Design for you. Design for the world.
So besides knowing what "roflmao" means and how to create the heart icon on Facebook, the internet is a foreign and mysterious bubble of confusion. How does the internet even function? How do these magic elves create things like nyan cat or farmville?
Ultimately it all comes down to code. No, not morse code. It's a code called HTML. If you want to learn more about HTML and its history/function/etc., don't worry. The professor will show you soon.
Once you learn the bare basics (which you can start getting into with the "Basics" links at the bottom of this page, you can start really thinking about your web design.
So let's get back to our Amazing Coffee Co. Finally, your customer base is growing and you are rolling in dough and coffee beans. However you discover that your customers are trying to tell their friends about your coffee shop and they ask for your website.
Do not panic. It is simple enough to get a domain name for very cheap and get started on your website. What becomes most important for your website, however, is its accessibility and design. What do you want your website to accomplish? How will people be navigating your website?
What is your website for? If it's for your coffee shop, what should people know about your shop? In this example, your website is for people who have never visited your shop before, but who probably are looking for the same relaxed vibe as your customers. They want to know what you're selling, where you are located, and when you are open. They want to know how expensive it is. They may even want to know how much your products are, and what other people think of your product.
Once you know what you need to include on your site, you have to organize it in a clear way that anyone, especially your target audience, could understand.
You have the advantage that you already know your audience, which helps you with your design. You now know that you want a welcoming, warm sort of web page that matches the vibe of your coffee shop.
Below are links to help you get started on your path to coffee (or general web) greatness:
w3schools for HTML + w3schools for CSS
Also, I strongly suggest purchasing Jon Duckett's HTML & CSS book and having it on hand, for it has many tips to help you when you are riding the struggle bus.
Tutorials:
Design Tutorials
CSS Specific
CSS Zen Garden + CSS Templates (for the lazy)
