At this point, construction of your home page is complete but your page still resides on your computer, not on the internet. If you log on to the Internet, however, you should be able to test all your links to external web sites. 

You are now ready to publish your page on the World Wide Web. To do this, you will need to copy your page and all graphic and music files which your page uses from your computer's hard drive to a web server (computer).

A web host is simply a company that provides you with server space for your website. This includes all of your web pages, graphics, scripts and files. When your web address is typed into a browser, your web host is being contacted to locate and display the requested page. All Web Hosts are not created equally. There are a number of free hosting services available on the Internet. However, if you're designing a website for business purposes, you should never host your website with a free host.   

                 
The Internet service provider (ISP) that you use for Internet access might provide free web hosting to its customers. Many do.  If not, there are a number of companies that will provide server space at no charge. You will, however, be required to include a banner or icon somewhere on the page to promote the free hosting service or their sponsors.  

Although there are disadvantages to using free web hosting services, such services do provide an opportunity to learn and develop basic web publishing skills.  Alternatively, there are many professional web hosting companies that offer inexpensive hosting packages with advanced features for under $10 per month.

When you register for web hosting services, you will be sent instructions on how to upload files to the web server. The web host will also provide you with a user ID and password so that other people can't access or alter your files.

Copying files from your hard drive to the server is a simple process. The host site will prompt you for the name of the directory on your hard drive where your files are stored and the names of the specific files to be uploaded. To avoid confusion, make certain that all files are saved on the server using the same file names that were used on your hard drive. The only software that you require to upload files is a web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer. Alternatively, free FTP software (File Transfer Protocol) can be used.

Once you have uploaded all your files, you should test your page on the web server and make certain that it functions properly and that all files have uploaded correctly. It is also a good idea to test your page using a different computer to ensure that graphic files are being read from the server and not from your hard drive. 

If you're serious about your business and you have a sincere desire to succeed, having your own domain name is a must. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity. Businesses using the free services are not taken seriously. Having your own domain name is just as important as a professional looking web site. They go hand-in-hand. The cost to register your Domain name ranges from $12 - $35 per year, very reasonable and well worth every dime.