Making a website
Getting a good website up and running can be an intimidating job. There’s a few options open to you, all of which have good and bad points:
- You can get a simple site that’s relatively easy to edit from somewhere like GoDaddy, 1and1 or SquareSpace
- You can try hosting and building it yourself
- You can hire someone to host and build it for you
If you want to try yourself I would fully recommend someone like SquareSpace. I have found that although some other companies may appear a bit cheaper from month to month, they often have hidden charges and everything extra has a cost. There can also be performance issues with these cheaper plans as your website will be sharing a server with LOTS of other websites.
Where I come in is the 3rd option – I can help you build the website you need at a price that is fair. This option is usually only within the reach of larger organisations but even then I have seen the same pattern time and time again. Excessive charging and terrible websites. I know that for small business or individuals it can be a very intimidating exercise approaching a design agency or web designer about building a website. Not so with me.
I do this because I love it. It’s my hobby as well as my vocation. I WANT you to have a website that your overjoyed and amazed with – it also makes my portfolio look good! All consultations with me are free and money only swaps hands when you are satisfied with my work.
Domains
A domain is the link to your website. For example, my domain is fullyoperational.co.uk. These have to be purchased and renewed each year and usually only cost a few pounds or dollars. I prefer to purchase your domain so I can perform the initial setup. I charge the exact cost of the domain back to you and, after initial setup, this can be transferred over to your own name or company.
Hosting
I can host your websites with a starting price of just $20 a month. For that, you get super fast SSD virtual servers to ensure your website responds well and runs smooth. As your traffic grows and you become more successful, the infrastructure I use can grow with you.
Charities
If you are a registered charity, you need a website and I can squeeze it in, I’ll build it for free. You will still have to cover the hosting costs and purchase of the domain but the actual site building is free. Please get in touch – it’s good to give back.
Website Building
To build most websites I recommend using a content management system (CMS) called WordPress. WordPress websites make up at least a quarter of the entire internet. With thousands of templates to choose from, a huge array of plugins for enhanced functionality and a massive support community, it’s hard to beat.
Website Templates
Website templates gives you a good start and a solid framework for your website. They also cut down development time and therefore save you money. I have commercial licenses from several website template designers including Tesla Themes which is a company that makes exceptional website templates. Check out their site to get a feel for the quality and variety of their templates: