Web Hosting For Complete Idiots

Web Hosting Howto

1. Choosing a Domain Name

The first step in setting up your web site is selecting and registering a domain name. This name will serve as your online identity, and will help your visitors remember what your site is about.

Click here to search for an available domain name

2. Creating Your Website

Once you have successfully registered your domain name, the next step is to create your website to give it the look and feel you want. When coming up with a design for your website, it is extremely important to do a good deal of research to see what works for a website like yours, and what doesn't.

3. Choosing Your Host

After you have finished your site, the next step is to choose a server for your site that makes the most sense for both your site and your budget. Choosing a server is a relatively complicated process, and one which requires a great deal of research.

4. Uploading Your Site

Once you have selected your host of choice, the next step to getting your site up on the web is uploading your page, text, and image files to your server. With most sites, you will need to use an FTP program, which these days are relatively simple. The role of an FTP program is to upload your created web pages, text, and image files to your server. Once you have uploaded your files, your page files will then be served to users who enter your site. Some of the more popular programs are Cute FTP and WSFTP. Once you have successfully uploaded your files and pages to the web, your site will be up and running!

5. Promoting Your Site

Ok, so now your site is up on the web, you can sit back and relax, browsing your beautifully crafted web pages, right? Wrong. Simply having a functional web site on the Internet is only the first step down the long and winding road to web success. In order to make sure your site enjoys the best chances of success, it is essential that you do your fair share of promotion. Before you go out and start passing out flyers or putting up billboards, make sure you register your site with the major search engines.