[buttermints]

I have created a very simple html website for my dad's business. How do I buy a domain name and host it? Also how can I make it come up in search engine results?

[mfaxford]

For tho OP, you'll probably need to get the domain name (the www.site.com) and then some hosting. A lot of the big providers will do both for you but check their terms and conditions carefully it might be difficult/expensive to move away from them.

[Sparrow_Squire]

there are plenty of free hosting sites if you google it some force you to plaster your site with adverts but you can get some good ones. one good site is ; http://www.freehostia.com/hosting.html you also have the option to upgrade for a small cost

[buttermints]

(Original post by mfaxford)
For tho OP, you'll probably need to get the domain name (the www.site.com) and then some hosting. A lot of the big providers will do both for you but check their terms and conditions carefully it might be difficult/expensive to move away from them.

Do you know if ipage is any good?

[NutterFrutter]

(Original post by buttermints)
I have created a very simple html website for my dad's business. How do I buy a domain name and host it? Also how can I make it come up in search engine results?

I recommend that you buy your domain from www.namecheap.com and buy your hosting from www.hostgator.com

Once you have bought both of these then you will need to change the nameservers of your domain to the ones provided by hostgator. Allow up to 24 hours for propagation to occur. Then upload/build your site.

[Aack]

(Original post by buttermints)
Do you know if ipage is any good?

It's not good for hosting.

Use 123-Reg to buy a domain.

[godflea]

Hosting a plain HTML is the easiest job. You just need to purchase the domain and probably hosting with it (you can also use a free hosting service, since many of them have no problems when hosting HTML only). Then you need to connect the hosting with the domain name (there are several methods, you can ask the domain/hosting company or read their FAQ). At the end, just download FileZilla, connect to the FTP server and upload your files, where the index.html is the home page.

Good luck!

[buttermints]

(Original post by Aack)
It's not good for hosting.

Use 123-Reg to buy a domain.

Is 123-Reg also good for hosting? I think it'll be easier if I use the same company to buy a domain and host the site.

[NutterFrutter]

(Original post by buttermints)
Is 123-Reg also good for hosting? I think it'll be easier if I use the same company to buy a domain and host the site.

In that case I'd recommend www.hostgator.com, although I don't usually encourage having the domain and hosting with the same company as it has caused me a few issues in the past.

[Harveys]

123-reg does host

You host else where because it cheaper, i do its not difficult. I do it this way

Basicly once you have set up an account on 123-reg.

You sort where you want to host it.

If you host elsewhere then when you set ur host, they will give what is called the nameservers address's.

Like

Ns1.domainname.com
ns2.domainname.com

You then go to 123-reg account and enter those address's for that domain

Then wait 24hrs of so for the information to propergate around the internet if its a .co.uk address. sometimes it can be quicker. dot coms can/will take longer.

[chelseafan]

000webhost is completely free with no ads.

[buttermints]

(Original post by Sparrow_Squire)
there are plenty of free hosting sites if you google it some force you to plaster your site with adverts but you can get some good ones. one good site is ; http://www.freehostia.com/hosting.html you also have the option to upgrade for a small cost

Is freehostia suitable for small businesses or just individual use?

[NutterFrutter]

(Original post by buttermints)
Is freehostia suitable for small businesses or just individual use?

If your website is for a small business then I'm sure you can afford to spend a few pounds for some decent shared hosting.

[Aack]

(Original post by buttermints)
Is 123-Reg also good for hosting? I think it'll be easier if I use the same company to buy a domain and host the site.

You would find it easier to use the same company for both, yes, but I have never used 123-Reg for hosting so I can't really comment on the price/quality.

I am quite happy using them for domain registrations, and their support, albeit a bit slow at times, is usually quite helpful.

If you're new to all this, then I would just use 123-Reg for the lot - it doesn't really matter where you buy the domain. There is no quality attached to a domain - it is what it is. Hosting, on the other hand, can be rubbish with one provider, and excellent with an other.

123-Reg is a big company though, so I shouldn't think you would go too far wrong. It's also reasonably priced. In the event that you're not happy with their hosting, you can easily use a different hosting company, with the same domain you bought from 123-Reg.

[mfaxford]

(Original post by Aack)
You would find it easier to use the same company for both, yes, but I have never used 123-Reg for hosting so I can't really comment on the price/quality.

I am quite happy using them for domain registrations, and their support, albeit a bit slow at times, is usually quite helpful.

If you're new to all this, then I would just use 123-Reg for the lot - it doesn't really matter where you buy the domain. There is no quality attached to a domain - it is what it is. Hosting, on the other hand, can be rubbish with one provider, and excellent with an other.

123-Reg is a big company though, so I shouldn't think you would go too far wrong. It's also reasonably priced. In the event that you're not happy with their hosting, you can easily use a different hosting company, with the same domain you bought from 123-Reg.

I'd agree with most of that. I've got my domains through 123-reg and they've been fine and have helped me fix the occasional issue in the past.

I can't comment on their web hosting as I run my own hosting but based on the rest of their business they're probably fairly reasonable. You might find cheaper but they might also be worse.

[jordan.uni]

I thought iPage looked really good, they give you unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth and email addresses (within reason) and a free domain for like $1.99 p/m.

source

[fran.ha]

123-reg is very good, I'd recommend that.

In terms of SEO you'll need to make sure your metadata is good, your content is good and high, do your keyword research, make sure you have location based pages if your site is location specific. I'd start with your keyword research before anything else and focus on organic search before you look into any PPC or paid search.

[Tycho]

Use Fasthosts, it's far better than 123-Reg.