Have you registered a domain name? That’s a great start – you are one step closer towards building your online presence. There are a few more things to do, though.

Check what appears when you visit your new domain name. Often, registrars will have the option for you to put up a single-page "business card" site which just has space for your contact details and a few uploaded images. There might also be a link to your registrar’s site – so you want to get your own site up and running as soon as possible, in order to avoid sending them all your traffic!

Now you need to buy some hosting. Hosting is basically space on a web server, and can cost anything between £5 and £50 a month, depending on the features you opt for. You could try a hosting directory, a search engine, or ask for recommendations from friends and colleagues. With literally thousands of hosting companies to choose from, each offering a variety of different packages, you are bound to find one that suits your needs. Do plenty of research into the details that are important to you – you might consider excellent technical support to be paramount, for example.

Finally you need to get yourself a website. You can build it yourself using any of the various web design packages available – these come in varying degrees of complexity. Many have dozens of simple templates which you can customise with your own text and images, and some will even upload your pages for you. More advanced software is available if you need more control over your design. You can also buy templates from designers, or have your site designed professionally. The latter is the most expensive option, but it will probably look the best, unless you’re a stunning designer yourself.

Author: Natalie Catchpole