We don’t need to bang on about the importance of having a company website – hopefully you may have read that article five years ago. Of course, it’s going to be more important in some industries rather than others but in general, being online is absolutely essential for a lot of company’s survival.
While its importance can’t be disputed, the “how to” get online is a different matter entirely. If you’ve just launched your start-up, and funds are naturally low, it can be a bit of a head-scratcher.
Fortunately, all is not lost. While you can spend tens of thousands on a company website if you so desire, there are alternatives out there which will suit the smaller start-up down to a tee. Let’s take a look at the three main options in detail to give you more of an idea.
Option #1 – The website builder
Years ago, this would have been a bit of a disaster choice. Sure, website builders have now existed for a long time, but it’s only recently that they have been able to have been classed as a serious option for a company website.
Previously, they were riddled with bugs. Now, they have features spilling out of their ears – so much so that they comfortably satisfy the company website, and probably more advanced ones as well.
Taking this free website builder from Web Eden as an example, this shows how the concept is more than a simple template. Businesses really can stamp their own identity through a service like this and as the name suggests, you don’t have to be tech-savvy in the slightest. Clearly, when finances are tight, the latter is a huge advantage.
Option #2 – The agency approach
The first option we looked at can work superbly well for those of you on a budget. On the flip side, we have the approach where you work with design and development agencies.
This obviously brings much higher cost implications into the picture. A lot of this cost depends on your location, but you’ve also got to consider potential future costs. A lot of these companies operate on a “retainer” basis, meaning you’ll pay a monthly fee for them to look after the website and update it accordingly.
Suffice to say, for a lot of start-ups it’s well and truly out of the question. However, the big plus is that it removes a lot of work from your plate if you do have the finance.
Option #3 – The DIY method
Lastly, we have the DIY approach. This doesn’t have to be as scary as it first seems, before you click the back button.
Once upon a time you may have had to code the whole thing yourself. Nowadays, there are various platforms out there that can help you along your way. Admittedly, you will need some technical knowledge and you won’t have the advantage of immediately having a nice looking website like you would with the first option we looked at, but for those of you who want complete control it can be a good solution.
