Build a Website the Easy Way: For the Technically Challenged

Want to build a website? If yes, but you have no programming or html knowledge this article is for you. You have four options:

Hire a web designer

1. Use a free template 
2. Affiliate website 
3. Buy a WYSIWYG editor 

Let’s take a look at each of the above options, including advantages and disadvantages, and then decide on the best one.

Option #1: Hire a Web Designer

You can hire a web designer from Elance or Rent A Coder. Alternatively, you could hire a web design student for significantly less cost than a professional designer.

Advantages: You’ll likely get a website with a more advanced and professional look and that is also unique.

Disadvantages: 

1.      The most obvious is cost. It could cost you several hundred if not thousand dollars to hire a web designer. Costs could increase with improvements, upgrades, additions, expansions etc., and these can be numerous. 

2.      You have to lead the designer by the hand. Not easy, especially when he/she is not close-by, as is usually the case with when you hire one off the internet. 

3.      Time-consuming: By the time you have perused dozens of designers’ portfolios, made a decision, communicated your ideas, changed this and that… well, several weeks or even months may have elapsed. 

4.      After having gone through all the above, you might end up not liking what you see. Back to square one and additional costs.

Option #2: Free Website Template 

You can build a website using one of the free website templates available on the internet.

Advantages: Free of charge, though you could end up paying in other ways, including some of the disadvantages below.

Disadvantages: 

1.      Free templates are usually tied to hosting and may not work with your choice of hosting. The hosting is not free.

2.      They are rarely, if ever, full-featured. May be used as bait to get your name and address, then pitch you into buying the “full-feature” or “pro” version.

3.      You may be required to boldly display the template owner’s logo on every page of your site. This tells the whole world that your site is built on someone else’s “charity”. There goes your credibility.

4.      Future expandability issues: you may not be able to expand and/or improve your site in future when you need to, which hopefully you will.

5.      Inflexible: Not easy, if at all possible, to customize

6.      From my personal experience two words: Not good.

Option #3: Affiliate Website 

These usually come with affiliate promotional packages. MLM and brochure sites also fall in this category.

Advantages: 

1.      Usually, but not always, free

. 

2.      Ready website with sales letter and/or content 

3.      May be hosted free on company’s servers

4.      Professionally designed in most cases

Disadvantages:

1.      You have no control over content or design and you cannot change it.

2.      If any room is left for your own content it’s usually very limited

3.      Your website looks exactly like thousands of others all over the web.

Option #4: WYSIWYG html Editor 

WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) html editor is software that allows you to see your website as you build it: sort of like a word processor with more features.

Advantages: 

1. Simplicity and speed: With a good website builder, you can build a website in a few hours.  
2. You don’t need to learn html. 
3. Some WYSIWYG html editors allow choice of building your site from scratch. This not only gives your website a unique look, but you a sense of accomplishment as well. 
4. You can expand, improve and edit your website as you go along. 
5. Future expandability not an issue unless your site out-grows the WYSIWYG (in that case, congratulations!) 

Disadvantages: 

1. With some WYSIWYG editors, pages and buttons may not be customizable.  
2. May only work best with the particular software maker’s hosting. 
3. They can be prone to errors. 
4. There’s a learning curve, usually longer with increased features. 
5. Some WYSIWYG editors are plain frustrating, even agonizing, to work with. 

So, what is the best option for building your website when on a budget and short on time?

To create a website without spending a lot of money and time, a WYSIWYG editor would be the best option. But, pick the wrong one and you’re in for tears. Solution?

Go with the three Ts: tested, tried and true.

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About the author: David Kamau, owner http://mercantilecentral.com has built several websites using WYSIWYG website builders, some with good and others with not so good results. Receive updates, tips and regular freebies: sign up for his free newsletter at http://mercantilecentral.com/subscribe.htm

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