Getting started with your website can be a tough process. But setting up a site has become easier with the many tools and resources available at your disposal. Basically you need to get a domain name, select a web host, design and test the site. And the final step is to get people to visit your site.

1. Acquire a Domain Name

The domain name will be the name of your website. It is like registering a business name. You need to pay an annual fee ($10 to $35) once you have it registered. You can register with a domain name registrar although there is an option to register it via a web hosting service. Make sure that the name you choose is appropriate for your business.

2. Choose a Web Hosting Service

A web hosting company consists of computers and servers linked to the web. When the company hosts your website, anyone on the Internet will be able to access it. Web hosting services require you to open an account with them first. Think of a hosting service as a store or office where your service operates.

When selecting a host, assess how much disk space they offer. Other issues to consider are bandwidth, reliability, and technical support and FTP access. For a business site, commercial web hosting services are preferable because they offer more in terms of support and services. Your web host will help in setting up the domain name and most of the time, they will also teach you in terms of getting started with your website.

3. Web Design Pointers

If you’re in a hurry, simply hire a professional web designer to create your site. If you’re going to do it yourself, get a WYSIWYG ("What You See Is What You Get") web editor. There are free web authoring tools, commercial software and web-based editors available. Software today has made HTML designing easier. You are shielded from a lot of the technical stuff, although you can code if you want. These days though, creating a web page is no more difficult than designing a page in a word processor or desktop publishing program.

4. Test Your Website

Testing should be done as you design the site. Make sure that it is compatible with Chrome, Opera, Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer. These browsers are free to download. Also check if the site forum, forms, animation and other elements are working properly.

5. Get People to Know That Your Site Exists

When your website is complete, submit it to search engines like Bing and Google. The links on your site will help people find it. You can also promote your site by joining social networks and adding a link to your site. There are professional PR services available that you can use, too.

As you can see, a lot of factors come into play when you study how to start a website. But it isn’t as complicated as it sounds. As long as you have the right services and tools, everything should go smoothly.