Hey Gang.

If you are totally strapped for cash, and need to get a website going asap - but want something with decent quality. I recommend you do the following.

1. Purchase a custom domain for a company like DivergeDomains.com. This will cost only $9.49! And that is ALL that you will need to spend.

2. Go to WordPress.com and sign up for a free blog to host and manage your website. (Note, there are MANY different blog sites, but I like WordPress because it have MANY free templates for you to choose from. This way your website will have a bit of uniqueness from all the other blogs that are out there. Note, if you really want your site unique you will need to search hard to find the best template. There are many out there so you may want to take your time.

** For the best search engine rankings - create your Wordpres blog with a meaningful title that relates to the subject matter of your company - or organization - NOT THE NAME of the company. This is good if you want to get people to find your website/blog by searching only for the type of site not the name. For example, I just set up a site for my brother called: CraigsChevyChasers.com. He restores and customizes classic and late model cars. He specializes in GM cars, but can do almost any brand. He does the “Pimp My Ride” type of work too!

So I would create a blog called: “classic-car-restoration” or “late-model-car-customize” or even “Pimp-my-ride-detroit” instead of “Craigs-Chevy-Chasers” because people would not likely be searching for his company name.

Anyway - next point.

3. After you have setup the blog and the domain - setup the domain to “forward” the the exactly addreess of the blog. You may want make it a ’stealth’ redirect’ so that the address will always read the name of the domain you bought, NOT the name of the WordPress blog.

4. Now that you have your website and domain setup. You will want to get an email account setup with a unique name that matches your blog. Note. Email address at ‘cox’ or ‘hotmail’ or ‘yahoo’ or ‘gmail’ are NOT BAD but they also are NOT PROFESSIONAL. If you have your own website you want to promote that website by using email accounts that is from it.

To setup an email account from you site, without web hosting and for free you should use Google Mail. This is NOT Gmail. Google mail is setup for businesses and organizations to have the GMail interface for checking and sending mail - but with your own unique domain name. For instruction on setting up Google Mail go here: https://www.google.com/a/

Well there you go! The guide should get you started.

Note. If you have the money to afford a professional site design that will be your best bet - if you want to market a business. Note. People know when you cut corners with your business; and if you cut corners with setting  your business up they will think you will cut corners when servicing your clients! So take your business serious and what  you can afford and don’t settle when you can afford quality.

-Arvell