Creating your own website is a great idea.
No other activity can give you total satisfaction as the instant results provided by website creation.
However, if you are not a web development specialist creating a website could be a tricky and making it appear at the top of different search engines would be trickier.
There are small things that you need to be aware of when creating a website of your own.
These things appear almost insignificant but can make a whole lot of difference to your website rankings.
Here they are:

• Ensure you select a proper web hosting company, according to your requirements.
  Selecting one where you will not need all the features will always lead to wastage of money.
  
• Name of your website should contain the word or the synonym of what your website is all about.
  If your website contains photos make sure it has the word photos or a synonym like snaps, flicks, etc.
  incorporated with it.
  This will help your visitors identify your website quickly and easily.
  Also check what keyword is used for the word photo, also take keyword into account when making website name.
  Good examples is the gmail where the website deals with Google and emails.
  
• Title should include the main keyword of your website, this will help the search engines identify and categorize your website.
  Plan all the keywords and lists properly, also think and plan in advance all the content that you will put on the website, this will provide you proper direction and ensure that there is very less wastage of time.
  
• Try and allow your visitors to leave a feedback, this encourages customer participation and also will make new visitors stay longer period of time on your website.
  Feedback always interests people and many will form opinion about your website through the feedback.
  
• Make your website attractive looking and also professional.
  There is nothing that can really kill a good website like a bad design.
  
• Use of colors should be done beautifully, identify all those colors which will keep your visitors hooked on to your website.
  
• Provide some information related to the subject of your website, import RSS feeds, allow people an access to information related to the subject.
  Make your website a one shop stop for all that is related to your website.
  
• Try and make your website fun, use things like video clips, etc.
  to help people understand the concept and stay on your website for longer period of time.
  

There are some more things you can ensure you do about your website so it easily ranks at the top in search engines.
Please check the part II for more mistakes that you could avoid.