Google it.  It means that you don’t get something for nothing, and this relates to website design and development – even domain names, hosting and search engine optimisation.

If you believe the message in the flyer that lobs into your letterbox promoting “A website for $179 – nothing more to pay” there’s a catch.

Look out for –

• Who owns the registration of the domain name?
• Who owns the graphics, photos, logo?
• How much does it cost to go just a little bit further than what they’re offering – e.g. an extra page, extra graphics, a bit more text, changes to text, etc
• Can you expand the site?
• Do you have to put up with banner advertising?
• If there’s banner advertising, how do I know there won’t be a competitor’s ad?
• How much is the recurring costs – and how often?
• Where is the site hosted?
• What happens if you are not satisfied?
• Who do you call – and when?
• What happens if I want to make changes later?

If you’re unsure about any of these questions, ask. If you want to persevere with a cheap website, just be sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for.

We can’t help you with a site at $179 but we can tailor a website to help your business.

• Typically a website will cost you over $1000.  If you want to include a content management system with cost-saving and labour-saving features, and have total control over all content, you’re looking at $30,000+
• If you want an entry-level 2-page website, we can help you (see our product – www.yournewwebsite.com.au) for a largely self-driven solution at $888.00 (including GST).

Copyright 2009 © David W James