I want a website, what do I do next?

First of all, it's important to understand what's involved in getting a website, as there are several different aspects to "getting" a site.

With a corporate site, buying the domain name you want is the first important step.

Once you know what the site will be called, you can start having the site built. A website designer such as myself will usually charge you an hourly rate to build the site. The total cost will depend both on the complexity of the site itself, and how organised you are. The clearer you are about what you want, the faster the designer will be able to make something you're happy with.

While the site is under construction, the designer will usually put it into their own temporary webspace. This means that you will be able to see it as it progresses and give feedback to the designer. At this first-draft stage you will be required to pay for work-to-date.

Once you have given feedback to the designer, they've made any changes necessary and the site is ready for the public, the webspace needs to be finalised - that's finding a home in cyberspace for your site to live at. The domain name is then assigned to the space, the site is uploaded and it's ready for business. At this point, you are again charged by the designer for work-to-date.