Loading...Building a website for free without requiring any formal training or education was simply unimaginable until a few years ago. However, with the introduction of free website creator tools, web designing has been made easier for the common man. There are literally hundreds of free online web development tools, so it is important to know which tools to rely on and which ones to ignore. A hasty decision of choosing a free website creator tool can cause inconvenience later on as you will have to switch to another program and start building your website from scratch.
Here are seven simple steps to pick the right website creator tool:
Contents
1-Comparison between CMS & Web-Based Web Development
CMS stands for ‘content management system’ and WordPress and Joomla are considered to be two of the most commonly used CMS tools for web development. The two versions of CMS are available to users for free and come with various exciting themes/templates. There are various advantages of opting for CMS including availability of thousands of templates, cheaper domain hosting, more user-friendly, great customization options and lower cost in long-term. In addition, you can also receive technical support in case you are willing to buy a premium plan instead of going after free themes/templates in which case you will have to spend time searching on the web for assistance.
As the name suggests web-based website builder tools are 100% web-based and allow you to establish your own website for free using their software. In comparison with CMS, web-based website building also has many benefits. For starters, this type of web developing is easier as it includes tutorials and does not include the use of coding. The cost for hosting also does not arise unless you wish to have a customized domain. In addition, web-based website development comes with greater support and smoother functionality as it does not involve the use of add-ons and plug-ins.
2- Action Plan if You Choose CMS
Once you have made up your mind about going the CMS way, you need to select a hosting service and make your mind about your domain name. After registering your domain name, the next step is to start shopping for a theme or a template depending on whether you wish to work with WordPress or Joomla. Afterwards, you need to simply install CMS in the hosting account of yours and start working with a theme or template. Once you reach this point, there is not much left except for getting on with the creation of your website. Users can access loads of information on how to use WordPress and Joomla on the internet.
3- Building a Website with Web-Based Website Creator
The advent of online website creator tools has given users the opportunity to create different styles of websites easily. In order to understand this point, you need surf the net and gather ideas about website designs by visiting some attractive websites. The next step is to see if the website creator tool you have chosen gives you enough options to be able to create a website that will live up to your imagination. There are different categories of websites in terms of their functionality, some of which are as follows:
* Blog
* Membership site
* E-business
* Social media website
* SEO-based website
* Scheduling functionality
* Video hosting
The fact is that some website creator tools allow you to create websites with different functionalities for free, while others charge a fee for a certain type, for instance, SEO-ready website. You really have to do some soul searching and ask yourself what type of website you want to create.
4- Is Building a Proto-Type Site a Good Idea?
No matter which method of web development you feel inclined to use, creating a proto-type website is always a good call as it can give you a fair idea about the flexibility and usability of the software you are using for this purpose. If you have chosen a free website builder, there is no harm in creating a small website with a few web pages to gauge the effectiveness of the tool.
5- Free Website Maker & Its Baggage
In case you wish to utilize a free website builder tool to create your website, it is important to be aware of the baggage that comes with this choice. Usually, users do not get to customize domain or get rid of ads with free packages.
6- Keep an Eye on Future
No matter what website creator tool you choose, it is important to get your facts right about the cost you will have to incur if you decide to upgrade your plan in future. As for using WordPress or Joomla, you will enjoy great functionality and might have to purchase plug-ins and add-ons in future, although their cost is negligible as compared to the fee of hiring a professional web developer.
7- Focus on Building Your Website
Finally, the seventh and last step is to concentrate on building your website by dedicating enough time, getting know-how of SEO and paying attention to the quality of your content. In the end, you just have to enjoy the process of creating website and be as imaginative as you can.