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Free Websites: what’s the real cost?

Fay Roe

Raise your hand if you were told as a child that the best things in life were free. Raise your hand if you were also told that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. No wonder there is so much confusion in life. The messages we receive are often contradictory.

When it comes to building a business website you may be tempted by the free options that are available. Companies that offer free hosting, free web design, and free website services are ten a penny, but what is the real cost to your business?

Limited features and opportunity to customise

You can design a great looking website on some of the freebies; however, the choice of templates and the ability to customise it can be limited. The site you create today needs to be able to respond to your future needs.

Useful features such as an online store, SSL certification, website analytics, domain-based e-mail addresses and plug-ins may not be accessible to you. Many have limited opportunities to boost SEO and fail to be responsive to mobile devices. These limitations restrict the creativity, functionality, security and flexibility of the site, and can even hamper your ability to scale the business in the future.

Hidden costs

The word ‘free’ is usually a big red flag for hidden costs. Your site may be up and running, but when you look beyond the template, you see that your digital presence is far from free.

Some companies charge for image hosting, e-mail accounts, and a multitude of other business necessities. These add-ons and upgrades are typically charged at prices often above and beyond industry norms.

You have no control over your website address or content

Yes, you can add your business’ name into the address, but it is typically upended with the addition of the provider’s name. For example, www.yourbiz.freewebsiteco.com. What message does it give to your potential customers and clients? Your business deserves its own domain name!

Do you always read the terms and conditions of services that you sign up to? If you do, you’ll find that the service providers can shut down your site without having to give a reason. They can shut down their operations without notice and the T&Cs give them full legal protection to do so. That means that your domain, content and data has gone. Forever.

a computer monitor displays a robotics website

Have you ever wondered how these companies make their money? If there is no cost involved, you have to realise that you are the product; you are the one that is making them money.

Many of the free web builders require you to carry their advertisements and some even insert affiliate links. Your website could even have to publish ads for competitors – ouch, that’s got to hurt.

Poor/no customer service and website support

You know what you want to achieve, but it’s easier said than done. The free web design builders are notoriously bad at providing customer support – because you are not actually a customer. If you can’t work it out with the limited support documents, you are on your own. You may just disappear down the web design rabbit hole.

Why should you invest in your web design?

Your website is more than an online brochure to showcase your business. It’s the most powerful tool you have to market your business and generate leads and sales; but why should you invest and partner with a digital marketing agency such as Digital Presence?

We save you time, money and stress.

Our web development Christchurch team are expert at creating websites that produce results. Every aspect of your digital marketing is taken care of. You don’t have to worry about SEO or how your website is performing; we monitor your site 24/7 and make any necessary adjustments.

We take care of it all – algorithm updates, your Google Ads budget, Christchurch SEO (if you are local), YouTube advertising, and website content – so you can concentrate on other revenue generating tasks. There are no hidden costs; our website packages are the same price each month so you have complete control of your budget. And yes, if you have any questions or queries, we are on the end of the phone!

Digital Presence is a digital marketing agency, passionate about helping small and medium sized businesses thrive through web design and web development, Christchurch and beyond. We deliver beautifully designed SEO and brand rich websites that can grow with you as your business evolves. We are with you every step of the way on your digital journey.

Call us on 0274 278047 or drop us a line at hello@digitalpresence.co.nz to for a chat to see how we can help you too.

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