when I buy a domain, does that mean I will also have a website?
No, a website must be designed for your domain and must be ‘hosted’ on a web server (a special type of computer that is permanently connected to the internet). Duport does now offer a free simple web page for your domain, but if you are looking for a designed or customised website, you would need to employ the skills of a professional website designer (service available).If you are feeling brave or have the experience, you may want to have a go yourself using programs such as Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft Frontpage. If you choose Duport’s web hosting package, you will be able to select the option of a foolproof, easy-to-use DIY Web Builder system.

when I have got my website, how does it appear on the internet?
You will also need to find a web server to host your website. There are many companies who offer this service, with varying degrees of quality. Choose your hosting company carefully, as an apparently cheap deal may not prove to be quite what it seems. Try to find a host with a good reputation for service, or your website may not be available online all the time. This will be quite unpopular with your customers and search engines. Make sure you are not restricted to small amounts of web space, as this may inhibit the number of pages your website can have. Finally, check to see how much bandwidth and download you can have, you can very easily be stung with extra costs if you site becomes successful.

my ISP provides free webspace - can’t I use that?
Of course you can use that. In fact, if you are developing your business ideas from scratch, your free webspace may be a good place to start. However, free webspace is primarily designed for personal websites and does not offer the features and reliability you may eventually need for a business. Most of all, your free website will be housed on the same server as thousands of other personal websites, and their traffic may cause your website to runs slowly and frustrate your potential customers. Once you have your ideas together, a business website is best housed with a professional web hosting service.