Build a Family Website: Make a Site for Your Family in Four Weeks
Whether you’re organizing the family reunion, writing about your family’s history or trying to track down lost kin, you need a website. This course will teach you how to build a family website using free resources in just four weeks. Web expert Nancy Hendrickson will guide the way, and by the end of the class, you’ll be ready to launch your website.
COURSE BEGINS: View upcoming course schedule for dates
COURSE LENGTH: 4 weeks
TUITION: $99.99 ($89.99 for VIP)
INSTRUCTOR: Nancy Hendrickson (Bio)
Download course syllabus
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- The essential language of the Web
- The basic pieces of a family website and how to post content
- How to create a website using free blogging platforms
- How to get family members to help you with the website
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Featured Student Website Student Kim Alfano made this family website while taking this course: Roseland Roots |
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE
- Family historians who’d like to share their research with the world
- People with spread-out families who’d like to reconnect with lost kin
- Anyone who’d like to build a website in less than a month!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- A free Blogger or WordPress account — you’ll learn how to sign up for these in the course.
- Students should have a basic understanding of how to use their computer and the web. If you’re new to the web, consider taking our Computer Boot Camp class first.
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Praise for this Class “In four weeks I accomplished what I’ve been wanting to accomplish for the last four years! I really appreciated the personal input and suggestions from the instructor.” “This class is very worthwhile for anyone interested in creating a blog of any type. Everything you need is there for you if you’re willing to take the time to learn. It’s much more than theory. It’s practical application, and at the end of the course, you have something to show for your work.” |
Lesson 1: Web Building Basics
- Why build a family tree site?
- Yes, you can build a website!
- Geek Speak: The language of the Web
- Websites from concept to completion
- Five essentials of a good family site
- How to guard your family’s sensitive information
- First steps to building your site
- Exercise
Lesson 2: Building on Blogger
- Introduction
- Advantages and disadvantages
- How to set up a Blogger account
- Choosing a theme
- Navigating the system
- Uploading images
- Writing posts
- Viewing your site
- Examples of sites built with Blogger
- Exercise
Lesson 3: Building on WordPress
- Introduction
- Advantages and disadvantages
- How to set up a WordPress account
- Choosing a theme
- Navigating the system
- WordPress plugins
- Uploading images
- Writing posts
- Viewing your site
- Examples of sites built with WordPress
- Exercise
Lesson 4: Let’s Launch!
- Three tips for writing a great blog post
- Resizing images for the Web
- Adding your research data
- Linking to other sites
- How to cite online reference material
- How to include maps and documents
- Exporting information from your genealogy software
- Sharing the site with others
- Getting into Google
- Team blogging
- Exercise
