This section gives an overview of the process involved in getting your website up and running. If you really find the Internet bewildering, start here ....

The first stage is to decide on and register a domain name. This will be your website address and will also form part of your email address so it is important to choose one carefully.

Like your business name, a domain name is a unique name (or address) that identifies your business on the Internet and allows people to easily find and access your website information.

By including your domain name in all your business paperwork and advertising, people can go directly to your company information.

All domain names end in a suffix such as .com and .co.uk. The suffix you opt for will depend upon many factors, and also availability - it is sensible to canvas advice on this.

You may wish to register more than one name - perhaps the .co.uk and the .com version of the name. One can easily be redirected to the other, so either name will lead to the same website.

Whilst these two suffixes are the most commonly used for UK businesses, other suffixes are also available. For further information on how to choose a name and what your name may consist of, see our Domain Names section.