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I just got an interesting email about yesterday’s post in which I whined about my contest entrants registering without a URL. She cited lack of ability in marketing as they key reason she doesn’t have a clear target market - and general excitement over my prize as the reason to submit even without a URL. And then she went on to say that a lot of people don’t have web sites because they are simply unable to make them happen. That was a real eye opener to me!
I think the key reason people don’t clarify their market and set up sites is because of the intimidation factor. And yet, setting up a site is potentially much easier than most of us think. You don’t have to know code, and can even do it yourself in many cases, depending on the type of site you put up. The important thing is simply to begin. To put enough commitment behind your project that you grant it a website. Here are some possibilities:
A. The blog-as-site. Get a $9 per month account with typepad.com OR a free account with blogger.com … and boom! You have a site. You never touch a spec of code. It’s no more difficult than using Microsoft Word … and you can optimize it with all kinds of banners, links, etc.. in the margins. Best of all, you can have a post.
B. Get a template and a reasonable webmaster. I like Jason Saeler of saeler.com for my webmastering. He’s incredibly knowledgable and committed to helping you set up your site for a reasonable sum. He also trains you in Front Page so you can maintain your site after he sets it up. This is key to making your site affordable. Jason recommends people go to a number of template sites he’s hand selected on his site for the basic design. Then it’s fairly cheap to implement the site.
C. Get a monthly account at homestead.com for $20 per month. You get your own personalized domain ( i.e. www.yoursitename.com) plus email accounts, lots of band width, 100 MB capacity (plenty big for starters) … and more. They also train you in how to set up, maintain, and even promote your site. This is really a comprehensive package!
Any other ideas about how sites can be created cheaply?
5 Responses to “Setting Up Websites for Cheap or Even Free”
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No question that intimidation is a huge block. Two other factors affect me as well - getting it “right” and what comes first - clients and income or marketing? In the first case, it’s primarily because this business is mine, a reflection of me, and, as a result, I spend way too much time mulling over the details rather than getting it done. With regard to the second factor, it’s definitely a matter of commitment - moving ahead in spite of the risk. There is a confidence component as well. As exciting and compelling as the entrepreneurial world is, the questions linger. Is this really what I want to do? What if it doesn’t work? While some accept risk easily, I suspect there are many others venturing into their own businesses -particularly at midlife - who do so with a mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation. One day determined to get their website done and the next wondering what on earth they were thinking!
That’s certainly been my experience and is why is I am especially grateful for your matter of fact approach and direction. In many ways, that’s all I need - a push in the right direction from a trusted source!
Just wanted to add another couple of resources for creating a Web presence for cheap or free.
First, I wanted to throw out an opportunity offered from my own company, Artella. On the Artella Web site, we run a sub-division called The Shoppes of Artella, (www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com/shoppes.html) which hosts online stores for over 60 individuals. The shoppes started out as an online marketplace for artists and artisans; however, our sellers now include writers, coaches, healing practitioners, and more.
Some of these individuals are people who already have their own Web sites and are looking for additional business driven from Artella’s mega-high traffic rates. Most of the people, however, are folks who are using their page at The Shoppes of Artella as their primary Web presence. For some, it’s a transition phase until they get their own sites up and running, but many have said that they get all the business they can handle with the sales they get from Artella!
We offer a whole range of features to help you promote your Artella “store” at a very low cost — just $30 for up to five items. We also have scholarship options from a fund created in my father’s memory after he passed away last summer. So if this appeals to any readers here, I welcome you to take a look at the Shoppes at http://www.ArtellaWordsAndArt.com/shoppes.html, and get more information about setting up a Web page with us at http://www.artellawordsandart.com/ShoppeInfo.html
As far as other options for creating your own site, I’m an SBI gal myself (http://buildit.sitesell.com/MarketingForAbundance) but in addition to the sources Suzanne mentioned for low-cost options (I add another “cheer” for homestead.com), I also wanted to throw out some other recommendations:
- If you do have access to Web templates (they often come for free as part of other software packages — and we often don’t even realize they are there!) and just need a simple, cheap host, http://www.godaddy.com sells domain names and Web space for as cheap as I’ve found anywhere
- A reliable low-cost host that includes a nice handful of features (opt-in e-zine handler, feedback forms, guestbook, etc) is http://www.dreamhost.com
- If you’re looking for a WYSIWYG program (this is an acronym for “What You See Is What You Get” Web design program — where you can drag-n-drop your design and the program compiles the code for you) but applications like FrontPage, Dreamweaver, and GoLive are out of your price range, I recommend the Web building software by IXLA. You can buy software for under $50 that will help you do all the basics with no techno-knowledge required. Then you can just hook up with a Web host like Godaddy.com or dreamhost.com and you’re all set.
Lastly, even if you don’t have a Web site yet, remember that you can still do some really great promotion with your own e-zine/newsletter. Several companies allow you to setup e-zine signup and list maintenance (cooleremail.com is especially neat, because you can do make the newsletter look beautiful, and it’s really easy) even if you don’t have a Web site. I’ve also encouraged people to start with a newsletter just by taking manual names and email addresses for mailing list, and sending out an HTML or even plain-text email as a newsletter. The point is, I think it’s important for people to remember that they don’t have to wait for a beautiful Web site to be in place before they start doing PR or start selling their products and services.
I agree that a Web site is essential to creating a professional impression and reaching the maximum number of people possible (let’s face it…with the Web, we literally have an unlimited audience…that’s not being poetic, that’s being absolutely literal!) But, that being said, I’ve known people who have sold paintings, sold eBooks, gotten new clients, filled e-courses, and much more BEFORE they even had a site…now just imagine how much momentum they will have when their sites ARE launched! The point being — nobody has to wait til it’s perfect. Just dive in from wherever you are and start selling, as if nothing can stop you…because really, it can’t!
Hi there, I’d like to also mention “web builders” as an option.
I have been building websites from scratch for years, and I love writing html, but I had clients who were on tight budgets and wanted to be able to make all their own changes.
I have a service called Build A Website Tonight! where even the newest computer user can create a professional website by clicking on buttons and simply typing in the text you need for each page. Editing the text is like using Word. And the best bit is you can change the color of your site, the layout, the pictures, and add new pages and text at - any time - all at the click of a mouse. Choose from over 600 templates - it’s such a cool and inexpensive solution.
Let me know if I can help anyone with questions!
Cheers
Teena
http://www.BuildAWebsiteTonight.com
It’s possible to find excellent web hosts for less than homestead. My sites are all at Jatol, which is very inexpensive and has great support. I recommend them highly.
You can check out cheap and free template sites and DIY website tips at my site, minisitetemplates.com .
Hi -
I use a basic, dinosaur site-building tool called PageMill. If you can find a copy of it even a five year old could learn it.
But what I wanted to tell you is that the host I use, HostM.com, has insanely good hosting rates with all kinds of goodies thrown in. I pay them 98 bucks to host five sites for one year. That comes out to what, let’s see - $1.60 per site per month. Not bad.
Their customer service is terrific and they make it very easy at the back end.
Thanks for your great site!
Aloha -
Angela Treat Lyon