5 Questions To Ask Before Getting A "Free" Website

Is it really possible to get a free website?
The quick answer: sure.

The more carefully crafted answer: it depends (my usual answer for everything lately). So what does it depend on? Here are five questions to answer before signing up to design your very own "free" website:

1. Are you web-savvy enough to know what will work best for your visitors?
2. Is it okay to have advertising (including inappropriate ads) in prominent places on your website?
3. Are you willing to risk having a website that can be hacked into and even implanted with viruses?
4. Do you have time to learn a new set of tools without support?
5. Would it be okay if your "free website" provider discontinued the service (and canceled your website)?

I'll address each question below.

1. Are you web-savvy enough to know what will work best for your visitors?
How well can you define your audience and their online preferences?
Are you familiar with the expectations of your intended audience? For example, do you know the differences in marketing practices for attracting 20-year-olds, or mothers with young children, or professionals in the medical field? If you are less than sure, a free website might not be your best choice and may actually have a damaging effect on the image of your business.

2. Is it okay to have advertising (including inappropriate ads) in prominent places on your website?

Most free websites are free because they get their profits from advertising - on YOUR website. You have no control of the size or content of that advertising - which could be in conflict with your company mission or could even be embarrassing. If you are willing to take that risk, a free website might work well.

3. Are you willing to risk having a website that can be hacked into and even implanted with viruses?

Most of the free hosts have not heavily invested in security, which means that your website could fall under the control of hackers or even be corrupted with a virus that could spread to your visitors. It's one gift they would probably not appreciate.

4. Do you have time to learn a new set of tools without support?
One thing you will need when creating a free website is time -- to learn a set of new tools. More often than not, there is only sketchy documentation (if any) and almost never any direct support. Maybe you'll find your answer in the community forum posts, and maybe not.

5. Would it be okay if your "free website" provider discontinues the service (and erases your website)?

Your free website provider is likely to be less reliable than one with a stronger client-based business model. And if they do decide to stop providing free websites, where will that leave you? Most free website providers require you to leave the files online with them, and when they're gone, they're gone. And yes, some have disappeared overnight.

In Summary

Of course, being a website designer, I am not entirely objective. But I've seen too many "almost good" websites designed by people who really wanted to save money by doing it themselves.

A website that's not professionally crafted may miss its goals: to attract and functional well for its intended audience, to reflect the attitudes and intentions of the company it represents, to provide credibility and trust, and to invite the search engines to index it favorably. Oh, and one more thing: either directly or indirectly, to increase your profits!

P.S. To be fair, there are some good, reputable places to get a free website, including Microsoft (http://smallbusiness.officelive.com/en-us/) and Google (see the sample site I created at https://sites.google.com/site/swwsexample/). Check them out!