Don't even think of doing business online without your own domain and hosting. It is vital to establish trust and a unique name for your business. Not only will you prove to yourself that you're serious about your online business, but you'll send the same message to your potential customers.

To establish an online presence using unreliable and unprofessional free website hosting resources could very well ensure that your business never gets off the ground. Even worse, it does, these unprofessional resources may fail you when you need them most.

So, what exactly should you be looking for?

Don't just settle for a plain old hosting service. You can put your online business in the fast track by using a web host that already provide all the tools you need to run an online business for you.

You see, to successfully run an online business you need more than just a reliable home for your website.

Part and parcel of successfully running a business on the internet, just like in the brick and mortar world, is the ability to find customers and leads, build up your customer base and a convenient and effective way to stay in contact with them.

So, step 1 would be to find your perfect domain name. Preferably a .com, one that describes your business while also being search engine friendly.

Next, find an easy to use web host that gives you not only hosting space, but also the tools and support you need to get your business off to a running start. This will allow you to keep all the key activities in your business nicely together in one place, instead of having to switch from one tool or service to the next all the time.

Once you have your own domain and hosting company that provides everything you need to actively grow your business, you're well on your way.