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
- Use a free
template
- Affiliate
website
- 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:
- Simplicity and
speed: With a good website builder, you can build a website in a
few hours.
- You don’t need to
learn html.
- 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.
- You can expand,
improve and edit your website as you go
along.
- Future expandability
not an issue unless your site out-grows the WYSIWYG (in that case,
congratulations!)
Disadvantages:
- With some WYSIWYG
editors, pages and buttons may not be customizable.
- May only work best
with the particular software maker’s
hosting.
- They can be prone to
errors.
- There’s a learning
curve, usually longer with increased
features.
- 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. The following two WYSIWYG
editors have consistently given users excellent results, without
costing an arm and a leg:
Created by leading
internet marketers who know first-hand the frustrations of building
a professional website, the above website builders are top choices.
With either one, you can get your website up and running in a very
short time, with great results.
Both
the above website builders have free trials, so why not try one
today?
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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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