4 Reasons and Tips on Why You Should Build a Website

Sian Victoria © - Editing website while remote working in coffee shop

In today's digital world, there are so many reasons you might need a website. From personal projects like a blog or a portfolio to showcase your talents, to something more demanding like a business where you need branding, service promotion or e-commerce, there's something for all.

And let's not forget, that these days, everyone looks up what they want on the internet, so if there is no site for it, you likely won't reach your target audience. Yes, you may have a social media presence, or be available on marketplaces, but there's a growing emphasis on the need to have an independent online presence too.

1. Website Creation: Tools and Choices

Online you can find numerous tools for creating websites. Some of these are very simple, aiding newcomers in creating sites with ease. These include drag-and-drop sites to build websites. Of course there's also the other end of the spectrum available too with options of flexible CMS platforms like WordPress, or the ability to hire a web designer. Each of these approaches comes with varying levels of complexity, costs, and customisation options.

2. The Essential Steps to Build a Website

When you decide to create a website, there are specific steps you need to follow. First, before you get designing, you need to sit down and really consider defining the goal and the purpose of the website. Once that has been locked in, it's then time for you to choose the platform and the tools you intend to use for this.

If you haven't already, you need to find a domain name, register it and then purchase the domain on your hosting platform. With all this in place, you can move on to the design, layout and structure of your site. In this phase, you add the content and features to your site. Once all the images, information and content is added, publish the site and maintain it over the months.

3. Website Costs: What to Expect and What Affects Them

Different ways of building and maintaining a website have varying costs. As mentioned, the cost does depend on the type of platform you're using to create the website. Here are some of the price ranges you can expect from the different types:

• Website builders start from around £1.99 per month
• WordPress typically begins at £36 per year or more than £1000 depending on the plugins and hosting options
• Hiring a website designer usually starts at £4000

There are usually ongoing costs associated with running and maintaining a website too. These include:

• Domain name from £8-20+ a year
• Hosting from £20-300+ each year
• Premium themes and plugins
• Security, SEO tools and image libraries

All these costs can quickly add up when you're running a website. Costs are typically linked to complexity and the size of the website as a whole.

Sian Victoria © - Editing website while remote working in coffee shop

4. Saving Money: Smart Tools and Discount Codes

Websites can be an expensive investment. But there are ways to save on the website creation and maintenance costs, all without compromising on the quality of the site. You can choose an all-in-one website builder subscription, which gives you everything, including add-ons, in one payment.

You can also choose to create bundles and have hosting, security and templates all rolled into one, slightly cheaper deal. A great way to see what you like before committing to it, is to test out sites using the free version first. Additionally, this will help you understand exactly which features you need to reach your website goals.

Alongside all of this, you should be looking around to make use of vouchers and promo codes for the different web builder platforms. These are typically widely available and made easier to find by a specific platform such as Discoup.com, an online resource that collates all promotions and discounts from all the web builder platforms, but does so all in one place. Searching on this site can give you coupons for web tools, domain names and hosting services.

Using such codes can really mean getting your hands on major savings like discounted monthly rates, access to free trials or reduced annual fees on premium services. However, it's not just about finding the best deals, but choosing services that align with your current needs and future scalability.

Planning for the Long Term

Carefully evaluate your needs, budget and digital goals before choosing which platform to build your website on. While many affordable tools are available, you need to understand the full picture, which means checking for hidden costs, and long-term maintenance to inform your choice. Explore website solutions and resources to build an effective website.