Make Your Own Website: Different Approaches

So where do you begin? You can take one of several approaches to make your own website.

First, let’s examine the different types of websites by their costs and effectiveness:

1. Turnkey websites and online website builders
2. Free websites – are they worth it?
3. Make Your Own Website - do it yourself
4. Hire it out
5. Combination of do it yourself and hire out

Online website builders are everywhere, and they promise you that you can make your own website in just minutes online with their proprietary software. They claim that you can quickly build a website easily.

Are they worth it?

Short answer...NO. I cannot endorse online website builders for a serious business website.

These online website builders are clunky, limited, unattractive, and I believe they are not a good value even if they are free!

The only exception is if you are not planning to build a serious, effective business website – but rather plan to make a family or personal website for fun.

Which leads me to...

Free websites. Will a free website do the job?

For a business website –- absolutely not.

In fact, I believe that the free websites can do your business more harm than good. After all, your business reputation is on the line. Free websites are obviously...well, free. And as the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”

The free websites offered online may be relatively simple to build. However, due to their limited functionality, your end product will be an unprofessional, generic, and unappealing website at best, and at worst, it will be a tacky, ugly website that drives customers away and soils your reputation and brand.

Also, free websites will not give you your own domain name. You would receive a domain name that markets their business! For example, instead of getting a website name such as “www.Mybusinessname.com”, your website name would have to be something like: “www.freeuglysite.com/mybusinessname”.

That awkward website name will not do a thing for your branding nor will it make your business look professional with staying power.

It’s just not worth it.

Especially when you consider the very low cost involved to make your own website from scratch. You could also take the approach of doing it yourself with some help in certain areas. Many less technical people make successful websites using this combination approach.

The difference in quality between a “free” website versus spending $50 - $300 to make your website is substantial and unmistakeable. That free website will end up costing you a lot more in hurting your business image. I’ve been online for many, many years, and a free website always sticks out (and not in a good way!)

This site focuses on the three viable options for making a business website: doing it yourself, hiring it out, or a combination of both.

If you have basic computer skills and are willing and able to learn more, doing it yourself is a viable option. As a beginner, making your first business website may seem daunting... But our website will break down the easy, simple steps involved in making your own business website from scratch.

If you are short on time and skills but have the budget – then you may want to hire out the website. However, keep in mind that while you may contract for web design (look and feel) of your site and any special programming features, typically you are responsible for writing the content of your website.

So web designers and programmers may help with the technical or aesthetic aspects, but you will want to infuse your subject expertise and personality into your website.

After all, who knows your brand and business better than you?

A popular approach to make your own website is combining a do it yourself approach with hiring out some aspects such as the design or any complicated programming depending on your needs.

Even if you are on a tight budget, I believe that ANYONE can build a simple and effective, low cost business website with little or no additional hired help.

Now that you understand the different types of websites and approaches you can take, it's time to start planning your website objectives and goals in our Website Planning Guide.

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