Build a Keyword List

Over 80% of online purchases begin with a keyword search being performed on an Internet search site such as Yahoo, Google, Lycos, etc. Before you build a web site you need to know what keywords people use to search for the products or services that you want to offer.

I recommend: you perform keyword research at Wordtracker to build a keyword list of several thousand words.  The keyword list will be used to essentially "write your web site for you."  By targeting the keywords that people are searching for your site is bound to draw lots of free traffic from the search engines.  Be sure to use Wordtracker's built in capabilities that can tell you how much competition each keyword has.

Register a domain name (aka web address)

Frankly speaking, if you are choosing a new domain name for your business it will be an uphill climb. The general belief on the net is that all of the really good domain names in the commercial (.com) namespace have already been taken. Your task is to find the shortest domain name possible that is memorable, descriptive, and not already in use.

I recommend: that you keep your domain name registration separate from your web hosting company. This might cost you $10 more but if you ever need to move from one hosting company to another you will be glad you did. Try to keep your domain name 10 alphanumeric characters or less. Best practices say you should register a business only in the .com domain. If possible try to avoid domain names that use numbers or hyphens. Use computer software to aid you in the selection process. I recommend you visit GoDaddy.com  to research available domain names and for registration.   Be sure to use the Godaddy smart search option to find variations of a word or domain name.   Another registration company to consider, which has outstanding customer service, is Network Solutions.

Select a web hosting provider

This is perhaps one of the more confusing steps in creating a website because there are more than 5,000 companies in the web hosting business and because of the technical jargon that you must navigate.

I recommend: that you limit the search for a web hosting provider to the 50 companies that are listed on the free Netcraft "Hosting Providers Network Performance" list. You can find this list on the Netcraft website.