Features

The quickest way to set up a website is to use a blogging tool, and you can then publish your blog to your own web host.

1 Go to Blogger.com and click Create your blog now. If you don't already have one, you'll need to create a free Google account on the next page by choosing a username and password. Next, name your blog and decide its address - this defines where it will reside by default on Blogger's own server. You may need alternatives if your first choice is already taken. Choose a template and you're done; you can now click Start posting to add entries to your blog.

2 If you want to stick with Blogger's free hosting, but have your own domain name, use your web host's forwarding options to point your web address to your blog. Alternatively, you can opt to host your blog yourself. Go to the Settings' tab and then the Publishing section. Here you can opt to publish your blog on a domain that you own. Click Custom Domain (after Switch to), enter your domain name and follow the setup instructions.

3 Blogger allows you to make your blog available to invitees only. Go to Permissions, click Only people I choose (under Blog Readers), and enter their email addresses, separated by commas. Click Invite and these people will receive invitations to read your blog (they'll need Google accounts too to prove who they are). It's a useful option for business blogs, and remember, just because you create your site as a blog, that doesn't mean it has to be filled with ramblings about your cat; you can post whatever kind of information you want.