To those who know how it's done, website design and development are simple and straightforward. To those who don't, creating a website for their business looks like a complex, overwhelming task and they don't know where to begin. Fact is, website development is both. Website designers can quickly create new sites for their customers that look great and are tailored to their clients' needs. But starting from scratch can be frustrating and time-consuming, and the learning curve is pretty steep. Let's see how an individual or small business without technical experience would go about setting up a successful website.

The purpose of most websites is creating a presence on the web. This presence can be to inform others of your services, to provide content and entertainment, or to sell product. At the most fundamental level, all websites are the same, ranging from small vanity websites all the way up to huge corporate sites: You need to have a name for the website, and that name, called a domain, must then be registered with one of the many entities that do website registrations (they are called registrars). You need to arrange for room for the files that make up your website on a server, either on your own equipment or through a website hosting company. You then need to design the website itself and upload it to the server. Finally, you must make sure that people find your website and come visit it. This last step is very important and relies in part on website promotion and marketing, and in part on a technique called Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. SEO means that a website is designed specifically so that search engines like Google can easily catalog it. This way, when people search for the product or service you offer, your website is more likely to come up high on the list.

Now how does one go about creating the site? First, you need to have a realistic idea of what kind of website you want, and how much you're willing to spend. You can buy website templates for just a few dollars or even download them for free, but that only helps if you already know what you're doing, and those templates are usually little more than a pretty front page. You can spend a bit more and engage an outfit that will create a custom website for you, but keep in mind that you will get what you pay for. Many so-called website developers will simply send you a bunch of files with a bit of customization, and then you're on your own. That, again, can help if you're already familiar with the web design process as you may be able to use the files as building blocks or for new ideas. However, it won't help if you really need an entire site set up from scratch.

For many small businesses that need a website but do not have the resources to create their own, the best way to go is engaging an experienced turnkey website developer who will take full charge of the registration, design, development and implementation of the site. Depending on your needs, they can also set up hosting arrangements, administration tools, and even create the database systems you need to run your online business. In technical terms, most such sites will use standard HTML, PHP and perhaps ASP, but they may also include Flash and a variety of add-on systems, such as content management or customer relation management. Any site should always be built using search engine optimization techniques. Some website developers offer just basic SEO whereas others also provide link building, directory submissions and general website marketing and promotion.

Bottom line is this: if you need a website, get one. You can't do business today without a good web presence. You can create a website yourself if you're willing to invest the time in researching how it's done and learning the tools, or you can hire someone to do it for you. If you hire someone, look for an experienced website developer with a good reputation, have realistic expectations of what it will cost, and make sure you clearly communicate what you need.