For the past few months, I've been getting freelance jobs. Mostly due to word of mouth. I want to start creating my online presence.

I've noticed that most of the people I've worked with don't know the difference between a domain and hosting and when I direct them to sign up, it's very confusing for them. It's even discouraging for some of them, and I don't really want to lose a client because of this, but at the same time, I really don't want to host their website because I don't have the time, to offer support.

I was wondering for those of you that have more experience. How do you handle this?

Personally, I would create a small webpage, explaining how to sign up for a domain name, and web hosting. Have a step by step tutorial. It will easily help them.

I would create my online portfolio and spread it! Hosting, you do not have to host their websites, but at least give them an idea about how to host their website and get it running on the internet. As said above, a short tutorial should set it.

As freelancer you can host client website too, it is easy with dedicated proper support staff, some hosting providers are offer sort of option with the reseller package.

For clients that I host myself I set up their domain/hosting accounts for them. If your client is signing up with a 3rd party host and they are getting confused why not talk them through the signup on the phone?

Personally, I would create a small webpage, explaining how to sign up for a domain name, and web hosting. Have a step by step tutorial. It will easily help them.

Yes this is the right approach to the people who are limited to these areas.

Well, what I've been doing is. I've been walking them through the process either by phone or by email and once they sign up they send me the information so I can point the domain to their hosting provider.

But I guess creating that tutorial will be even better.

If you are not hosting them, do you refer them to a hosting company are you an affiliate of that company?

I run a web design company and I employ a lot of freelance designers. Whenever they do freelance work for themselves they usually sign their clients up for our hosting package which means we are incharge of the hosting but they are able to get full access to the FTP etc

The designers usually try to get anual payments from their clients for us as well.

Try to find a partner who will provide your clients with hosting. If your client doesn't know about hosting, domain and so on, this means he's ready to pay for this. Moreover you can sell them a solution that includes design, hosting and domain, share a fee with your hosting partner and earn more money providing your clients with all-in-one service.