Are you still using a free website for your business? Shame on you!
The only benefit of using a free website that we can think of is, it’s free. It ends there, the only benefit and good thing about a free website is that it costs you nothing to start, but is that true in the long run? No.
Using a free website for your business may strike you with even more hidden costs that you can’t foresee, or to the extent that you may not even realize that some extra costs were coming out from the root of your free website.
Well, our definition of a ‘free website’ shouldn’t be confused with the likes of charity/non-profit websites that are designed by a designer who usually charge for his/her service. When we mention free website, it means the likes of those free website builders, where they let you build your own website for free and then charge whatever they like when you require more features.
Here’s 5 ugly truths of these free websites.
1. They are ugly
Obviously your website will not look good considering you can just use the free templates provided by the free website builders. Even you try your very best to build the website from scratch, you do not have full control over some of the things that will be presented out, such as the CSS.
This doesn’t seem like a problem when you have low amount of visitors. Problems come when you are trying to establish a professional business profile with your website. You will give a ‘cheapskate’ image to your potential customers as you are using ‘free stuffs’.
2. They cost more than you’d think
The first time you were attracted to build a free website because they cost you nothing. It seems like the case but when you are trying to add more features to your website, you realize every single add-on will cost you. Yes even a simple contact form will cost you more than what you should pay.
A full-fledged or full package web design service will covers everything you need even before you start making the website. There will be less price shock if you stick with a paid web designer instead.
3. You are stuck with them
You’re feeling that your website is loading slower than ever, and you think changing the web host can help. Sorry but no. You are tied with the free website builders if you want to maintain your free website. They will not give you the option or freedom to ‘export’ or ‘migrate’ your design out from their system. The truth is, who is going to run a business that makes no profit?
4. Unprofessional
This is simple, a legitimate business should not be using any free website. If a business is serious in what they do, they would fork out the extra cost of hiring a web designer to make a professional looking website, not using something that is free.
In fact, anyone can build a free website, especially scammer, since it’s free right?
5. No obligations to maintain your website
You will need to pay close attention to the privacy policy as well as the terms & conditions of your free website providers. Most of them have no obligations to maintain, secure or continuously host your website for free.
Since you are not paying them anything, whatever bad things that happen to your website will be at your own responsibility.
So, be prepared when they just remove your entire website without warning, or when your website get hacked, no one can help you about it.
It’s unfortunate that the truths are sometimes ugly, but you can get always get a professional website by hiring a web designer, it won’t cost you an arm and leg.
Sanz Teoh
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