Folksy where Swirly sells online.

And I've got the new, uber-geeky domain name for it:

http://swir.ly

[Glitterbug]

I love your chickens!

I had my website done by a company called Sharkfinmedia. They were a bit expensive but they did the photography as well, which was just what I needed after making several rubbish attempts with a camera myself.

www.caroleallenjewellery.co.uk

[jerseygirl]

Thank you everyone for the helpful messages. I will sit down and have a think about what sort of thing I want and then organise something. Better get back to beading, got a Christmas fair on Friday and no where near ready!

One of these days I'll get myself organised...I always seem to have a last minute rush on. Hope I'm not the only one.

Thanks

Jo

[matt.chatterley]

Thank you everyone for the helpful messages. I will sit down and have a think about what sort of thing I want and then organise something. Better get back to beading, got a Christmas fair on Friday and no where near ready!

One of these days I'll get myself organised...I always seem to have a last minute rush on. Hope I'm not the only one.

Thanks

Jo

Ooh. Which fair? Is that the thing on in Royal Square? If so, might pop in.

My (work) life has seemed to consist primarily of "last minute rushes" for approximately five years. I wouldn't worry about it!

[UrbanAngelJewellery]

Hi Jo

I just changed mine and I now use Mr Site and I have to say its really easy to use, a bit limiting in terms of design but I tihnk great value x
I got the package from amazon for £20 delivered and thats a yr subscription then I think its a couple quid a month after 12 months

[mizgeorge]

Another Mr Site fan here. I think it's great value for money.

I have the technical skills to build my own website, but I'd rather be making stuff to put on the site than writing code for it!

[Vixxie Jewels]

Hi Jo

I just changed mine and I now use Mr Site and I have to say its really easy to use, a bit limiting in terms of design but I tihnk great value x
I got the package from amazon for £20 delivered and thats a yr subscription then I think its a couple quid a month after 12 months

Ive got to say urban angel!! i looove your new site its much better very funky and fresh. Im having problems with 123reg and my site is currently offline so dissapointing after all the work i put into it. So I am looking into going somewhere new too!
Vixxie