Some companies chose to build and maintain their website inhouse, others hire people to do this for them. What is appropriate will depend on your skills, interest, the nature of your business and your specific objectives for marketing on the Internet. A good place to start is to look at other sites and identify ones you like. How far you go in promoting your website will depend on your business and objectives. If you have useful information on your site it may be worth spending time and money to identify places where a link to your site would be appropriate.
Many webmasters are willing to add links to useful and appropriate information.
You may also want to consider sponsoring one or more web publications with a hot link to your site. There are many things you can do to make your site interesting. Humor plays well on the web. You may include the history of your business, who to contact for what, press releases and any other information which either the press or your customers might appreciate. Be careful of gimmicky.