Starting a website is like opening a huge treasure trunk and going on exhilarating never ending adventures.
Take for example our son and his `Long Day Safaris' website:
Having previously been overseas to Israel, London and Ireland, he caught the adventurist bug. Coming back to South Africa, he then cycled through Zimbabwe, Mocambique and Malawi. All the things he saw and did on those working ventures and cycling expeditions opened his mind to possibly having his own website.
Naturally sports been a popular internet niche, it wasn’t long before his website quickly took off. And to keep up with the demand for more exciting stuff to write about, he had to produce more and more exciting places for his readers to enjoy.
As a farmer on the Springbok Flats and close to the Waterberg area, he could take trails through Nature reserves when not working on his days off. But that wasn’t enough to keep up with the demands of writing stuff for his website. So he also entered cycling races.
The first adventure race took him through steep mountainous terrain from Beit Bridge (the Transvaal the north border of Zimbabwe, down through the eastern Transvaal into Swaziland. Then through the Transvaal again, then through the Orange Free state (Fouriesburg) into Lesotho to Moteng’s peak.
Where very forceful winds at the time, throw a whole tin roof at him. To see the whole fantastic experience check out: https://longdaysafaris.com/category/bicycle-adventures/
The fact is: having a WordPress website has opened up the whole world to him. And he has gained many friends in the process.
As to myself and my own website: www.adafagan.co.za
It was when I switched to having a WordPress website that things really began to happen. And… much quicker than I ever expected, especially as artists’ websites don’t generally do so well!
- I put my success to having bought a WordPress manual and the book ‘ProBlogger’ by Darren Rowse and Chris Garret. Thanks to them and their advice, it put me on track straight away.
- With simplify of WordPress and the plugins they supply, has opened my world to greater possibilities. With updates you learn a lot of new technology, through the designers of the plugins and their support systems.
- It has been fun sharing my artistic knowledge and experiences with others on my website. Social media and Reddit have brought a lot of interested subscribers.
- I must say having to produce on a regular basis has been hard, considering I’m away every now and again gathering new stuff to paint and write about. Especially now too, that I also need to keep up with Steemit!
Sharing what I’ve learnt about setting up websites and how to produce good content has been worthwhile. It's opened up a treasure trove. Getting to know the wonderful people here on Steemit has been fantastic. Thanks for your input and upvoting. It’s been much appreciated.
I want to have a site for years already. But I just hate making the desighn, so it's still a project:)
P.S. Gorgeous watercolor, love it a lot!:)
WordPress has quite a few website designs you can use (called themes) which makes it really easy to set up a website.
That's the trick - I want my own. But have making it:)
Congrats on getting your own domain and website. I've been using WP for quite a few years. It runs like an app, and almost never breaks.
Just make sure you update it when it asks; plug-ins as well, if you use them.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I update regularly and also do research on new stuff to keep my website up-to-date.
It's isy to make website :D with wordpress
And such fun too, isn't it!
This made me think i should own one.😀😁
Yes. Your website becomes your own estate, like running your own shop, or having fun at a club. Of cause the type of niche you have makes the difference... considering what niche/theme trends best on the internet.
I really loved reading your website experience. Of course I am going to follow you on your site. I have just recently started working on a site. Lets see how it will work out
My personal website domain's niche is about helping artists with artistic stuff. Knowing art websites don't trend so well on the internet, I thought I would put blogs on Steemit about how artists could improve their status on the internet, from my own experience.
I agree, however the "bug" fades. Well thats my experience anyway. I think the issue was lack of viewers. That always bummed me out. But, now you can go to where the eyeballs are and get a lot more responses. For a straight up blog I don't think wordpress or self hosting is necessary. Heck thats what is great about platforms like Steemit!
Naturally the happy "bug' of running a website will fade if there is lack of people coming to your website. If you love what you are doing very much you will keep going. The important thing about writing blogs is helping others. People only come to your site if they know there is something that they will benefit from. Also people only buy into something if their senses and emotions are impacted someway or other.