As webmaster of a site dedicated to helping parents earn a living at home, I get lots of emails like this one:

"I have a home business and am thinking of marketing it on the web. But I don't even know how to get started! Where do I begin?"

The answer to that simple question can also be simple... or extremely complex! Over the years, I've managed to break it down into four building blocks:

1. YOUR FOUNDATION: You need your own hosted domain.

Free websites as part of larger portals are great for personal use - but offer you absolutely no credibility as a businessperson. You are also stuck with their advertising, annoying pop ups, pesky exit windows and other clutter over which you have no control.

The cost of registering a domain of your own is so low now (as little as $12 per year!) that you can't afford not to do it.

Most web hosts offer domain registration and parking (holding on to the domain for you until you are ready to develop your site). This has turned into a great business in itself for home based folks, who are the proprietors of my favorite hosting sites:

WebmasterMoms.com - - Domains for $12 per year, hosting as low as $6.95 per month http://www.webmastermoms.com

YourDomainforFree.com - Yes, your domain is free if you sign up for their hosting package; otherwise it will cost you $14.95 per year http://www.yourdomainforfree.com

4GreatHosting.com - $20 per year domain registration. Hosting packages start at $14.95 per month. http://www.4greathosting.com

Think carefully about selecting the name of your domain. You want something that accurately describes your business and is easy to type and remember. (You don't want to do what I did and call yourself 'parentpreneurclub.com!')

Make a list of keywords that apply to your business and try them out. You should probably develop a list of possible domain names in case your first choice is already taken. (Be sure to hold on to that list of keywords - you will need it again when you start creating and promoting your site!)

While there are now a plethora of possible domain extensions -- i.e., .org, .net, .biz, etc. - not to mention those that designate a particular country like .co.uk -- the last time I looked, .com was still the Rolls Royce of the field. People just tend to automatically add .com to anything they type in a browser and it may take a long time before that changes.

Your registrar will be connected to the Who Is database, which will help you research names that are still available. Some registrars (like Webmastermoms.com) also offer some nifty tools called "Word Wizard" and "Domain Twist" that can help.

Here are some great e-Books to help you get started:

"How to Create a Web Presence for Your Home Business on a Shoestring" "Your Own Internet Business"

Download these free e-Books at http://parentpreneurclub.com/cgi-bin/ez/pl.cgi?ea

In Part 2, we'll look at the next step in taking your business on the web: Creating your website.