Websites are hard.
Here is the 411 on websites. They lure you in with the “free” templates, build a blog for only “xyz” dollars but don’t tell you that the templates are a pain and that you typically have to keep upgrading until you have paid a ton yet have the same looking template because some how it doesn’t work anymore with your package. I started on Wix. Great place to figure out what I was doing but I didn’t love it. I would blog some then stop blogging. So then I went to WordPress– I really loved WordPress until I figured it needed a commerce store for a business. I upgraded. Changed my whole website and then I was stuck. Defeated and no website because I just shredded mine. I started researching websites I liked and found LR Creative. I did a discovery call and spoke to Tiffany. She was so enlightening and explained there are TWO WordPress sights to build on: WordPress.com or WordPress.org. MIND BLOWN.
I did more research– switched from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. Not so fast. During this process there are some other factors you have to read up on such as hosting, domains, payment, website builders, and so on. Shout out to the digital creative hero’s out there. So if you’re happy with simple website for blogging or like restrictions then go with Wix or WordPress.com. If you want freedom to create your own website (even using a template), I would highly recommend WordPress.org. Here’s what you need to do: youtube. Every. Thing. Then when in doubt buy a Udemy access and watch the step by step videos. Saved my sanity.
For real, for real– I use blue host. This is the hosting company to “host” my website on the interweb! Then you pick a domain– a domain is what you want your url to be called. Mine is “njroams”. Of course, these cost money but it is cheaper than using the other platforms. I kid you not, it is cheaper. I paid for 3 years of hosting and 2 years for my domain name for less than the “business” or “commerce” form on the other platforms. Using Blue host, they have people that will answer questions about switching platforms and transferring domain names to the new hosting site, even in a pandemic. I was so thankful this service. Once you have paid for the hosting, it’s a breeze from there. The steps are laid out for you in one central place and you can start the actual building of the website.
Actual building of the website: Elementor and Udemy WordPress lessons. Shout out Hammy for sending this light my way. Elementor is a plugin, free. It’s a really cool plug in and you can follow the Udemy lesson and build it as Ferdy does. This takes some time to do so plan for a least working through a week. It does become fun and you start getting creative! Once you get the hang of it, you’re on your way to digital gold. Favorite Udemy, you will reference it a lot.
Not mentioned: the millions of break downs I had during this process- my mom is the real mvp for listening to me countless phones throughout the day over countless days. So if you happen to be in the same boat, sinking, I completely understand– you can always reach out and we can chat about it… over wine.
Again, the opinions above are my actual struggles and if you found one of these platforms mentioned above helpful to you– hat’s off to you and keep crushing it with them!!
