1. Decide on and register a domain name (e.g. mycompany.com)
2. Get Web hosting service (a place to put your website)

In today's Internet-oriented world, a website is essential for businesses, organizations and individuals to optimize their impact on the world: to reach more people, be more efficient, learn more and achieve their goals.

1. Communicate Your Message
   A website enables you to communicate your message to the world cheaply and effectively. Whether your message be commercial, social or personal in nature, your website is available to anyone in the world with an Internet connection to peruse at their leisure and act on your message.
    

2. Communicate With Your Customers
   Whether your customers be in your town or on another continent, a website enables you to provide more information in a more relaxed environment than a traditional advertisement or visit to your place of business. You keep in touch with your customers through a mailing list, RSS or visits to your website.
    

3. Facilitate Knowledge-Building in Your Organization
   In your organization knowledge is produced daily. You, your co-workers, employees, suppliers and customers discover new challenges and new solutions. This knowledge is a strategic asset that a website will enable you to record, organize and harvest when needed.
    

4. Find New Clients, Investors or Supporters
   Your website is available 24 hours a day around the world and new customers will find it through their favorite search engine or index. In this same way, your website also attracts new investors or supporters so that you can grow your business or organization.
    

5. Unify Disparate Groups of People Sharing a Common Interest
   A community website can serve as a virtual meeting place for people all over the world with an interest in a given topic. These people might not otherwise know each other or have any impact if not for the community website which enables them to meet, talk, share information and make a difference.
    

6. Create a Digital Business Card, Resume or Portfolio
   In today's career environment, everyone is an independent professional sooner or later. As such you need a web presence where prospective clients and employers can learn more about your experience and qualifications, see samples of previous work, contact you and where you can keep in contact with them.
    

7. Personal Self-Expression
   A website is the perfect medium for self-expression as the weblog (or blog) movement has amply illustrated. You can set up a quality blog, journal or other kind of personal site quickly and at a minimum of expense.
    

8. Build Your Internet Skill Set
   If you're new to the Web or want to improve your skill set, you need a web presence where you can learn new skills and show off the results to your boss, co-workers, friends and prospective employers