Need fun and engaging photos for your website or blog? Of course you do. Whether it's smiling faces, kids in the snow, yummy food, or serious corporate types, the right pictures can make all the difference in getting prospects to spend more time on your site… and maybe even buy from you!

The good news is that there are plenty of royalty free (unlimited use) stock photo sites to choose from. Many have lots (and lots!) of affordable and free pictures, plus different payment options depending on whether you're looking for just one photo or have ongoing picture needs.

Here's our list of the 28 best free and affordable stock photo sites. We've ranked them based on our editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the better). And we've used many of them too!

Everyone's needs are different, so definitely take a look at these stock photo websites to see which is best for you. This list doesn't include photo sharing sites like Flickr and Photobucket which can also be good sources (just check licensing before using).

Let us know which stock photo sites you decide to go with… or if you have any favorites you'd like to recommend!

Sure, every business needs a website… but that's only half the equation. To get your website on the Internet (so prospects and customers can visit it!) you'll also need a website hosting provider. They're the ones that actually store the pages that make up your website and connect to the Internet… so, without them your website can't exist on the Web. Make sense?

But who are the best Web hosting providers out there today helping small and medium sized businesses? Meaning they're extra-affordable, have the storage capacity you need, and have responsive customer support (since things don't always go as planned).

Here's our list of the 26 best affordable website hosting companies to consider for your business needs. We've ranked them based on our editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the number the better). Plus we've also tried out a bunch of them!

Everyone's needs are different so definitely evaluate a few providers to see which one makes the most sense for your business. Some of these Web hosting companies also make it easy to get a domain name and build a simple website or blog… in just a few clicks!

Keep in mind that this list doesn't include all the website builders out there that provide hosting when you set up a website with them. For example, check out Yahoo!
Small Business plus all the great website builders on our list of Best Free and Affordable Website Builders.

Let us know which website hosting company you like the best!

Remember when you needed thousands of dollars and a technology degree to build even a small quality website? Well those days are gone forever! Now you can create a professional looking website for less than $20 a month (or free!) with hosting included.

Don't believe me?

Then check out our list of the 22 best free and affordable website builders. We've ranked them based on editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the number the better).

Keep in mind that most of the free services limit your website to five pages… and may require that you show someone else's ads. But no worries as you can always upgrade to a monthly fee that fits almost any budget (even ours!)… especially if you need more storage or other "bells and whistles" (e-commerce anyone?)

You'll be seriously amazed at the great looking website templates you can choose from plus how easy they are to customize. And did I mention… no technical degree required!

So start building your website… and see how easy it can be!

(Still wondering: does your business need a website? Read on…)