Learn how to create your own website – step by step

First of all, take a breath. Relax. You know where you are going – to create your own website – and you can get help every step of the way.

In the end, you will have a website planned by you. Written by you. With images you have found and placed there. 

You will know how to change anything and everything. Because changes are inevitable. (In fact, you will want to make them regularly, to keep Google interested in your site.)

That’s the destination. You don’t need to hire a web designer. Or learn code. You can learn everything you need to know – and have fun along the way.

Introducing your website guide

You probably want to know who’s going to walk you through this process.

My name is Alex. I have been working on websites since the 90s. I spent 18 years in advertising agencies, in the UK and USA. My job was to create anything from the back of a cereal packet to global campaigns. Radio ads were a particular favourite.

There is nothing I cannot write. No product I cannot sell. But there’s plenty I don’t want to.

As you can imagine, the advertising world is filled with clients who are more interested in profit than people and planet. So it’s not a great fit for someone like me. (If you are familiar with the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, I am an INFP. Idealistic, sensitive, intuitive, thoughtful, empathic, etc.) What I really needed was to work with others who want to make the world a better place. Apart from this one time, it didn’t happen.

Dramatic breaks

On the Brighton-London commute, I wrote screenplays and audio drama. I had an Afternoon Play broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and wrote an episode of The Tomorrow People. Maybe we’ll talk about that some time.

In 2007, I left office life behind to create the world’s most eco-friendly family yurt campsite in southwest France. I blogged the whole adventure, starting on Blogger, before moving to WordPress in 2012.

The website for the yurt camp was originally made by a brilliant friend. Then remade by a designer. In 2013, I started again in WordPress — and learnt everything I want to teach you.

Creating websites for others

Since learning WordPress, I have answered calls for help from people who needed websites updating or rewriting. I love this work – and they are lovely clients – doing great things in art, wellbeing and nature conservation. But, I only have one pair of hands.

I cannot recommend Alex more highly…he took my dated website out of the dark ages, revamped it to work effectively reflecting the character and style of my business. He responds super promptly, has salvaged things on many occasions and his knowledge and expertise in this arena is second to none. Rarely too, his generosity and willingness to help people, just because he can, is unrivalled.

Nicky Fish, Second Nature, Snowdonia

“Your Website Course” is born

Following the “teach a person to fish…” school of logic, I created Your Website Course. A comprehensive one-day workshop that taught people everything they need to know, to create and manage their own websites.

By mid afternoon on the trial run, it was clear that there was Too Much Information.

Alex is so personable and professional, I was blown away with his course content and delivery. I already had my website up and running but this helped me a lot to make positive changes and tweaks, and make me more confident and believe in my ability to sell myself well. Throughout the course, you could see Alex’s passion and knowledge in abundance. He combines his love for the subject with his many years of experience. His enthusiasm will no doubt rub off on you and you will leave the course feeling fantastic and confident in your ability to write a website from scratch. Highly recommended.

Jo Gilder, One-Day Website Workshop participant

Create your own website, in two parts

Now divided into two parts, Your Website Course walks you through the whole process, step by step. From the initial idea to targetting, planning, page creation publishing, and ongoing tweaks and changes. It is the approach I use, professionally. And it includes strategies and insights I have developed over the years.

Finally, the dark arts of the commercial world can be used by people who are committed to making that world a better place. People like you.

Part One: Your Website Content

Part One of Your Website Course focuses on the content you need to create your own website. (Or improve the website you already have.)

This is where you will learn about:

Website Content is the most important part of the process – and something you will need to provide even if you employ a website designer.

Website Content fee and discount offer

The Website Content course is £350 and takes place over Zoom. Your group will have a maximum of eight people at your level and I am sure enduring friendships will be made. In addition, you will also have a one-hour tutorial session with me whenever you feel it would be most helpful. The course will go at the pace of the slowest learner and will take about 10 hours.

Because this is a new course, I am offering £100 off to the first intake in exchange for detailed feedback. For an initial chat, to see if we would like to work together sooner, or later, contact me today.

Part Two: Your WordPress Website

Part Two of Your Website Course shows you how to put everything together in WordPress.

This includes:

There are lots of other website builders out there, including Sitebuilder, Wix, GoDaddy, Weebly, Webs, Squarespace, Jimdo, Gator and Shopify. They all have their merits (here’s an article that compares a few of them in more detail). Some are free to use. Others you pay for. If you are using one of those website builders, you will want to skip this part of Your Website Course and use whatever tutorials you can find on YouTube.

WordPress Website course fee and discount offer

The WordPress Website course is £300 and takes place over Zoom. Your group will have a maximum of eight people with the same interests and motivations as you. A one-hour consultation session is also included, to be taken at any time – during the course or in the future. We will go at the pace of the slowest learner and the course will take about eight hours.

As with the Content Course, I am offering £100 off to the first intake in exchange for detailed feedback. For an initial chat, especially if you are considering skipping the Content Course, get in touch.

Option Three: Walking by yourself

If you feel confident you only need the map, without the benefit of my experience or support from your group, no problem.

You can buy the entire syllabus as a pdf, for £99. If you decide to take the course after this, your £99 will be deducted from the fee.

Start the whole process for just £10

Before you begin Part One of Your Website Course, you will need to complete a website blueprint. This incredibly important document forces you to look at: 

• Why you need to create your own website
• Who your website is for
• How many pages it must have
• Which words are essential
• What images it must include
• How often you should update it

Your website blueprint is something you will find valuable even if you don’t take the course. You can order the template for just £10. (This will, of course, be deducted from the course fee, if you go ahead and work with me. Or from the price of the syllabus if you decide to create your own website entirely on your own.)

Let’s talk

For an initial chat about you and your website (and to see if we want to work together), to buy the syllabus, or to buy the website blueprint, contact me on the form below. 

Remember, if you join the first intake, you will enjoy a £100 reduction on each course fee in return for feedback. You will be helping to shape the course in the future and becoming founder members of a community of likeminded people.

The journey to your ideal website begins with this simple step.

I’ll get back to you in a couple of clicks