Web sites are what I do for a living, so I have clients of all shapes and sizes. Some are above-average computer users and others are not. Over a year ago, I wrote an article about Mambo and Joomla, explaining that these web-_base_d tools are some of the best for providing an easy-to-update, feature-rich site. We still use Joomla to launch most of our client sites, but from time to time we are approached by clients who, in spite of our streamlined process and “mountain rates,” still don’t have the budget to engage us for a professionally designed site. For those of you who are big on ideas, short on cash, and ready to invest sweat equity, the web development tools listed below may be just what you need.
The web sites I’ve included are WYSIWYG (“What you see is what you get”) for the most part, and managed over the web. This means they do not require additional software on your computer, they are accessible from any web browser, and they do not require advanced knowledge (such as HTML, Java, PHP, etc.)
A few cautionary notes before we delve into some of the great new tools available:If you do not do a good job of keeping up with e-mail, you should accept that fact that it is unlikely that you will be able to maintain your own web site. Although these tools are made for simplicity, if you are technically challenged, look to professionals for a well-designed, well-maintained site.When you choose “canned” packages to create a site, you will have to compromise and remain flexible. Most of the packages below offer some good-looking templates, and some even have image libraries; but in order to keep things simple, they must maintain a certain level of structure that won’t always let you arrange things to suit your preference. With “canned” packages comes the risk that your site may look like other sites (logo here, header picture there, main header there, etc).The “free” web site tools generally mean you will be required to host ads on your site. It is likely that you will see ads on your site that you may not like, so be sure to take a look at premium upgrades that allow you to eliminate ads.When you’re evaluating the right solution, look at all of the available tools or widgets to make sure that your site can be interactive and grow. For starters, some tools to which you will probably want access: video placement, shopping cart, polls, forums (message boards), blogs, RSS feeds, and statistics.DIY tools assume that you have some knowledge of handling images and creating your own text. If you are not a good writer or don’t understand how to resize, crop, and upload images, you may still require professional assistance.Be sure that the company you select offers support, because stuff happens on the web. Not only do you want to be sure you have a phone number and e-mail address to contact, you also want to be certain that the company provides backup and restore services.Web design cost is all about time. Be it your time or a consultant’s time, someone will have to commit time for your site to launch—it won’t be built on its own.When evaluating cost, be sure you understand all the costs, including domain registration and the company’s monthly fees. Sometimes, even though the low cost looks great at the outset, you may find in the end that you’ve spent as much as if you’d gone with a professional site designer to start with! Most of these tools require that you host where you build, and generally offer the ability to apply your own domain name (www.yourownsitename.com). I recommend that you use an ICANN-accredited domain registrar (www.icann.org/en/registrars/accredited-list.html) rather than these sites to purchase your domain name.These tools may not inherently provide many of the things necessary to make your web site easy to find through search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.). Content is king, and you can have an impact there, but most search engines now look at a long list of criteria to determine which site is first on the list. You may not always have access to these items with pre-packaged sites.
Now that we have the general disclaimers out of the way, let’s move on to some of the better options available in the marketplace.
Andy’s Web Tools – www.andyswebtools.comAndy’s Web Tools offers a simplified approach to creating your own site. They include some handy tools like a calendar, appointments, e-mail blasts, and downloadable files. Their rates are simple, too—either $29.00/month or $39.00/month (plus $12 for purchasing a domain name), depending on your need for a shopping cart. Andy’s Web Tools is a bit more complicated than the other solutions, but that is because it is more flexible. One thing I really like about Andy’s Web Tools—it’s one of the few that tells the viewer that they are physically located.This information is not evident on many other tool sites.
FreeWebs – members.freewebs.com/create.jspIf you select premium services, somewhat counter to its name, FreeWebs appears to be the most robust tool-provider on this list. It also gets my vote for being the easiest to construct a working site. Premium offerings range from $1.66/month to $20.83/month—not such round numbers because they offer annual rates. FreeWebs is one of the few that offers an e-mail blast tool (text-_base_d messages to viewers who sign up on your site). They also offer tools like a ShoutBox and ChatRoom, which are great if you have time to manage them. Although they have a template library, they all have a similar look and feel. In fact, as a discerning viewer, I would likely peg these sites as “homemade.” Their search engine optimization (SEO) is done through on-line directories; this lacks details and is somewhat suspect.
Homestead – www.homestead.comLaunched by Intuit, the makers of TurboTax and Quicken, and _base_d upon sample customer sites, Homestead appears to offer the most flexible site design. They also offer pre-built sites, complete with images and sample text. Although this may sound like a dream to those who have trouble penning a coherent sentence, customizing the text on your site is a must. Homestead prices range from $4.99/month to over $49.99/month, depending upon how many items you might want to have in an on-line store and how many e-mail accounts you need. They also offer packages for placing Google AdWords and listings that provide “qualified prospects,” through the Intuit Business Directory. Unfortunately, that directory is not a heavily used tool. Homestead does offer support options with various packages.
Web Site Builder – www.networksolutions.com/create-a-website/website-builder-features.jspThought of by many as the grandfather of the Internet, Network Solutions has made Web Site Builder available for many years. Their DIY packages range from $3.95/month to $12.46/month, but they have several add-on options, such as analytics, forums, guestbook, e-commerce, and site-specific search that have additional fees—some of which are not cheap. Network Solutions does offer excellent support, which is built into all of their packages. Their templates are lukewarm, however, and are likely to be identifiable as a Web Site Builder site.
WebSite Tonight – www.godaddy.com/gdshop/hosting/hosting_build_website.asp?ci=9028One of the most popular ICANN domain registrars, and the one I generally recommend, offers numerous tools and is the master of the site management interface. Plans range from $4.99/month to $12.99/month, with additional features for additional fees. GoDaddy’s templates are a bit lack-luster, but their support is some of the best on the web. They do offer password-protected pages, which are handy if you want to allow certain viewers or groups of viewers access to information you do not want available to the public. GoDaddy also provides some “canned” flash intros to which you can add the music of your choice.
Look around, kick the tires, and see if any of these tools meet your needs. It’s a good place to get started if you are technically able, and willing to invest the time.
Favoured: 0
