I know I am not the only one who remembers the free websites of a decade ago. Services like Angelfire and Yahoo! Geocities would allow you to create a full site of your choosing without cost, using their user-friendly building tools. For many, it was their first introduction to basic HTML codes.
Do you recall the results of those sites? Inevitably they would be garishly colored, glittering graphic covered monstrosities that clumped together as much information could be thrown onto a page. There would be a sidebar of links, half of which went to a 404 error, and broken coding showing somewhere around the bottom of the page.
You can still find examples of these free pages that have been left up and abandoned through the years. It is like taking a walk through an elephant graveyard, or a survey of an archeological site. There is a touch of nostalgia as we witness first hand the past and the present of the web.
Luckily, things are not so depressing now. There are still free website alternatives, and with the changes in trends and the improvement of HTML and CSS you can have one without it looking like a Myspace profile. But you have to know where to look, to avoid the pitfalls that are so often found with any free service.
Why Would I Want A Free Site?
As a freelancer, I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you are competing against impossible expectations. Clients who want free or cheap work will always choose a sub-par designer in place of the real deal.
I am not suggesting that these free sites should take the good designers place. Actually, it can aid that same freelancer to fend off those potential clients who try to entice you with “exposure” in place of pay. We have all had those that claim getting your work seen is worth eliminating your rate, and we also know it isn’t really true.
Next time, you can point out these options so they can do it themselves. Or, you can use a free site for a personal project that you don’t want to spend much cash on. They can be dead useful.
What Are My Options ?
You have two real options here: either you can go with a real free website service, which is hosted without any fees, or else for free when you buy the domain. Or, you can use a blog in place of a traditional website, an alternative that more people are doing. Even for professional websites that are representing a service or company.
If you decide to go with a blog, you have the usual options available to you. Tumblr, Blogger and WordPress will almost always be your three first choices. The last of the three is being used more than any other now, given the plugins and tools being adapted from third party and official sources.
But it gets a bit trickier when deciding on a free website service. Here are a few to show you what you are dealing with.
Free Website Services
Webs
Webs - Webs is a simple to use service that gives you a basic website you customize through a template selection. It lets you use their site builder to create everything quickly, and without any coding on your part. When the finished product is saved, it is done in HTML and CSS, which is easy to fix in advanced mode, or by switching out content in the builder itself. All of this is completely free.
They have a premium service that is pretty cheap. It offers more designs and templates, as well as more storage and features. You might end up wanting the paid version because they have a better list of choices for you. But even the free version is aimed towards making a clean, professional website for you.
For ads, your site will be covered with them. But they are no more distracting than those you see on major media sites or popular blogs. They will be off to the side, and contain the same content for teeth whiteners and weight loss pills that you are used to.
The domain is listed under webs.com, so the final URL will look like this: hxxp://www(dot)yoursitename(dot)webs.com. This isn’t too bad, as usually when you use another domain it looks tacky. This is a bit more vague, and easier to get away with.
Yola
Yola - If you are really against ads (who isn’t?) you can try Yola. They still have a advertisement for their own services on the bottom of your site, but it isn’t that overbearing. It is more like a small banner, and there are no other ads for other websites or companies.
The templates are boring, which is a major downside. The better ones are part of their paid service. But they are easier to use than some other builders, and their features list is impressive. Mainly their features for completely customizing your layout, which can be broken down into different sections without interrupting the theme’s coding.
Wix
Wix - Probably the best of the bunch is Wix, which has become a popular service in the last year. They are more customizable than the others, and without all of the better options being left to paying members. Instead, they have a large selection of templates, tools and features for free users.
They also allow you to use photos, videos and other content that you can upload yourself. This lends a more professional look to many of the sites, because you have more freedom and so the ability to create something good.
There are only two downsides to this site. First, has bigger ads, though only for their own service. But any free site you use will have some version of this, you just can’t get away with not having them unless you pay.
Second, it is Flash based. Of course, this gives you a much cooler looking effect, but without the simplicity of HTML and CSS. If you don’t like Flash, you won’t like Wix.
Conclusion
If you want a free site, you can get one without too much fuss or the issues of the past. But if you are hoping for a professional website that will host a major service, project or be used to impress people, just cough up the money for a real one.
Author BIO : Jessy is a freelancer and money-saving blogger for Credit Card Finder, the free tool to compare credit cards online.
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