Getting started with a website is a big first step. It takes guts, determination and a lot of smart thinking. We can help with that. This is the third in a series of five posts on getting started with a website.
There’s a recession going on. We’re a long way away from the dot com boom. It’s OK to be cheap with your website.
I’m not suggesting cutting corners and getting sub-par design or tech help. Those things cost money and you’ll need to invest in them. I am suggesting being as cheap as you can. Be economical.
It’s easy to dump a lot of money into a site. And don’t forget the time investment. You might not be paying yourself like you would a contractor to write for your blog, but your time is still valuable. It’s easy to dump a lot of resources into a site before you know it’s worth your investment.
One of the great things about the web is that there are a lot of extremely cheap or even free services out there, and some of those do exactly what you need. Try a free service before committing to hefty monthly fees. You might discover the monthly fees are worth it. Or you might save yourself a pile of cash.
One of the best blog services and content management systems out there is WordPress. It’s free. But setting it up, customizing it and keeping it updated might be beyond your skill level, which is where a pay service might pay off (like ours).
While you’re saving money, don’t forget about making money. Spending a little on your site is worth it if it starts to bring in more money. Hopefully your site will quickly bring some health to your bottom line (that’s the point, right?).
But don’t forget that there are extra ways your site can bring in money. Especially if you’re running a blog it’s worth considering some of the extra revenue possibilities. There’s always advertising, which may or may not work for what you’re trying to accomplish, and there are also referral opportunities. Some of your business partners may offer a small kickback when you refer paying customers. Amazon runs a popular affiliate service that will pay you a small percentage when click-thrus turn into sales. It may not amount to much, but a few dollars from Amazon when you review books might help offset some of your costs.
