You might be wondering what the steps are to creating a website.

Basically there are four steps to creating a website.

1. You’ll need a URL or in other words an online address where your website lives. This is also referred to as a domain name. Usually you’ll want to try to get a .com (dot com) domain, however other extensions are valuable as well. If you’re in Canada as an example a .ca extension will work just fine. It’s much harder to find just the right domain name than it is to actually register one.

2. You’ll need to get a hosting account. This is nothing more than a remote computer that houses your website files and information. When you or a visitor types your domain into their browser the request is sent to the hosting company computer and the files are then shared with the visitor. There are lots of good hosting companies on the internet. I prefer Host Gator’s unlimited packages for around $10.00 bucks a month.

3. Once you’ve got your domain name and hosting nailed down, you’ll want to get busy on your new web design. If it’s a personal website you’re developing there are lots of free website solutions online. Some of these you’ll find within your hosting account. These templates are fun since they don’t require any coding knowlege at all, and anyone can put up a website. I don’t recommend this route if you’re website is for your business. Why? Well the fact is that businesses require targeted traffic in order to get customers from their websites. This is a skill that you’ll likely want to hire a professional web designer for.

4. The last step is to publish or upload your new website to the internet. Basically all you’re doing is transferring the files you created to your hosting account. If you’re using one of the do it yourself websites in the previous point, you won’t likely need to do this step, usually just hit a “Publish” button.

These are the steps in their most basic form. It’s important to remember that before you plunk your cash down to buy a domain name or get a hosting account, do a little research. Try to find a domain name that makes sense and contains an important key phrase. Be sure to shop hosting providers. I personally prefer HostGator.com but there are several very good companies available.

I hope this little article will help.