Here are the list to make a successful website:

1. Focus on giving your visitor the absolute best content and engagement. Ask yourself, what would you want them to learn after they visit your site, EVEN if they don't buy anything from you.

2. Diversify your traffic sources. Many newbies will rely on Google as the primary traffic source. It's dangerous to just rely on one traffic source.

3. Collect emails. One way to make sure you are controlling your traffic is by collecting your visitors' email. Sign up with an autoresponder service and collect those emails. They will be glad (and thankful) to be a part of your community.

4. Re-invest your profit back in your business. Once you found a way to monetize your traffic (be it via affiliate or your own product), don't forget to invest the profit back to grow your business.

Rinse and repeat.

Hi, I'm also a newbie. I was wondering what you mean by diversifying traffic sources. Would finding and commenting in niche related forums be considered that?

how to create an autoresponder and collect email ?

any automated software recommendations for getting backlinks and for seo

key is get started, get your website out there

best if you have control over the editing so you can make alterations whenever you want

it does not have to be perfect just functional

is there any one here that is experts on building links and backlinks that follow Google's new rules - I heard about Authority Sites can help - also this is part of a new book I
am writing about being successful online - thanks Josh Shapiro, the wandering jew

In order to make a successful website, you must start with a plan. Take a piece of paper and start brainstorming how you see your site laid out. This may take several revisions, but this initial work will save you endless amounts of time in the end. The next thing you want to do is create a to do list in chronological order of the tasks that are required to make your website a reality.

As you can probably tell, the main theme here is organization. Doing it right will save you alot of time and money.

Let me know if you have any questions. Take care,

Kevin

I think you must have quality contents and should update your site regularly. Also you should update your old posts time to time.

Thank you, maywebdesigns! Looks pretty details. Kudos!

One main thing would be to have a UNIQUE CONTENT.

Content and Consistency.

Before you even start to work with a web design company have a list of the types of websites you like. This will be important information for the web designers and the project managers working on your project.

Think about what function your website will serve for your business. For example will your website be a place for your visitors to come and view your catalog? Or will your website be a source of information about your services and products? Or will your website be an online store?

If you don’t already have a logo start to think about colors for your logo. It always helps if you have a hand drawing of an idea for a logo. We can turn hand drawings into beautiful logos.

Make a list of how many pages you will need for your website. For example the common pages on a website are the Home page, About Us page, Services Page, Blog page, and Contact Us page. Having an idea of how many pages you will need for your website will also give your Website design company an idea of what your project will cost.

Think about a budget, how much you are willing to invest in your website. Remember that this is a marketing investment in your company and your website is your presence on the web. Work with your Web design company if you have a low budget so that they can give you an idea of your options.

Start thinking and start writing the content you want for your website pages. If you need help with your content talk to your web design company. They can refer you to a content writer.

Make a list of keywords and key phrases that you know people will use when searching for your services online. Also, be sure to ask about Search Engine Optimization for your website. Some web design companies also offer this service but if not they can refer you to an SEO company. Keep in mind that this service requires a good budget and a commitment of at least 4 to 6 months.

Think about a Domain Name you want for your website. Try to keep the name short and simple, but also make sure it relates to your business. Keeping it simple will help people remember your website. Good examples of short and simple domain names are names like google.com, yahoo.com , msn.com, facebook.com, etc.

Be sure to ask your web design company how long your project will take. This will give you an idea of when it will be completed so you can plan accordingly.

Last but not least, if a relative tells you they can do your website, unless that relative is me, I would suggest you contact a professional web design company. My point is that if you want your website completed in a few weeks you really want to work with professionals that create websites for small businesses!