If you’re going to create a new website, the choice of content management system (CMS) is pretty important. Once you have chosen a CMS, you then develop the website using the CMS as a structure. Generally speaking, it is well worth using an already existing CMS as the basis for your website. It makes no sense to code up a whole new website from scratch when so many different web based software packages exist, most available for free.

For example if you are starting a news-based website or blog, then you can use the freely available WordPress CMS. If you are creating a e-shop or e-commerce website, then you can use ZenCart or CubeCart to get you started. The huge advantage of using a popular and existing CMS is that you grab a free website template that will take care of the majority of the design for you. Why reinvent the wheel?

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If you’re looking to buy a website, it can be exciting to know that you’ll be taking on an established site that will hopefully make you some money. You shouldn’t rely solely on what the seller states about the website. The seller may have forgotten something, intentionally lied about something or made some assumptions that aren’t obvious. However, to make sure you don’t get ripped off; here are some of the things to check when buying a website.

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I’m working on my eco-portfolio of websites (see EnviroGadget), and hence my latest new project is Daily Eco Tips. I purchased this website from someone who hadn’t updated the site in 3 months, so I thought it was a good candidate for being sold. I really liked the domain name and the site itself, so it was more a site of passion than of profit. I should be able to make some cash through the site too, but that’s a bonus rather than motivation.

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When you decide you want to design a new website, it’s often difficult to find an idea that you can use, let alone one that might actually make you money. Have you run out of ideas for a website? Are you keen to create a site rather than buy a potentially expensive yet established website? Then how do you go about coming up with ideas? Here’s my little guide on idea generation that I personally use to come up with my new concepts.

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Being able to program when you’re a web marketeer or SEO specialist is invaluable. Although you might not have the time to do all of your coding yourself, being able to fix code niggles and implement simple features is an asset. I’ve compiled a small list of resources that I’ve used fairly recently and thought were particularly useful.

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It’s well known among my friends that I have a few websites that earn me extra cash in addition to my day job. When I meet new people, they often ask what I do and are frequently impressed by my online ventures. More often than not, I hear something like “I wish I could do that”, “I don’t know how you find the time”, “I’m not smart enough for something like that”. Which I believe to be utter nonsense.

You can usually make something online with some hard work and a modest idea. However, here’s my tribute to those who make excuses about trying to earn a little extra cash online.

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Just a very quick tip for you today, as my RSI is particularly bad this week. I had realised that I had not update the URL in the header.php file in my Wordpress installations thanks to the tutorial on Daily Blog Tips. I suggest you go through all of your own sites and update your header file!

Just a short post to show you some bits and pieces I’ve found recently that might interest you. A short discussion on trading hours for money, detecting hacks on your site and a wordpress plugin to help manage your banner advertising.

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Continuing on from part 1 of things to do when starting a new website, this article concludes with the other tasks you should really do when you start a new website.

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As you know, I recently started a new Eco-Gadgets website called EnviroGadget.com. In this article, I’ll share a list of things you must do when first starting a new website to give it the best possible chance of becoming a success.

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