Choosing a domain

Remember that you'll need to come up with a name that isn't already being used by another site. With millions online, this can sometimes be tricky, especially if you want a .com ending - you may just have to be very inventive!

What's more, it's a really good idea to try to choose a name that has at least some reference to your chosen content area - something like 'fashiontrends' or 'gardeningtips' - if you can manage it!

However, less popular options such as .org, .tv etc are much more likely to be available. Both weebly and 350 will let you know if the domain name you've chosen is currently in use.

Although none of our site creation options supply personal domains automatically (your basic address will be something along the lines of, say, clickspiration350.com, which isn't the same thing at all) both weebly and 350 make adding one just as easy as building your site in the first place. The iWeb08 option is certainly tougher, but hopefully shouldn't cause too many problems - although we'd definitely recommend reading on before making any decisions.

iWeb08

If you've used iWeb08 to create your site, by far the easiest way to get online is to publish it to your own .Mac account - which you do simply by clicking a button (a .Mac account is a personal online space provided by Apple for an annual fee.)

Sounds great? Well, yes, up to a point. But using this method means your site will be named something along the lines of .mac/simplersteps. You'll almost certainly want to change this by adding a domain, and that's where the potential difficulties really kick in.

In order to personalize your site, Apple itself appears to recommend purchasing a domain name, then having this 'pointed' to your .Mac pages.

We won't go into details about what this actually involves, but suffice it to say that we're delighted you'll avoid this process with our other options above.

It's a potential minefield for the beginner, and a little online research seems to indicate that Apple's own guidance regarding the process is extremely limited, with significant numbers of otherwise delighted iWeb users driving themselves crazy trying to figure it all out.

We wouldn't want this to happen to you, of course, and we reckon there's a far easier way to get round it.

The solution is to buy a domain together with your own web space, then upload the files iWeb08 creates. If you're already squirming at the thought, perhaps the Mac option just isn't for you - but in reality this shouldn't be too much of a problem. So if you're still with us, read about the best way to get your iWeb site online.

Once you've added your domain:

Add your own advertising and start to earn money!

Is the iWeb08 option worth all the extra hassle? Well, it's up to you to decide, but it has to be said that when it comes to ads, iWeb probably provides you with the easiest ways to get up and running with your own advertising.