Do you want to start your own website? Do you feel baffled as to where to begin?

First of all, I think it's important that you don't talk yourself out of your dreams. If you have an interest in starting a website and don't have a clue as to what is involved, that doesn't mean you can't do it.

Here are the basics you need if you want to start your own website:

1) Domain name. This is the name that people input into a search box in order to find your site. Whatever your chosen niche, a related keyword should be part of your domain name. For instance, if you want a site about financial freedom, your domain name should include the words financial freedom. Visit a site such as godaddy and input financial-freedom in front of the .com. As of this writing, this domain is taken, but godaddy makes suggestions of other possible domains using this keyword, such as officialfinancial-freedom.com or financial-freedomblog.com. It is always best to choose a domain that ends in .com, not .net or .org, simply because it is the most common choice. If surfers remember the name of your site, but not the extension, they will automatically try .com, and if the .com domain belongs to someone else, you just lost your visitor. A domain name costs under $10.

2) Web hosting: Put simply, web hosting is a place to park your website. Web hosting can be obtained at a very affordable monthly fee, but don't even consider free web hosting. The host will place its own banner advertising on your site, which distracts visitors from your business.

3) Web design. A working knowledge of basic html is a must. Many tutorials are offered online for this, as well as downloadable e-books. If you're a complete newbie, you may want to hire a professional to design your pages. Or you could do a google search for "web design templates" or "web design editor".

4) Content. The heart of a website is content. Content is what attracts visitors and keeps them interested. Writing your own content gives your website its own brand or voice. You can also outsource content writing, or obtain free articles from article directories. The important thing is to frequently add relevant, keyword-focused content pages.

5) Traffic. The most beautiful website in the world is meaningless if you don't have traffic. There are various forms of both free and paid advertising. The best forms of traffic are free. In fact frequently adding keyword-focused content pages will begin drawing traffic to your site that will increase like a snowball rolling down the hill.

This is a quick overview of what is involved if you want to start your own website. If you are a newbie, a better solution is to build a site through Site Build It. All the tools needed to build a business from the ground up are included. Learn more at http://www.work-at-home-parenting.com/build-a-website.html

Valerie Dansereau is the mother of two and grandmother of one. She is the webmaster of http://www.work-at-home-parenting.com