How to properly launch your very own superhero website

Whether you’re a diehard fan of Marvel or your preference is a selection of DC classics, starting a website to inform the world about your obsession is a worthwhile thing to do, particularly if you’re keen on discussing all things superhero with some like-minded people who also share a passion for an array of benevolent fictional characters. 

Starting a website can seem daunting to some people, particularly when it comes to the variety of technical aspects you need to organize to get it up and running. From the website logo design to web hosting, many of the things a webmaster needs to have in place for a website to run smoothly are fairly straightforward and it doesn’t require the knowledge many people think that it does. Many companies offer free web hosting which gives certain security benefits to you and your users. Launching a website should be an enjoyable experience, particularly if you’ve nailed any of the aforementioned design aspects and you’re on top of any potential content ideas moving forward. 

Launching a website that is dedicated to your favorite superhero franchise or your top superhero-themed games doesn’t need to be complicated either. Of course, some aspects of bringing a website to life further might need some additional expert help, but getting yourself up and running isn’t as complicated as it might appear to be. So, with that in mind, here are some things to consider when setting up your very own superhero website. 

Select and register a domain name 

Choosing a catchy and memorable domain name is vitally important, especially if you’re aiming to stand out. Your domain name should also reflect exactly what your website is about. Purchasing a domain name doesn’t need to be expensive either, with most domain name registrations renewed yearly for a relatively modest fee. Alternatively, you can pre-pay for a domain name for up to 10 years on some websites, therefore allowing you to focus on your website’s content for the foreseeable future. 

Find a free web hosting service 

Once you’ve registered your domain name, you need a web hosting service to essentially host your website and bring it to life once you’re ready to launch. Thankfully, there are some excellent options out there in the modern world that offer a range of important features for any web hosting package. Some of them are free, too, providing a reliable and scalable hosting package that comes with a range of beneficial features. For instance, services like Wix specialize in making sure that your website is viewed online in the best way possible. The service will then offer advanced security monitoring, you’ll be able to achieve an automatic set-up thanks to its clever tool that doesn’t require any installation, and Wix can offer 99.9% uptime as a trusted hosting service with secure and stable networks. Another aspect you’ll need to look into when selecting a hosting service includes factoring in the bandwidth necessary to keep your website running smoothly, even on a day when your site’s traffic might go through the roof. Of course, the more your website grows, the more bandwidth you will need. 

Backup your website files 

Depending on the open-source content management system that you’re using, it’s vitally important to back up your website files. The backup can be kept on your computer’s hard drive while also being held by your web host should you encounter any future issues of loss of content. After all, we save any other important details in life, perhaps banking information or our bills, so it’s therefore important to treat your website in the same manner. Without the website files, you essentially don’t have a fully-functioning website.

Make sure your site is easy to navigate 

To make sure that your traffic doesn’t dwindle because people have simply been turned off by your website as soon as they’ve loaded up the homepage, make sure that your site is easy to navigate and encourages a positive user experience. After all, if someone can’t find what they’re looking for on a website within 30 seconds, they’re likely to leave and find another site that could potentially help them. With that in mind, organization is key. As such, divide your site into specific sections and then provide links to those sections at the top of each webpage. This particular method of organization is a sure-fire way of making sure that your website is easy to navigate, especially in its early stages. 

Validate your code 

For people who aren’t too familiar with the likes of HTML, CSS, XHTML, JavaScript, and XML codes, this can seem like the scary bit of running a website. Whether you need outside help or you’re aiming to master it yourself, validating your code so that your website is presented to any visitors in the best way possible is important. There are some helpful resources out there that can assist you with the process, especially if you’re a beginner and are making common mistakes in writing your HTML code. 

Create a site map 

Whether you want to showcase your views on your favorite superheroes or you’re keen to point people in the direction of some superhero-themed artwork you’ve produced, creating a site map is the perfect way to make sure that the essential pages of your website are being displayed correctly. Site maps help search engines index your website and are essentially made up of the various URLs from your website. Creating a site map will allow your favourite pages to show up more clearly when being searched for online. 

Other things to do include testing your website in a variety of different browsers to make sure that it’s working properly. Always use SEO-friendly code, install a website analytics tool to monitor traffic, and transfer your website’s files to your chosen web host.