email us
email us

Free Websites;
She'll Be Right?

In the search for a website design quote that suits your budget, you may come across supposedly "FREE" website building systems online. In some instances these can provide a basic starting point for a small business or sole trader, but often have drawbacks or may not be as free as they seem to be.

Google Search: Fail!

Free sites tend to perform poorly in Google search, so unless your customers already know your web address, you won't be found. The process of optimising a website for a competitive market is complex and many important aspects cannot be implemented on a free web build.

Our expert approach to developing your website ensures that your site CAN be optimised for search.

Website Customisation

Many free web-builders will not offer customisation; the capacity to tailor the website to match your business signage, to add your logo or to make it "your own". This lack of customisation means that your website looks like everyone else's that have been produced by the free tool - not a good look!

Our bespoke designs and Content Management Systems allow your specific design needs to be addressed and the site to be updated as your business grows.

Website Support

Once you've got your free website up and running and you need to add new features, who will you ask? What if something goes wrong with you website and you can't fix it - what do you do? Free website builders don't tend to have support at the end of a phone, leaving you helpless and often requiring the assistance of a web designer to achieve what you need.

We offer support for all the websites we design. We also provide help-documentation for our content management system, giving you the control and assistance you need.

Is It Truly Free?

Support: For those free website that do offer support, this tends to come at a cost. Once you've spent time and effort developing your site, you'll probably not want to have to make it all over again, so you're often tempted to pay costly support fees. The same goes for development of new features; if these are out of your capabilities, expect a further bill.

Promotion: Free website services are often run by Business Directory companies who sign you up for a basic, free website or business listing. This is likely to be poorly optimised for Google search, so that the supplier can then offer additional services to promote your website and aid your search rank.

Hosting & Domain Names: Websites need a web address and a place to be hosted. These are renewed on an annual basis; it's likely that there will be an ongoing charge for this aspect of your website.

Traffic: If your website becomes successful and frequently visited, the traffic to your site increases. Some free websites are restricted to a certain traffic level. If this is reached or exceeded, charges apply or your website may be restricted or removed.

Free Sites: A Summary

The purpose of our guidelines above is to ensure that you have considered the various aspects in the production of a website and to highlight any additional charges that might exist. Even if you're still keen to look into a free website, we would encourage you to get in touch with us first to discuss your options - you might be surprised how affordable a professionally built website can be.

Get in touch to discuss our website design options and request a quote; call 027 663 9011 or email us today.