Weebly: Easy Web and Blog Site Creation
Do you feel technically challenged? Even if you do not know the first thing about developing a Web site or creating a blog site, it is possible to do so.
Weebly.com, an online tool for “non-techies,” makes Web site creation easy. Weebly allows users to create free Web sites and blogs, and was named one of the Top 50 Best Web sites of the Year in 2007 by Time Magazine.
So what makes Weebly so popular?
It is simple to use and does not require any technical skills. Once you create your account by entering a username, password, and e-mail address, you are ready to begin creating your site. It features an easy drag-and-drop interface, which allows easy formatting and editing, offers more than 70 professional designs to choose from, and best of all, it is free!
Weebly offers a variety of content elements that allows you to become as creative as you want when designing your site. You can drag and drop any element, such as Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, slide shows, music, and polls.
Can I create a blog site?
Yes, Weebly also is great for creating blog sites. It supports unlimited blogs, featuring open or closed conversations. You can customize the search engine optimization (SEO) features (a process of improving the visibility of a Web site in search engines without having to pay) and mobile settings to make your site easy to find and allow users of cell phones to easily view your site, respectively.
So what’s the catch? Will ads appear on all sides of my Web site?
Surprisingly, Weebly will not place advertising on your Web site. However, if you choose to advertise with Google AdSense, you can generate revenue from your Web site.
Do I need to purchase a domain name?
Weebly offers free domain hosting, so even if you already have a domain name, you still can use Weebly to host your Web site for free—a great feature! If you would like to purchase a new domain name, Weebly Pro, which offers more advanced features for a small fee, allows you to do so. In fact, several nutrition and dietetics professionals and organizations use it for their own Web sites, including the Latinos and Hispanics in Nutrition and Dietetics (LAHIDAN), Montana Dietetic Association-Billings, and Julie Kora, RD, just to name a few.
Contributed by Regina M. Gill, MS, RD, LD
Visit Regina’s Web site at http://reginagill.weebly.com.
Previously posted on the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior’s Communications Division blog
Review Date 6/12
G-1805
