Do It Yourself
Choose a domain name
"What is a domain name?" you may be asking yourself. It is the address string that brings you to a web site. You type in "www.amazon.com" into your browser's address box to bring you to Amazon's web site. The domain is actually just "amazon.com". Try the PCNames site to see if the domain name you are interested is available. Can't think of a good domain name? Try BustAName to give you some suggestions.
Purchase the domain name (and hosting)
Your web site will have to live on a computer somewhere that is available 24x7x365. There are some good hosting companies with over 99% up-time and which are not that expensive. Also, if you purchase a year or more at a time, they usually throw the domain name in for free. I use Lunar Pages for this web site's hosting company and have been very happy with them. Sign up for the basic plan which is 6.95/month when you purchase 2 years, or 7.95/month when you purchase 1 year. You could also use DreamHost. There plan is slightly more expensive (7.95/month when you sign up for 2 years), but you get a little more with them.
Decide if you need a Secure Certificate
A Secure Certficate (or SSL) allows browsers to talk to your web site using the https:// protocol. You may have seen this when you ordered online and they ask you to enter your credit card information. By using a secure (encrypted) connection, even if someone intercepts the information the browser is sending to the host, the person will only see alot of gobbledygook. Two of the most trusted places to get SSL certificates are Verisign or Thawte . A cheaper alternative to Verisign and Thawte is to just get the SSL certificate from your hosting site. These are usually less expensive.
Start building your web site (or have us do it for you)
You are ready to go once the hosting company sends you an email with the login and ftp information. If you decide to use us or another web design company, you will need to forward this login information to whomever you choose. If you feel comfortable building your own web site, I will be adding some steps below to help you on your way. Congratulations and welcome to the internet!
