Start-up companies might think that a free website is the ultimate solution to saving money in terms of online marketing. Unfortunately that is not the case. Your free website might do more damage than you think.
10 Disadvantages of Free Websites:
- Limited space for your web pages
- Can’t add additional features (plugins, shopping carts, forums, chat rooms, etc.)
- Search engines may not send as much traffic due to lack of trust
- Your visitors may doubt your credibility
- May have ads on your homepage and/or all of your pages
- You don’t own your site. You’re renting it.
- No guarantees of site availability and longevity (because you don’t own it)
- No branded emails addresses (you@yourdomain.com)
- Poor help and support options (if any)
- May not be free forever
On the other hand if you want to ensure that your website communicates trust, you will need to own it. You will also save a lot of headache if you do your website right from the start.
10 Advantages of owning your domain name:
- You actually own your domain (yourdomain.com)
- No annoying advertising banners or popups
- More credibility with the search engines (Google etc.)
- You have more control over the look and feel of your website.
- Multiple branded email addresses (you@yourdomain.com)
- Plenty of web page space for site expansion
- No worries of site being removed unexpectedly
- Looks more professional than freesite.yoursite.com
- More flexibility for design and functionality
- Support is available for problems, technical help, etc.
