Framework for building a website

[ntrain]

Hey guys, I hope everyone is off to a great start for the New Year.

I've automated myself quite well and am now looking to start developing an idea for a website I've had for a while now. I'm just starting my research and am wondering if anyone has any good resources on the complexities of building a website. I'd like to organize some of my research so any help would be gladly appreciated.

Gaining proof of concept
Company registration- Registering abroad
Models- examples of types/classes of business, affiliate marketing, e com, blogs- etc.
Data storage-
Revenue- Looking at Freemium/ Subscription model

 

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[Jon L]

Hey guys, I hope everyone is off to a great start for the New Year.

I've automated myself quite well and am now looking to start developing an idea for a website I've had for a while now. I'm just starting my research and am wondering if anyone has any good resources on the complexities of building a website. I'd like to organize some of my research so any help would be gladly appreciated.

Gaining proof of concept
Company registration- Registering abroad
Models- examples of types/classes of business, affiliate marketing, e com, blogs- etc.
Data storage-
Revenue- Looking at Freemium/ Subscription model

I'm not sure what you're asking...?

 

[WebMedic]

Hey guys, I hope everyone is off to a great start for the New Year.

I've automated myself quite well and am now looking to start developing an idea for a website I've had for a while now. I'm just starting my research and am wondering if anyone has any good resources on the complexities of building a website. I'd like to organize some of my research so any help would be gladly appreciated.

Gaining proof of concept
Company registration- Registering abroad
Models- examples of types/classes of business, affiliate marketing, e com, blogs- etc.
Data storage-
Revenue- Looking at Freemium/ Subscription model

Framework for building a website:

1. Pick software (CMS - content management system)

Depends on your needs, are you focused on e-commerce or content?

If e-commerce you are looking for an e-commerce CMS (ex: Magneto, Prestashop)
If content you are looking for a content CMS (ex: WordPress, Joomla)

Note that content CMS can do e-commerce as well using plugins.

2. Setup domain name and hosting:

You have 3 key options:

- Shared (your website is on a server with many other sites, low performance, cheap cost)
- VPS (you get a dedicated virtual server that you run your sites on, better performance, more expensive, will require Linux knowledge unless you opt for managed server which will cost more)
- Dedicated (your own rented server, optimum performance, more expensive, same as VPS managed option)

If you go with WordPress there are some excellent hosts that will give you the best service for affordable prices, example is WPEngine (https://wpengine.com/)

3. Plan content and get theme

What will your website have (ex: videos? images? text? products?)? how will it be structured (how many pages? what are they?)?

Based on that you can now pick a theme (design) for your new site, you can do that from sites like ThemeForest (Website Templates & Themes from ThemeForest) or Google for your CMS + free theme

4. Install the CMS with the theme and begin adding content

5. You should now have a fully functioning website!

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[ZF Lee]

All right, there is this massive debate on whether to CODE or NOT.

I am on this path now, and I have not reached its end. However, I can give this conclusions clearly
DON'T CODE IF:
you just want to sell physical stuff using the Internet as a medium. @WebMedic put some good details there, but even Shopify, Wordpress or others might suffice.

Make your main base (or website) with @WebMedic's suggestions, if you like, and use other platforms like Amazons to build more channels for customers to come in. I was trying to order some academic books online and I could not find them on Amazon. The main website for the books gave no assurance of a speedy overseas delivery. I would have preferred it if they leverage Amazon delivery systems to fulfill their lack of one.

Even if you want to do online courses or blogs or videos, the website creators that tout 'you don't need to code' should suffice.

For this e-commerce route, the product and marketing should play a more major route.

Google up email-management systems, google alerts, etc for good plugins.

BUT CODE IF:
you want to build the next Facebook...

joking

NO. I'M NOT.

CODE if you want to offer a website solution with functions that a plugin might not be able to achieve.

CODE if you don't trust the website creators to do the stuff for you.

CODE if you think you can produce something better than AirBnb or Uber.

CODE if you want to make a game like Minecraft. It needn't be perfect either! Minecraft lags like shit.
But it just have to work.

CODE if you want something you want to control to the MAX. If Wordpress or Shopify shut down, or underwent a massive cyberattack, you might want to take back your control.

I'm not saying it is easy. But the Fastlane isn't easy.

Code using free stuff. Free! I'm doing it!
Github, a good storage of coding knowledge and a supportive community, free!
Text editors to send in code...Free!
coding forums like stackoverflow...Free!

Get free code lessons! I'm doing The Odin Project,
Learn Web Development for Free Using Ruby on Rails | The Odin Project
and I have looked into
Become a Programmer, motherfcker
for free materials. Udemy may have good discounts, but why bother when you can get FREE STUFF.
I'm still learning, but I am making progress.

There are many other blogs and tutorials, but I'll leave you to find them. But you just find what you need and move on...

If you DO want to go on this route (up to you!),
DON'T learn everything!
Just learn Ruby and Ruby on Rails. The Rubies are modern programming language and framework that were created to counter the weaknesses and problems of past programmers. I found Ruby fun and interesting to learn because it could be the CLOSEST programming language to English!

Serious! The dashes and syntax aside, once you take time to understand it, the rest is history.

