Starting a website, setting it up properly and ensuring that everything works as it should is something that many people, especially those new to creating websites fail to do properly. I would recommend that anyone who is about to start a new website or blog read the Website To Dos site.
The page that I linked to above is basically a checklist, with full descriptions written in an easy to understand style, of all of the most important things that one should do from start to finish when creating and maintaining a website.
The checklist begins with the initial creation of your site and gives helpful information about deciding on the goals and audience of your site. The checklist then moves on to talking about how to focus the topics of your web pages, and then goes on to give you tips on optimizing your site with search engines in mind.
The checklist ends with a list and detailed information about “Web server to dos” such as setting up 404 pages to assist your visitors when a page is not found or when the url is mistyped. There’s even tips on customizing a 404 page, plus information on redirecting pages or specific urls.
I think everyone should take a look at this checklist of website to dos. I know those new to creating websites will get a lot out of it, but seasoned webmasters might also pick up a few tips or get a reminder of things they should be doing, but often skip during the process of creating a new site.