By Katherine Andes
Websites are so cheap now that now some companies are literally “giving them away.”
They are kind of like the business cards that a printing company might print up for next to nothing. The printer hopes to secure you as a client and make money off you later.
Some companies package a “free” website with other expensive marketing offers in exchange for long-term contracts.
For companies that still don’t have websites, these free offers may be very attractive.
If you have absolutely no Internet presence and no intention of investing in one for the near future, one of these offers might fit the bill for you. For now.
You might even get lucky. Your site might pop up on a few search results, and you might get a few customers. So, yes, a free website would be better than nothing.
But it’s certainly far from optimal.
Free websites usually have severe limitations like limits on the number of pages and no direct access to making quick changes.
Meanwhile, your competition is building an effective website that will smoke you in the years to come.
EASY FURNITURE WEB TIP #35: Free websites are better than nothing and okay for the very short term, but don’t let one lull you into thinking you’ve truly built an effective Internet presence.
Katherine Andes is a consultant who specializes in web content development, including search engine optimization, and landing pages — especially in the home improvement market. You can phone her at 559.589.0379 or email at kathy@andesandassociates.com.
P.S. If you’ve found a free website package that does give you good options, you will still need to invest time, talent, and resources to develop the content of that site.