Steps for New BoldGrid Website Builders

When you think of websites, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? You may think that websites require access from your computer, or a website is colorful, has pictures and provides information. We could also say, it provides an opportunity to sell goods, or show off a video...there are many, many possibilities. If you are a first time web builder, memories of other websites provide you with ideas on how to construct your own. In this manner BoldGrid provides an excellent way for you to construct a site based on an existing one. The framework is there for you, so you just have to modify it so that it represents you, your ideas, or your business. What should you do first? Follow the steps below in planning to use BoldGrid to build your website.

STEP 1- Define the scope of your site

Defining the scope of your website is like creating a blueprint in words of the house that you want to build. You write down what you want to appear in your website. If you need a direction, start with your purpose for the website. For example, "I want my website to represent my business online". Under that statement, write down how you will do that. You could start with, putting your business logo on the site, contact information, contact forms, pictures of your business or products, etc.

STEP 2- Sketch out the pages of your website

Once you have a solid idea of what you're trying to build, next you should sketch out a rough idea of how you think your website should appear. Make sure to include the visible elements that you to want show in your website. Also, make sketches of the pages you want show on your website and how they link to your main page. You could say that the sketches represent a rough draft of your website. After you have an idea of all the pages on your website, you're ready to move on to the next step.

STEP 3- Review the Inspirations and select one for your site

Since you're using BoldGrid as your tool to build websites, you will want to start looking at the Inspirations that most closely resemble or approximate your sketch. Once you find one to your liking, install it and use it as the template for your website. You may find that you need to revisit the rough draft of your website if you see something you like in the Inspiration template. You might also need to remove or combine pages depending on the Inspiration that you decide to select. Also, remember that BoldGrid allows you add or edit the elements of your website. So you can easily adjust the Inspiration you select to match your website building needs.

STEP 4- Obtain or Create the elements of your Website

This is the part where you get your company logo and adjust it for the web. You may have to gather graphics or pictures that you plan to add to your website. If you have listed them in the sketch of pages on your website, then it would simply be a matter of gathering the items in your list. Keep in mind that the images or other media you obtain for your site must fit within the Inspiration you have selected. BoldGrid offers some royalty free graphics, but there is also the option to purchase stock photos if you require it. Once you have gathered all of your elements, you're on to the final step.

STEP 5- Build the Website

Since you now have all or the majority of the elements of your website and you have an idea of where everything is supposed to go, the last step should be relatively simple. Using the BoldGrid interface, you add your website elements to the template of the Inspiration that you have selected. In some cases you may need to modify or add pages for your purposes, but since you've done all the hard work of preparation, you may find this step to be the fastest and most rewarding.

If you have followed the steps above, then when you finish the last step, you will have completed building your site! Congratulations on building your first website!

Have questions about BoldgGrid? Click here to visit the official BoldGrid Questions page.