There are a huge number of choices when it comes to ways to build your website. Whether you’re considering which way to build a new site or wondering if you’ve got the best option, you’ll find the information below helpful in“nailing and scaling” your website.
Options!!!
Your main options when building a website are:
Use a website builder(hosted on their computer)
Use an ecommerce store builder(hosted on their computer)
Set up your own hosting and install your own website builder(like WordPress)
Write your content on other platforms(like Facebook, Medium etc)
Side note: Some information around hosting. To self-host means you pay a smaller monthly fee for space on a secure computer for your website to live and be accessed. Alternatively, using a hosted website builder or ecommerce store means your website is hosted & maintained by an external company for a higher monthly fee.
Cost
Let’s get some general costings around setting up your site:
Website builders generally cost around $US10 – $US20 per month for websites that don’t need ecommerce. Add ecommerce and the cost can be up to $US40 per month.
For a more advanced ecommerce store, the price can range from $US30 per month to $US300 per month.
Hosting your own website will cost between $US5 and $US30 per month. If you install WordPress, you’ll want to also buy a theme for your website and this will be around $US70(once-off payment).
Writing your content on other channels is free.
Which option to choose?
Let’s narrow down your choices based on the main purpose of the site…
Selling & delivering physical or digital products – choose an ecommerce store builder like Shopify or Bigcommerce.
Business information + blog – use Squarespace or Weebly if you want a simple, non-technical option . Choose WordPress if you want to use a theme(potentially paying extra for the development) and have more styling choices.
Custom website – use WordPress and host the site yourself. Choose a simple hosting package with one-click install, choose a top-rated WordPress theme and customise the theme to speed up your website build.
Specialist website – ask me for tips. If you’re looking to build a website for curated content, a landing page, a directory, a social network, a marketplace etc, I’m happy to give tips on the best software to ft your needs & budget.
Have no time and want to create content – sign up to Medium and start writing!
Some final considerations
Websites built using website builders aren’t able to be exported across to other website builders. WordPress blogs can be exported.
Website builder sites can have their theme changed quite easily whilst maintaining content. WordPress sites can be a little trickier.
WordPress has a huge library of free & paid plugins to use on your site. This is a benefit but website builders also allow code from external services to be added to their sites i.e. newsletter signups etc
If you’re not super savvy, choosing self-hosted WordPress will be a challenge when you need to connect domain names, emails, install SSL etc. Either pay for a developer you know to complete this or hire someone through Upwork.
We’ll be looking at the options around sharing content from your website in future posts. Stay tuned!
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Planning a website build
Options!!!
Which option to choose?
Some final considerations
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