Okay, I said it, small business.
Nobody wants to think of their business as small.
When a person starts a home business it's because they need extra money – that usually means they don't have a lot of money to put into a website!
Stay at home moms and dads and disabled adults start businesses because we want better lives and better health care and better choices…
Most people start a business because they want more money… not less.
More and more people are sick of their jobs or sick at their jobs and working from home is a better option than getting a new job.
I'm someone who is sensitive to mold, chemicals and I'm sensitive to people who live in moldy houses use a lot of chemicals. When I say sensitive – I get sick! Most people don't know Toxic Mold Can Make You Sick
I have to work from home because I can't find a building besides my home that has good air – unless they use the air reactors that clean the air in my home.
Many others are trying to find a way to make ends meet and working from home is better than getting a second job.
In the beginning, we are starting small. Our budget is small because we are just starting out.
I'm going to show you some options for free websites for your small business – why I would or would not use them AND the training program I recommend you start for free if you are serious about turning your small business into big profits.
WYSIWIG Editors
When I first tried starting a business website there were plenty of free website builders out there – they were called WYSIWYG – whizzy-whig or What You See Is What You Get. They were drag and drop editors.
I tried a few WYSIWYG editors and they were hard to get things to look good and even more difficult to promote because they looked like a child made them. Spaces in the wrong places, pictures not where I wanted them. I'm a visual person and I think most people want to see a visually pleasant website.
These were ugly websites!
I did create a free website on weebly in 2010 that wasn't too bad – I wound up putting a lot of free stuff on it and giving away knowledge.
I don't think many people ever found that page. Shortly after I created that site, my son got very sick from toxic mold and I took a couple years off from Internet marketing.
One of the reasons I don't know if anyone ever went to that site is because most free sites don't offer anyway to track your visitors!
Creating your business website on a WYSIWYG editor is NOT recommended!
WordPress.com
First, I want to say – I would never want to put a businesses on WordPress.com – WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WORDPRESS!
I build all my sites in wordpress now – but I don't HOUSE or HOST my wordpress sites on WordPress.com.
This is confusing for most people.
WordPress.com offers free websites with free hosting that would have addresses that look like www.yoursite.wordpress.com
WordPress.com also offers paid upgrades to their hosting.
I would NEVER upgrade a business site on WordPress.com
– and here is one reason why:
(Automattic is the parent company of WordPress.com)
Without limiting any of those representations or warranties, Automattic has the right (though not the obligation) to, in Automattic’s sole discretion, (i) reclaim your username or website’s URL due to prolonged inactivity, (ii) refuse or remove any content that, in Automattic’s reasonable opinion, violates any Automattic policy or is in any way harmful or objectionable, or (iii) terminate or deny access to and use of WordPress.com to any individual or entity for any reason. Automattic will have no obligation to provide a refund of any amounts previously paid.
They just said they can delete your site without notice, explanation or recourse – for any reason. Actually, they say this again in this same terms of service. “Automattic may terminate your access to all or any part of our Services at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice, effective immediately.”
This is your business – don't you want to have control of your business website?
If I put many hours into building a website – I would be pretty mad if someone deleted it for no reason or any reason!
There are 5 other reasons I wouldn't want to build a site on the free version of WordPress.com
- Cannot fully customize your site
- Cannot install plugins
- Cannot remove ads
- Limited themes
- Upgrades are limited, expensive and endless – hosting WordPress sites off WordPress.com gives you all the upgrades for the cost of hosting!
Free Website Domain Names
Why Do You Want a Website?
If it's for fun and hobbies – building a free website will do.
If you want to
- get to page #1 on the search engines
- attract customers to your business
- build trust with potential customers
- put your website on business cards and in print
I would upgrade to owning your own domain name.
It's relatively inexpensive to buy a domain name. Most domain names are under $15.
I own a couple dozen of domain names!
If I get a good business idea, and the domain name is available, I will buy it. That way someone else doesn't snag it!
I don't necessarily build the website on that domain right away – but many times I go back to my domain list and start websites that were just ideas when I purchased the domains.
Is Your Website a Hobby or a Business?
Some people want websites as hobbies. I make websites to help people. My final goal is to help people help themselves by using some product or service that has helped me.
Does that make sense?
We are not selling something. We are helping people.
People feel sleezy when they think of sales people. If they think someone is trying to pull the wool over their eyes and sell something to make a buck — they are not going to buy from you!
When building a website – even if we build that website for free – we want people to know, like and trust us and our website so that they want to read more, connect with us, ask us for help, ask us to contact them through email and eventually buy either a product or a service that we offer that they know will help them.
We want our website to clearly state and visually communicate what we do and why they want to do business with us.
Who is going to do business at an unprofessional and cheap-looking website? Noone!
If your website looks free – they think you are not serious
Most free websites:
- Put 3rd party Advertisements on your site that you have no control over.
- Give you limited ability to customize the look and feel of your site
- Restrict what you can and can't do or say on your website
- Can delete your site without notice, explanation or recourse
This is your business – don't you want to have control of your business website?
Start With a Free Website – Upgrade to Premium
I found a training that teaches how to build a website – and you can put up a website for free. I had my free website up in 7 days!
Luckily – there is a free – 7 day trial!
No credit card required.
If you get in there and go through the trainings and do everything you say, you can have your site done in a week too!
Once your free website is built – you can upgrade to Premium, get your own domain name – and you are off to the races with your new website!
I wish you all the success in the world, online and in life.
If you do start your free website for your small business today, or if you have any questions…
Send me an email or comment below and let me know what's on your mind.
I'm looking forward to helping you in any way I can.
