Thread: Need help picking software and host....

To anyone that could offer a newbie some advice... I am looking to start a website that will start out as a normal 5-10 page website (nothing too fancy) and later I want to add a forum and if thats successful, I'd like to be able to sell products through the site using a shopping cart (e-commerce platform)

Since I'm learning all this as I go and would prefer to do this myself, whats the best way to do this - should I find a web host that has built in software but that will also allow me to expand using vBulletin or phpBB for a forum as well as later creating the shopping cart store
OR
Should I just find a web host and then design all this stuff using my own software? However, if I use software such as Dreamweaver, if you want to incorporate a forum, do you need to separately install vBulletin or phpBB?

Any advice is greatly appreciate! thanks!

Hello, welcome to the forum.

To anyone that could offer a newbie some advice... I am looking to start a website that will start out as a normal 5-10 page website (nothing too fancy) and later I want to add a forum and if thats successful, I'd like to be able to sell products through the site using a shopping cart (e-commerce platform)

Yes this is not a problem. Most web hosts will let you upgrade your plan as you go and your needs increase. For example if you have a domain mydomain.com you could have your website showing when you go to that address. You could create a folder called forum and install PHPBB or VBulliton inside that folder so when you visit yourdomain.com/forum your forum will show. etc etc

Since I'm learning all this as I go and would prefer to do this myself, whats the best way to do this - should I find a web host that has built in software but that will also allow me to expand using vBulletin or phpBB for a forum as well as later creating the shopping cart store
OR
Should I just find a web host and then design all this stuff using my own software? However, if I use software such as Dreamweaver, if you want to incorporate a forum, do you need to separately install vBulletin or phpBB?

You can go about this 2 ways. You can learn HTML/CSS and build your own website (This will benefit you allot once you have learn't it) or you can use a CMS (Content Management System) to build your website. Some webhosts come with a application called "Fantastico" this allows you to install various software (Wordpress, Joomla, PHPbb, Zen Cart, OSCommerce etc) on your domain name with a few clicks.

You can use Dreamweaver to create your website and install the forum inside another folder.

I have installed some of the popular software which can be installed for free with Fantastico to show people on this forum. These are the default installs, the following software is open source so there is many free templates and plugins online.

Wordpress

Joomla CMS

PHPbb forum

OSCommerce shopping cart

Zen Cart shopping cart

Hope I helped a bit.

yes, that did help..I appreciate it!

Just to clarify, would you then recommend I just find a decent web host and then design the site through Dreamweaver and upload it and then use php or vBulletin to upload as well?? Or would it be easiest to just go through something like SBI?

I really need the site to be professional looking for my niche market so design is important but I know there will be a large learning curve with Dreamweaver I would imagine (plus the cost)

From what I understand, its hard to create a forum using SBI (not even sure if they accept php or vBulletin)

Originally Posted by roryc

yes, that did help..I appreciate it!

Just to clarify, would you then recommend I just find a decent web host and then design the site through Dreamweaver and upload it and then use php or vBulletin to upload as well?? Or would it be easiest to just go through something like SBI?

I really need the site to be professional looking for my niche market so design is important but I know there will be a large learning curve with Dreamweaver I would imagine (plus the cost)

Hm it's really hard to say. What sort of website are you planning to create (Don't have to answer). If you need a professional looking website fast then you can always use a CMS. If you have the time I would certainly suggest learning html/css. You do not need Dreamweaver to make a good website. You can make websites in notepad as well infact many people prefer using notepad alone to make websites. Dreamweaver simply makes the process a little easier.

SBI is a good choice if you want to learn the "theory" around researching a website, making a website and marketing a website. But if you understand your market enough it certainly isn't necesarry.

Im not 100% sure but im pretty certain you cannot use PHP with SBI. I don't think you can use any forum software with it as well.

Remember Dreamweaver certainly isn't needed to create a nice website. If you visit htmldog.com and go through their HTML/CSS tutorials you will be on the right track. You could also download a free template online and use your new HTML/CSS skills to tweak it.

Maybe not the best way to learn but when I first started I didn't look at any tutorial sites instead I downloaded Lisa's free CSS template and watched her video. Then I played around with the code to see what I could do. I kept downloading templates and tweaking them.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm planning on creating a website that is mostly content based but later I want to be able to incorporate a forum and then a store/shopping cart. Sounds like I should probably just design the site myself and pick a good host that will allow each of these. It would be nice though if there was a host out there that would help on the SEO side of things like SBI does but that could also allow forum software.

Is it possible with SBI to retain the rights to your site and design in case you want to take your site and domain to another host later?

Also, could you explain your post earlier about CMS and how it works for design?

Originally Posted by roryc

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm planning on creating a website that is mostly content based but later I want to be able to incorporate a forum and then a store/shopping cart. Sounds like I should probably just design the site myself and pick a good host that will allow each of these. It would be nice though if there was a host out there that would help on the SEO side of things like SBI does but that could also allow forum software.

Is it possible with SBI to retain the rights to your site and design in case you want to take your site and domain to another host later?

Also, could you explain your post earlier about CMS and how it works for design?

I see ok. Yeah I would highly suggest you learn html/css and design the site yourself because it sounds like you have big plans for the site. So it would certainly be better in the long run to learn youself.

From what I understand SBI provides tools and information. Im not sure what you mean by SEO, do you mean their SEO tools or information? SEO can be learn't by simply reading up on it online. I heard their keyword tools are very good. SBI is great because all the tools and information is in one place but you will always be able to find it online. One problem with SBI is you cannot create a dynamic site.

I have never used SBI before but I have read on these forums you can move your site to another host.

There is many popular CMS which allow you to create professional looking websites with no coding knowledge needed. There are many themes you can install. You will have a admin area where you can create new pages, install plugins etc. The most popular are Wordpress/Joomla.

If you want to get a website up and running fast a CMS would be the way to go.

Maybe it would be a good idea to use SBI soak up all the information then move to another host down the line.

If you learn html/css you will have full control of your website.

So is Wordpress a type of CMS? Sorry, extreme newbie here....

If so, are you saying I could create what I need to (dynamic webpages) with Wordpress? I had thought it was only used to create a blog?

Thanks for all your help!

No problem it also confuses me.

Yeah it is a blogging platform but it's also a CMS. With Wordpress you can create pages as well as posts. I guess the answer to your question is yes

You can go either way. You can asssociate a Wordpress blog with your site after you establish it if you want. Most good hosts have simple one step installs for Wordpress, Zen (shopping cart) and the same with the other things. Or you could use Wordpress to feed a more standard site.

However, a standard site might be better as you go along in view of your intent to add other things than a blog. If you have Dreamweaver (which you mention) that is a good tool to design your site. Some of us prefer text editors.

If you haven't studied html and css yet, I advise starting there. You need to know a little about them or you will always be frustrated with issues you can't fix easily. You just need to know a few basics which aren't hard. Check out htmldog.com or w3schools.com.

Once you work on your basic site a little you will begin to get the picture about all these other issues. It is hard, but try not to get ahead of yourself. Lisa's 2createawebsite.com does a great job of laying out the options.

I recommend using Site Build It - and with regards to a forum, you can easily add on one. With a forum however, you need a LOT of traffic to sustain it. Lisa recommends at least 1000 unique visitors per day (having made an unsuccessful forum before) before considering a forum.

Again, an e-Commerce shop you would need an add-on shopping cart