by Sara Williams

Created on: August 07, 2009

There are many options out there for those who want to have their own website, but before going about getting one, ask yourself this: what do I want the darned thing for? Whether it's for a business, for a personal blog, for a classroom, or to create an online community, the path you will take in getting your own website will depend greatly upon the answer. So, let's explore some common reasons for getting a website, each with their own set of options.

1. Create a Personal Website

By large and by far, the most common sort of website online today is the personal kind. Everyone wants to be heard, and due to the democratic (or some would say, anarchistic) nature of the 'net, everyone can voice their own opinion and have it put out there for the whole world to see. Blogs have been the number one popular way to get a personal website for years now, and they are not going away any time soon. If you want to start a blog, the easiest way is through either Blogger.Com or WordPress.Com. Both provide free blogs on their own servers so that even the most novice user can start posting blog entries right away. For the slightly more advanced person who would like to get a website started on their own server and with their own domain name, go to a webhost such as JustHost.Com and sign up for one of their inexpensive packages, which will run at under ten dollars a month (that's like writing only ten articles at Helium per month with just two rating stars!). Take advantage of the free domain name, which will be yours for life. Now, go into your control panel and install WordPress right onto your server with just a few clicks in your web hosting control panel. Ta da! You get a sweet blog with lots of easy to use, powerful features (such as the new theme search that allows finding and installing WordPress themes from your WordPress control panel with only a few clicks and no FTP access needed), and with a little work earning a few bucks at Helium each month, it can be virtually free!

2. Make Money

Okay, there are a few different options for this. First of all, you could pay someone to create a website. Websites like eLance.Com let business owners advertise the work they need to freelancers, who in turn bid for the project. You can take the lowest bidder, or a low bidder with a great portfolio and more experience. This pathway to getting your own website can run from moderate cost to very pricey.

Another way to make money with your own website is to buy a

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