For over 30 years, we have published software for internet security and other categories. We've been involved in internet marketing since the very beginning. We were one of the first companies to accept credit cards online for software sales. Every new product launch was like creating a new business, requiring its own website and backend services. Over the years, we have learned how to make this process fast, inexpensive, reliable and effective. Most importantly, we learned how to react to market conditions quickly and improve our online offerings to best suit our customers.

If you want to get your business online, you will need a domain name that identifies your business like "my-great-company.com".

There are numerous places where you can register your domain name, and we've used most of them. Some are good, some are bad, and there are a couple that are great, and inexpensive too.

You may already have a domain name. If you don't, you will probably find that the name you want is already taken. We'll help you find something that will work for you.

You will need to decide where your website will be hosted. This is the most important decision you will make in the process of getting your business online.

Do a quick search for "hosting services". You'll find dozens of them. Some will advertise free services, or package deals. Don't use any of them. There is a better way and it's called self-hosting. It's what the pros do, and you will never get trapped in the hosting company quagmire.

No, you don't need your own server or high speed internet. Self hosting simply means you provide the server to run your website.

For self-hosting, we recommend you set up a cloud based Virtual Private Server (VPS). You can get a VPS for around $10 a month. Even less if your needs are modest.

The benefits of this are numerous.

• You get a private IP address.
• You don't share your server with hundreds of other customers.
• You can run multiple separate websites if you want.
• You can run other services you might need.
• No one tells you what you can or cannot do. You essentially "own" the server.

If this sounds complicated, it is. But that's where we come in.

All you need to do is set up the VPS account and let us know. It takes 5 minutes or less. We have a couple of great companies we use for our VPS servers that are highly reliable.

We set up the server for you using an open-source Linux based operating system, usually Ubuntu. It is used by millions of servers world-wide, small and large.

We'll install and configure all the security features modern web servers should have as well as whatever other services you want, including your web server.

We'll also install the necessary software to handle your SSL security certificates. You will never pay a penny for SSL certificates. Renewals are automatic.

The cost for the setup is approximately $300. After that, your only costs for the VPS are typically about $10 a month.

Obviously you will want a website. You have a couple of choices here.

If your content does not change frequently, we can create a basic 3 page website that has a home page, a detail page, and a contact page with a contact form similar to this website. A site like this one typically costs $300-$400. If we need to reproduce logos or other graphics it can cost a little more. You want your graphics to be sharp and crisp.

If you want to be able to post new content frequently, or engage users by allowing them to comment, you might consider a blog style WordPress based website. These generally cost more to set up depending on the theme and plugins you need to get the result you want. Adding content is as simple as using a word processor.

If you do choose to have a WordPress site, this is where using a VPS really shines. Most hosting companies limit the number and types of plugins you can use to enhance your website. With a self-hosted site, there are no limitations whatsoever. You're the boss.

In either case, we'll give you everything you need if you want to maintain things yourself, or to have someone maintain things for you.

Using a VPS gives you unparalleled flexibility. Even a simple one person business can look like a much bigger company by using additional online tools. Open-source tools are available to perform a lot of helpful business operations. If you self-host them on your VPS server, the software is free and your only costs are for installation and setup. Here are a few things that might be of interest.

• Online Billing - Create invoices online and send them to customers so they can pay online by credit card or Pay Pal. Get paid quickly and easily with no awkward bills to hand deliver.
• Online Store - Sell products online using systems that can be integrated into your website.
• Project Management - Packages are available for construction and other types of project management.
• Ticket Systems - If you provide a maintenance or support type service, you can keep track of customer communications easily.
• Mail Server - You can run your own mail server with unlimited domains and mailboxes for free including web-mail interfaces and conventional email client support.
• Streaming - Stream your own audio or video content.
• Discussion Groups - Provide your own community forum where customers can engage with other customers.

All these and more can be added to your VPS server and the only costs to you are for installation and setup. All you need to do is start using them.

Once your server is properly set up, maintenance is minimal. Most updates are done automatically with zero downtime.

Linux operating systems and open-source services are high quality systems that don't break down often. They can't, millions of users depend on them.

We don't offer our clients ongoing maintenance plans because they are mostly unnecessary. Everything we setup and install is mainstream, using best practices, and we or another experienced IT person can offer maintenance, upgrading, or adding new capabilities when needed.