Competitor Websites - designers, domains, tips...

[James]

I'm not too knowlegable about individual competitor websites as there are other members of this forum who create them (and have them!). So hopefully they will add to this thread with advice. But if you are a new competitor and looking to do a website, a few tips:

1.) Buy your domain ASAP! Go to yahoo web hosting or www.networksolutions.com (http://www.networksolutions.com) and purchase your domain. It's not that expensive and you need to own your name yourself. Some guys will buy your name and 'cyber-squat' it and try and sell it to you at a higher price.

2.) Some of the places where you buy a domain will also have very simple templates to create your own website. If all you need is a website with a couple of photos, bio and contact info, this seems like a pretty painless solution. No webmaster, software or a lot of time to invest in.

3.) If your thinking about a members gallery, that is a whole different thing and can get pretty complicated. A little too complicated for me to get into right now! But maybe some other webmasters can add info to this thread.

[fbbhubby]

For Pam's new website, I went to Rent-a-Coder.com and contracted with a person in India. I paid $107 for the custom website design and templates.

http://www.pamfranklin.com

[JTx]

James,

Hope it's okay to post this link here, if not just delete it. It's to an article I wrote about this topic.

So You Want Your Own Website? (http://www.truebodies.com/article/articles_website.htm)


.

[dannyu87]

http://www.wowwebdesigns.com/designers/location=intl/country=more/

http://www.globat.com/packages/

[TomNine]

The one thing I would add is that you should register your name yourself and not trust anyone else to do it, especially not that helpful "fan" or "my cousin's friend who is good with computers" or whoever else you might turn to to open that first site. A lot of competitors no longer own the domain named after them for one reason or another, there is no need for that.

[annie]

Yes, definitely register your domain name yourself and keep it current; do not let it expire! If you have a popular site people will be waiting for the moment the domain expires to register it themselves.

[Mike]

I'll echo James' #2 - don't pay to get your website done if you can basically do powerpoint and are semi-computer literate. Most girls just want a 3-4 page site which they can do themselves.

[SuperBBGirl]

I lost my domain name a little over a year ago when i pulled my site down to save money FitSuzanne.com It was taken but not being used for an active site. As I was trying to decide what name to use when putting my site back up a couple months ago I checked it again and it was the day after their registration expired so I snapped it back up :)

I did mine myself. My hobby between cardio sessions LOL

(currrently annoyed that my cascading style sheet i did today is not working then my system crashed!)

[John Stutz]

I have a special hidden page on my site (a lot unlike JT's) specifically designed to address questions about building web sites. Note that I said it is designed to address questions... not answer them. It's anti-promotional so it's probably safe to post here without fear of being accused of self-promotion (which is not to imply that that's ever wrongly happened to me on another fitness related forum before). If you read it, you must promise not to come to me for any help!!

Web Site 101 (http://www.johnstutz.com/web_site_101.asp)

Way to go SuperBBGirl. If you can build it yourself, that's one of the best ways to do it.

Also, I concur 1000% on name registration. Register your own name. DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE DO IT FOR YOU. And please try to hang onto your e-mail address or remember your password so you can renew it when it expires. If you can keep the same e-mail address for more than a year, they will send you a renewal notice so you won't forget. Personally, I use Network Solutions for all my domain name registrations. But unless you're special (like me), they are way overpriced. For mere mortals, try GoDaddy.com.

And yes, I built my own site. It only took me about 2 days to construct and another 2000 hours to fill it in with content. Oh the joys of maintaining a web site.

[JTx]

I have a special hidden page on my site (a lot unlike JT's) specifically designed to address questions about building web sites. Note that I said it is designed to address questions... not answer them.

Explain please.

[John Stutz]

Which part shall I explain? Perhaps my play on words was a bit confusing.

Don't worry, I'm not knocking your's. It's extremely thorough and highly informative. Mine is just different, which is what I meant by "a lot unlike JT's" or in more untricky words "quite different from JT's". Giving credit where credit is due, I was slightly mimicing a quote from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."

Also, I was trying to imply that my article doesn't answer very many questions. It is only designed to raise issues and concerns. Regretfully, I don't have many answers for custom web design.

Still friends?

[JTx]

Absolutely no worries on my part, just a bit of confusion.

And correct me if I'm wrong... but you can quote a quote but you can't mimin a quote. Doesn't that just make it a quote unto itself.

JT

P.S. "In the beginning the universe was created. This made a lot of people angry and has widely been considered as a bad move."

P.P.S. Friends? Who's been spreading lies!!! :1eek:

[John Stutz]

And correct me if I'm wrong... but you can quote a quote but you can't mimin a quote. Doesn't that just make it a quote unto itself.Well, I certainly wasn't quoting the quote. If I were, I would have said, "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't." But that wouldn't be at all relevant I wouldn't think. By the way, did you notice how I cleverly snuck in another negative comparison when I was explaining the first one?

[FitSights]

Web Site 101 (http://www.johnstutz.com/web_site_101.asp)

There's some good stuff in that link.. many of it detailing why I don't really do sites anymore. Plus I freely admit to being a graphic designer, not a programmer or a "webmaster" (I hate that moniker).. which makes me do alot of web-related things the hard way.

Not fun.

[genex]

Rick Lohre does sites and his website is:
http://www.lohrecreative.com/

Also, Lad Rapiz has done sites for athletes like our own Claire Rohrbacker-O'Connell - you can contact him through his website (he actually just happened to come by our studio as he's friends with one of the other photographers here's brother):
http://www.rapiz.com

[Claire Rohrbacker-OConnel]

I double vouche for Lad Rapiz, he is awesome to work with. Right on top of everything.

