| Many people hire professional web site designers for | | | | keywords. Some qualities of a good domain name |
| as much as a thousand plus USD! You can, and very | | | | are: short, rememberable, easy to type, on topic with |
| easily, make a web site for almost one hundredth of | | | | your site, and preferablely .com (most people just |
| that price, and probably in half the time. Here are 4 | | | | think of web sites as .com so if you have a .net they |
| easy steps to get you started. | | | | might end up on the wrong site). Finding a good |
| 1. Find a quality Web Host | | | | domain name can be hard, so don't worry about |
| This will probably take longer than you imagine, so I | | | | taking to much time in finding the perfect one. |
| always like to start here. Googling "web host" itself | | | | 3. Find a Design |
| pops up over 70 million results and includes many, | | | | Instead of trying to code your own site, try looking |
| many advertisements. Ask around, find forums, and | | | | around for templates that are relatively inexpensive. |
| rely on your feelings to find a host that you feel has | | | | Many web hosts offer packages within their plans for |
| the best quality for price (bang for your buck). | | | | web site designs and plans. A good template might |
| Normally around $10 to $15 a month is a reasonable | | | | cost as much as $100 but remember, by doing this |
| price (with no perks added). In addition, you should | | | | yourself you are already saving almost a thousand |
| make sure that they can handle your needs (do you | | | | dollars, don't feel like you can't splurge on a design |
| need a MySQL database, PHP, ASP, ColdFusion, etc.) | | | | you like. |
| with no additional charges added for standard options. | | | | 4. Put it Online |
| If the host that you are using is a quality host, they | | | | This should be a piece of cake if you have purchased |
| should allow you to register a domain name on their | | | | a design from your host, but if you found one from |
| site (or they will refer you to one of their partner | | | | a different site, it make take some getting use to. |
| sites). Which leads us into.. | | | | You will need a FTP client (try SmartFTP, it's free for |
| 2. Create a Domain Name | | | | personal use) to upload your files to your server. |
| What is your web site going to be about? Try to | | | | Customer support will help you if you can't figure it |
| come up with a short list of specific keywords that | | | | out, but most web hosts give you all the information |
| relates to your web site's theme. Many web sites | | | | you need with a step by step process as well. |
| that let you register domains offer a tool to find | | | | Good luck with the next phase of your site, |
| available web site domains based on your list of | | | | promotion and marketing. |