DON'T spend too much time!
Spend enough time and learning to build a minimum viable product, offer a beta, collect cash and hire programmers to scale it out. Programming is a means to an end, not the main shit!

DON'T think that it's hard. Likewise, DON'T think that it's easy.
It's between. It can be done. I know because I AM DOING IT.

 

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[ZF Lee]

@Andy Black 's gonna shoot fireballs at me for not getting sales and just building shit
However, think of it...

The question is:
Can you retain the customers to keep paying cash?
Can you expand your range?
How long can your systems last?
How much is the quality of your services?

I'm not talking about one-trick ponies. I'm talking about longevity. Money trees such as websites have to live long. A decent base in programming might provide for it.
That is, if you want to offer a software or an online platform....
If you choose ROUTE 2 to learn a bit of coding...

You obey the Commandment of Control
You know how it works, and how to make it work better.
You know how to create money trees, from its very molecules.
No one else can do it better than you.

Comm of Entry
People think, 'Damn coding is hard.'
Hard? Good. Learn what you need. Then use it!
Hard things make Slowlaners and moneychasers run away.
Hard things make Fastlaners more dangerous because they find ways to use the hard things dangerously.

The other Commandments are self-explanatory.

The best thing about code is that it doesn't have to be perfect.
It only needs to work.
It only needs to give value.
It only needs to make people think, "This is WELL DONE. Take my freaking money!"

You don't need to code by hand.
Copy-pasting code (provided you understand how the code works) is fine. Even the veterans do it!
Just create tools that give value, help others sufficiently to have them running back screaming
"I love you!"

 

[Andy Black]

Hey guys, I hope everyone is off to a great start for the New Year.

I've automated myself quite well and am now looking to start developing an idea for a website I've had for a while now. I'm just starting my research and am wondering if anyone has any good resources on the complexities of building a website. I'd like to organize some of my research so any help would be gladly appreciated.

Gaining proof of concept
Company registration- Registering abroad
Models- examples of types/classes of business, affiliate marketing, e com, blogs- etc.
Data storage-
Revenue- Looking at Freemium/ Subscription model

A website is just part of a sales funnel.

A website just sits there doing nothing - until you get people who want what you're selling to visit, and to buy.



The trick is to focus on who you're trying to help.

What problem are you helping them with?

Who has this problem?

Who is *already* paying money to solve this problem?

Where can you find them (or get found by them)?


Sales happen when you get the right person to the right offer at the right time.

A website just helps you do the above.

It's just one of many ways HOW.



Work out WHO you're trying to help.

Work out WHAT will help them.

Work out WHERE they are.

Most importantly, be very clear WHY you're doing it.

HOW is always the least important consideration - there's always a million ways HOW.



It feels like you're focused on the tool, instead of the problem the tool solves.

People don't buy drills because they want a drill.

People don't even buy drills because they want a hole in the wall.

People buy drills because they want that family photo put up on the wall.



Hope that helps.



You may wish to read these threads:

www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/you-dont-need-a-website-you-need-sales.68575

www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/stop-building-stuff.69842

www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/what-do-you-need.70164

 

[Fox]

A website is just a tool. Tools are for problems. To use the right ones you need a clearly defined problem - start there.

A website doesn't need to be complex or expansive - some of the worlds largest companies have simple and small websites.

Define the problem - ask yourself what would help remove it and then what would also help people take action - go build that.

 

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[ZF Lee]

Shit, I just found this!!!!

In Reddit of all places!!!
Apparently Groupon started out as a WORDPRESS for validation and building up customer base!!!
They catered to small businesses that didn't specialise in marketing.

Read this!
How startups such as Dropbox, Airbnb, Groupon and others acquired their first users. • /r/Entrepreneur

The key point
Use free tools to make a website or system to build up validation and customer base--->acceptance by market---->update and upgrade--->more sales---->history

EDIT : @Fox you are right..hit the value giving spots. Coding or website building are just tools

 

[Andy Black]

Shit, I just found this!!!!

In Reddit of all places!!!
Apparently Groupon started out as a WORDPRESS for validation and building up customer base!!!
They catered to small businesses that didn't specialise in marketing.

Read this!
How startups such as Dropbox, Airbnb, Groupon and others acquired their first users. • /r/Entrepreneur

The key point
Use free tools to make a website or system to build up validation and customer base--->acceptance by market---->update and upgrade--->more sales---->history

EDIT : @Fox you are right..hit the value giving spots. Coding or website building are just tools

The mind f*ck is that you can make sales without even having a website. In fact I recommend it. Spend your money on diesel and coffee. Do things that don't scale. Find some service or product that people want so bad they bite your hand off down to your ankle. All.day.long.

Case in point: we've sold mobile landing pages to about 8 different businesses in the last few months. They're a no brainer at the price we quote. We don't have a website for this service, and in fact I don't even list any services on my website.

 

[ZF Lee]

The mind f*ck is that you can make sales without even having a website. In fact I recommend it. Spend your money on diesel and coffee. Do things that don't scale. Find some service or product that people want so bad they snap your hand off down to your ankle. All.day.long.

Case in point: we've sold mobile landing pages to about 8 different businesses in the last feels months. They're a no brainer at the price we quote. We don't have a website for this service, and in fact I don't even list any services on my website.

 

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