1. Planning

Before you create a site, there are a few things to think about.

• Why do you want a website?
• Who’s going to visit your site?
• When they visit, what will they be looking for?

As many have discovered the hard way, you can create a beautiful website, but without addressing these essential questions, it’ll end up like those of most universities.

"University Website" from xkcd.com

Take some time now to brainstorm with the Website Planning Form provided to you.

What’s the best tool for the job?

Now that you have a better idea of what will be on your website, it’s time to decide what the best tool for you is. We’ve compiled resources for WordPress.com, Facebook Pages, and Posterous. Check out the Site-Building Tool Rubric below, to compare the required technical skills, cost, setup time, and capabilities of each. If you need some help deciding which one to try today, a volunteer can help. When you find one that seems a good fit, you’re ready to create your site.