Should You Invest in a Paid Web Site?
By Rosanne Cohen
Posted Tuesday, October 12, 2004
One of the biggest misconceptions people have who market a product or business online is thinking that a free web site is just as good as a paid one.
NOT TRUE!
Free web sites are fine for fun and games and there is a definite need for them on the Internet. But this is not so for serious-minded business people. Credibility is tantamount to doing business on the World Wide Web.
In order to establish credibility on the Internet, you would be much wiser to invest in a private paid web site whereby you are guaranteed that your web host will not "disappear" one day and take your business along with it.
A free web page/site gives your customers the impression and implies that your business is not that important to you. Would you want to do business with someone who cared so little about his business that he was not willing to secure his investment?
A free web site will also come with "strings attached." No company is going to give you a free web site without wanting "something" in return.
Companies that offer free web pages/sites will often require you to sign up for some other costly service and require you to let others post banner ads on your site which could ultimately cost you sales.
By having other banner ads on your web site, you stand the chance of your customers clicking on those banners, never to return to your web page! Can you really afford to lose customers when you finally get them there? Web surfers don't hang around for long so you really need to have their undivided attention! Studies indicate that 60% of the people who visit a web site will leave the site immediately if they see any advertising banners.
Some companies that offer free web pages will also bombard you with unsolicited "junk" emails and many other undesirable things. Some of them will also sell your name to list brokers.
Free web pages are usually limited in size (typically not more than 5 megs). None of them will give you state-of-the-art web building software and tutorials to help you build a web site. The free software is pretty basic.
In the end a paid private web site will ultimately convey to your customers that you are a serious business person and that "they" are your most important asset!
WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN A PRIVATE WEB SITE COMPANY...
> A web site that is large enough and has enough pages for all of your needs.
> The ability to edit and maintain your web site yourself rather than pay a webmaster to do it for you.
> State-of-the-art software that is simple enough to use for the beginner and advanced enough for the experienced professional
> Tutorials that will teach you how to build your web site that are easy to understand and in multiple languages.
> Hosting that is free or very inexpensive.
> A secure web site which will have free live unlimited technical support available.
So do yourself a favor and stop fooling around with "free web sites." If you are serious about either starting your own business or promoting your existing one, it will ultimately be to your advantage to have your own private web site. Your customers will feel more comfortable and more likely to buy from you which in turn will definitely increase your sales.
Rosanne Cohen
Please visit (www.skynary.com/ez2do4u/go) for exciting details on how to start and successfully operate your own International Home-Based Business or mailto:Marosco@aol.com
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