There are several approaches to the actual creation of the pages that will make up your web site, and ways to handle the pictures and other graphics you will put on it.
Here are some approaches and options you can consider:
If you use one of the services mentioned on the previous page such as Portal Buzz, you won't have to build the site itself, simply populate the pages with the information about your club and its activities.
If you would rather build the site yourself, you have several options to consider:
Using a Content Manager
A content manager is a program that runs on a web server which allows you to make choices for layout, colors, etc., and those choices will then be applied across your entire site. Most of such systems available have many features in order to make various functions available, but you can be successful with them by just learning to use the features that are important to you.
Many low-cost web hosts make content managers available as part of your subscription. The most common is WordPress.
Building a Site Yourself
There are many programs and ways to build a web site. It can be done in something as simple as Windows Notepad.
Learning how to create web pages in a simple text editor can be rewarding and it will always give you the knowledge you need to fix problems in your pages. Many books are available on basic web coding.
Many people want to get their site up without the delay that a learning process would require. And there are programs available, some free and some paid, which will help you do that.
Perhaps the best known program for web site creation may be Dreamweaver which costs about $400.
There are several free programs as well. Each will have its own learning curve, but for someone new to html, it may be less time than learning how to code by hand. Here's a list of such programs:
Several of these free programs are offered by companies which also have paid versions or sell other services.
Many web hosts offer WordPress as a system for creating a web site which does not require learning how to code. Other hosts, such as wix.com, offer their own system for accomplishing the same thing. Many web sites you see on the Internet today are done in WordPress.
You also will need a program to crop and size pictures that you will use on your web site. If you have a digital camera, it's likely that the software that came with the camera will work just fine. Other options include Corel's Paint Shop Pro and Adobe Photoshop Elements, which usually can be found for less than $100. Free programs you could use include Google's Picasa and GIMP. GIMP has a fairly steep learning curve as it is a full-featured editing program.
When your site is done, you will need to upload it to the web server where it will be hosted. You have options here as well.
Some of the html editing programs have ftp capability built in, allowing you to upload a site, or just changed files, directly from the program.
Many web site hosts provide file manager programs that allow you to upload the files from your browser, although they sometimes have limitations, such as allowing you to upload only one file at a time.
If you are looking for a free FTP program to upload your files, try FileZilla. Other relatively low-cost FTP programs include CuteFTP, WS_FTP and CoffeeCup FTP.
If you represent a New York District Kiwanis Club or Division and have specific questions you'd like answered, send us an e-mail and we'll try to help.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated