Let’s Get Started …

Step One: choose a WordPress package

I design and build websites using WordPress. WordPress is an extremely popular open source content management system for wide variety of web projects from blogs to online stores. Please look over my packages

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Step Two: register a domain name

I recommend registering domains with Namespro. It is good to choose a short brandable name that also has a main keyword. I recommend registering both the .ca and the .com

Step Three: sign-up for web hosting

I recommend Blue Host or HostGator. You can also choose another company from my resources page. If you need some help, give me a call. I would be happy to walk you through the process.

I’ll need you to send me the login information for the domain registrar and the hosting company so that I can point the domain to the host and install WordPress on the hosting account. File all this information so you can find it easily when you need it again.

Step Four: research and planning

  • Check out your competition — Send me a list of links to your competitor’s sites and other sites that you like, NOT to copy from them but so that I get an idea of what you like and what you don’t. We want to make sure that your site stands out above the competition.
  • Make a sitemap — A site map is a great planning tool for web design outlining the structural layout of the site. It is a list of all pages and their child-pages.
  • Site features — When you check other sites keep an eye out for features that you like. Knowing what features you need will help me to research plugins.

Step Five: get your content together

  • Branding — A logo can inform the look and feel of the site and dictate colour scheme. Come up with a tagline and select colours that can be used consistently for identifying your brand.
  • Create your page copy — Great content means three things: that (1) your web copy is optimized for search engines and site visitors with targeted keywords (2) it speaks to your customers and (3) your content consistently conveys your marketing message for site visitors. My colleague, Dawn Comber, can review your content and help you make it great.
  • Stock images — Create a free account at iStockphoto and then create a free lightbox. Put the images that you think might work into your lightbox and then share the lightbox with me. It is good to keep in mind the colours of the site and select images that have a similar palette.

Step Six: send your content to me

Dropbox File Sharing — Dropbox is a file service which uses cloud computing to enable users to backup and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization. Send me an email to and I’ll be happy to send you a Dropbox invitation and we will both earn 250 MB of bonus space. » Read step-by-step dropbox instructions.

If you have any questions about any of these steps, please contact me.

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