Your Options For Starting Your Own Website
Posted By Jasper Longfellow on June 30, 2009
In this day and age, there are several reasons to have your own website. Maybe you have a business and you want to promote your services or reach a worldwide client base. Maybe you’d like to showcase your photography, literature, art, or other work. Or maybe you’re attracted to the thought of generating income by selling advertising space on your web pages and other internet marketing strategies. Whatever your personal incentive may be, one question is the same for all: how and where should you start? The answer to this will vary for everyone. We’ll take a look at the options you have available to you and the questions you’ll need to ask yourself in order to make the best decision to fit your personal website needs.
Your Options
You will find that there are three main routes you can take to having your own website. The first of these is very time-consuming, it is to learn how to build and maintain your website on your own. This route is fitting for anyone attracted to the idea of eventually starting your own web development business or possibly performing freelance work as a web developer. The only problem is it could take years.
The second route available, a much shorter process, is to use a web design/development company’s services. This gives you the freedom to utilize unlimited web functionality and advanced design created to fit your personal vision. Your website could be launched in just a few months. The disadvantage here would be the cost, which would rise with your website needs and can usually range from $500 to $6,000+. If you would like to have a better idea of what kind of costs you would be looking at for your personal web needs, you can always request a free quote from various web design/development companies.
The third and final optional route, the quickest and cheapest, is to use an “easy as 1-2-3” website builder. This kind of service can come as cheap as $5 a month. The way this “1-2-3″ strategy works is, first, you select a professionally designed pre-built template. Next, you make changes to the web pages using your own text, graphics, and logo, if you have one. The final step is to publish it, and there you will have your very own website in just a matter of minutes. However, as with anything, there is always a disadvantage–this approach is limited on both advanced web functionality and design.
Which Option is For You?
Now that you know your options, there are a few questions you’ll need to ask yourself to help you determine which of them is the best for you.
You should be aware of your budget and ask yourself what kind of costs you are willing and able to take on and thus, what range of creative control on your website design you would be able to yield in exchange for saving time and money.
If your funds are limited, you may want to consider using the easy and more reasonably priced “1-2-3″ website builder approach. However, if you are not willing to negotiate complete design control, the only option you are left with is to take the time to hunt down the more suitable deal with numerous web design/development companies.
You’ll have to consider what kind of functionality your website will need. For example, will you be needing blogging or other capabilities or perhaps need to sell your products and services? Again, if cost is of little or no importance, the best option is to go to a web design/development company. However, if you are interested in saving money, you can first determine whether or not a “1-2-3” website builder can fulfill your web needs. These days, it is even possible to manage an online store with a simple website builder. Rather than making assumptions about the limitations of a website builder, it is best to do your research to determine whether or not your website’s needs could be fulfilled.
As with anything, you always have the option to learn how to make a website on your own. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, this can also prove to have a great return. Learning these skills can enable you to become a freelance web developer, work for a web design/development company, give you that technical edge that any company is looking for in a prospective employee, make money with advertising on your websites, and more.
Whether you want to gain fresh skills, give your business a web presence to increase sales, or just have the ability to post your content, having a website can open up many opportunities for your aim. Take a moment to review your requirements and decide on the best approach to benefit your website purpose.