Claire

[BigD]

I have been considering changing mine more along your format, John. I built mine from scratch but it took me longer than 2 days! I use PostNuke software, though. And I also have sections for my writing. I will look into a change in a couple of months. Yes, I own my domain name as well. A friend of mine keeps track of it and tells me when it is time to renew. Costs me $20 per year


I have a special hidden page on my site (a lot unlike JT's) specifically designed to address questions about building web sites. Note that I said it is designed to address questions... not answer them. It's anti-promotional so it's probably safe to post here without fear of being accused of self-promotion (which is not to imply that that's ever wrongly happened to me on another fitness related forum before). If you read it, you must promise not to come to me for any help!!

Web Site 101 (http://www.johnstutz.com/web_site_101.asp)

Way to go SuperBBGirl. If you can build it yourself, that's one of the best ways to do it.

Also, I concur 1000% on name registration. Register your own name. DO NOT LET ANYONE ELSE DO IT FOR YOU. And please try to hang onto your e-mail address or remember your password so you can renew it when it expires. If you can keep the same e-mail address for more than a year, they will send you a renewal notice so you won't forget. Personally, I use Network Solutions for all my domain name registrations. But unless you're special (like me), they are way overpriced. For mere mortals, try GoDaddy.com.

And yes, I built my own site. It only took me about 2 days to construct and another 2000 hours to fill it in with content. Oh the joys of maintaining a web site.

[Titania]

This is my first post here but I just wanted to bump John Stutz on his mention of Godaddy. I know some people have had issues in the past with them but I've been with them for more than two years now and have found them to be really helpful, very reliable and extremely affordable. My site started simply as a place where I could put a few of my photo's and steadily grew to the point where it is now my main income! That still spins me out. It is literally a dream come true for me to be able to make a living from combining my passions. :star:
I also agree with everyone about registering your own domain name. If you can, try and word it so it contains key words about what your site is about too and don't make it too long.
If you have time to learn HTML and Java, you can do a lot with that and save yourself big dollars on design.

Another great addition to any site is a forum. It is far more efficient than email, gives your website a community feel and is GREAT for search engines :)

[kimferrell]

I bought my domain name long before I had decided who I wanted to build my site. I got it at GODADDY, for like $20 bucks for 2 years. Melissa Dettwiller built my site for me and has been wonderful to work with. She has set up her new site for webdesign also:

http://www.buffdollstudios.com/

[JTx]

Well I guess I'll throw down too! :D


TrueBodies (http://truebodies.com/site.htm)


.

[drbarbie]

www.IFBBDrBarbie.com

[Eddie]

I bought my domain name long before I had decided who I wanted to build my site. I got it at GODADDY, for like $20 bucks for 2 years. Melissa Dettwiller built my site for me and has been wonderful to work with. She has set up her new site for webdesign also:

http://www.buffdollstudios.com/

Yeah I agree that Melissa is indeed just as incredible as a web designer as she is a lady and a competitor.:cheers:

Great job she did with another of my favorites . . Barbara Fletcher (http://www.barbara-fletcher.net) as well.

She much talent contained within that beautiful frame of hers . . :D

[Darla]

Thanks to all of you for the insite on web design. I am considering revamping my site and came across this link which answered many of my questions. Thanks again and Stay Healthy!

Darla;)
Fitness-4-You.com
GeneX Athlete

[val]

Helllooo! :)

I guess I will add my name to the list of designers. :) http://www.valeriefontanez.com

-Val

http://www.valeriefontanez.com/_stuff/_val/val_bus.jpg

[TTTG]

Hope this is ok to post this here. Great advice in this thread as always from GeneX, James and everyone.


www.JustineDohring.com

[Wildangel]

Colette Nelson does mine...and if u look at her site there is a list of the others she has done as well. Got to love this girl!!
Peace
V
her prices are VERY reasonable..tell her I sent ya!

[SallyAnne]

both Mel and Colette do beautiful jobs building sites.

I did my own and the BCG site - but I don't have time right now to build others. If anyone needs help with their own site, I am always willing to help with questions or problems.

I think it's important to be in control of your own site (if you have the knowledge and the time). Good advice was already given about registering your own domain.

www.prettybuff.com
www.buffcalendargirls.com

[tammyp]

colette does mine too, and shes affordable, quick with updates and just a great person, i love her.

[chris10000]

if you want to have a real big website like jana has (10 000 pics and hundreds of clips) you should do the website yourself.
since you can buy webprogramms its not very difficult

[drbarbie]

I did my own, but I take my time working on it. I add a little bit here and there. So then if I am at a show whether I am a competitor or selling suits or just helping promote others in the industry, it is nice to be able to add and change it up when I want.

[curtjames]

Someone mentioned Network Solutions, but I had a terrible time with them. I used Register.com (http://www.register.com/) and have had no trouble with them at all. Mine is basically just a vanity url. Has my name and then links to Geocities pages, my Photobucket gallery, etc. I had a bunch of msn.com pages but those idiots delete the content if you don't update periodically. I lost some pics at least temporarily - I think I still have the originals but it's all on floppy disks. lol I mean, can you even access info on floppy disks anymore? I have a zip drive floating around, too, collecting dust.

On topic physique and websites: This guy is awesome (http://www.skunkterrier.com/) and has several websites dedicated to bodybuilders.

[Encacrask]

You can definitely pick up a good amount of traffic if you snap up the right expired domains. The catch is just monetizing that traffic.

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