Cheapest Ways to Make a Website That Looks Good

Approximately 50 percent of all small businesses still don't have a website. Are you part of this declining group of companies? If so, what is holding you back from establishing an online presence?

Often, when businesses haven't created a website for themselves, it is either because they don't know how or they think it costs too much — it could also be both of these reasons.

If you have been putting off building a website, it is time to make a change.

Read on to learn about the cheapest way to make a website that looks good and functions well.


Why Having a Website Matters

Are you still on the fence about setting up a website for your business? Are you unconvinced that you need one to succeed in the modern digital age?

If this is the case, knowing these benefits of having a website might change your mind:

More Credibility

These days, it is pretty much expected that all businesses will have a website. If you don't have a presence online, people might be wary of working with your business. They might wonder how legitimate you are or how much experience you have.

More Growth

Having a website allows more people to find out about your business. You can attract customers from all over the world, but you can also help locals find your store when they are already out shopping and ready to make a purchase.

Build Relationships

An online presence provides you with more opportunities to connect with current and potential customers. The more connected people feel to your brand, the more likely they are to become loyal shoppers.

Showcase Your Work

A website also provides you with a place to showcase your work. No matter what kind of business you run, you can use your website to show off your portfolio and get more people interested in what you do or sell.


The Cheapest Way to Make a Website

Alright, you can see why a website is important. Is it possible to create one without spending a fortune, though?

Yes, it is absolutely possible. Here are some steps to follow to set up a website that looks good and runs well without spending a lot of money:

Start with Affordable Hosting

The first place to start when you are looking to create a website is with a hosting platform. There are lots of different hosting companies to choose from, and they often run specials for new customers. Most of these web hosting companies work well with versatile WordPress CMS sites (Source).

Most people can get by just fine with a shared hosting plan (this means you will be sharing a server with several other websites). These are the most affordable plans, but they will still provide you with everything you need.

As tempting as it might be to look for free hosting, you are better off making a small investment. Free hosting often doesn't provide you with the resources you need to set up and maintain your website.

Most hosting platforms offer shared hosting plans for less than $10 per month. You can save even more money by paying for the whole year upfront.

Choose the Right Domain Name

Next, you will need to choose the right domain name for your website. The domain name is the address that people will type in when they navigate their way to your business's website.

Many hosting platforms will provide you with a free or low-cost domain name. Choose one that is unique and represents your business (try to include your business's name if possible) and is SEO-friendly.

Prioritize Security

One place where you do not want to skimp when it comes to setting up your website is security. Spending a little money now can save you from having to spend a lot of money later if a security breach were to occur.

When you're looking into different hosting plans, look for one that comes with free or low-cost security features to protect your website and those who visit it.

Use Your Host's Free Design Tools

Often, when people start trying to find out more about setting up a website, they assume that they have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on website development and design services in order to get a good-looking website.

Once upon a time, that might have been true. It is not the case anymore, though.

Most web hosts provide you access to a lot of free tools that simplify the design process and allow you to set up a website that looks great and functions exactly as you need it to. A lot of these tools are very user-friendly, too.

Emphasize SEO

Be sure to download some tools (many are free) that will help you with your website search engine optimization (SEO).

This will make it easier for people to find your website online and help it rank higher on search engine results pages.

The better your SEO is, the more people your website will attract and the sooner you'll see a return on your website investment.

Get Affordable Assistance

At some point during this process, you may need some help getting your website up and running. The good news is that there are lots of resources out there that will provide you with the help you need for little-to-no money.

If you want to do this without spending any extra money, don't underestimate the value of YouTube tutorials or the Help section of your web host's website.

If you don't mind spending a little money, you can also reach out for low-cost assistance on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. 


Make Your Website Today

If making a website seemed way too challenging for you, hopefully, the information in this article has given you some insight and shown you that it is not as difficult as you thought at first.

With a little work and research, you can put together an eye-catching, easy-to-navigate website that helps more people find out about your business and purchase what you have to offer. 

Websites Working Well

Now that you know the cheapest way to make a website for your business, what's next? Do you want to learn more about building a website? Do you want to learn how you can make your website look and run even better?

If so, we have got lots of frugal website resources available for you on our site. Check out the Tech and WebDev sections today for more actionable advice.