In order to create a website you first need a domain. Domains are usually represented in numbers, but for the ease of the users all domains also have an alias name in alpha-numeric. There are many companies online that sell domains. If you have a specific domain in mind then you will have to search number of companies to find if your domain is available. The best way to know if your domain has been taken or not is by typing the required address on the browser itself and checking whether any website is active. Before buying the domain make sure you read the terms carefully and check the duration of the domain. Certain domains are available for lifetime as well if required.

After getting a domain, you need a web hosting company. Web hosting will store all your internet files like ‘.html’. ‘.css’, ‘.php’ etc. Web hosting company will also link the domain to your files. Once this is done your website will have visible content. Certain web hosting websites will provide a website builder to help setup your site.

Since there are many types of web hosting available it is useful to familiarize with all of them and then decide which one to choose.

Free Web Hosting:

Yes, you can setup your website free of cost. There are many free web hosting websites out there. However it is best to research them and check their reviews. Free web hosting is great for people who are setting up a personal website. If you are not expecting any major traffic then free hosting is a good option. People who are creating websites for experimentation can also use free web hosting websites. Since this type of web hosting is free there are a few drawbacks. Major one being lack of technical support which can be very aggravating for newbies. Also the security and customization options are limited in this type of hosting.

Shared Web Hosting:

Shared web hosting is a cheaper option to host websites. In shared web hosting a single server will have more than one websites. The number of websites that share the server with you is decided by the provider itself; however it can go up to 100 websites per server. Even though this may seem allot, but for people with personal or low traffic websites it is actually not that bad. In shared web hosting you will also be provided with technical support which comes in very handy. Multiple software options, e-mails, available domain names are some of the good aspects of this type of hosting. The two major cons of this hosting is however the lack of security and limited traffic.

Dedicated Hosting:

This type of hosting is all out, you will get everything you require for your website. A dedicated server will be provided to your website to remove any traffic limit. Security is at the max. Various softwares will be given to customize the website. Technical support will always be there. However you will have to dig deep in your wallet to afford this type of hosting. It’s best to check various offers before choosing one.

Here are some of the disadvantages which are seen in free web hosting services:

• Free web hosting services, in comparison with cheap web hosting services are derived through the use of ads which are placed onto the website of the individual. When it comes to web hosting, there are certain times when these ads are an inconvenience and can be distracting to visitors to the website.
• Free web hosting services most often do not include a domain name and therefore a sub domain name is used with the site, which can be hard to remember for visitors that are going back to the website on a regular basis. It is important to build recognition within the clients and therefore choosing even cheap web hosting services can come with a domain name included.
• Free web hosting services will most likely offer less space within the server than other web hosting services. Even cheap web hosting which can allow an individual to obtain more space is a beneficial alternative because of the space which is offered for the information presented on the website.

Learning the advantages and disadvantages of free and cheap web hosting can be an effective way to determine which type of cheap web hosting are right for you. Trial and error and researching various companies can also be effective ways to find the right company to host your website.