Free Website: Myths and Reality


Tuesday, 29-10-24, Nick Zoumpoulis

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The idea of a free website is very appealing, especially for those starting out or wanting to create a simple website on their own without high requirements or complexity. There are various tools and platforms that allow free website creation, ideal for students taking their first steps in web development, small businesses needing a basic one-page site, or a financial statement publication.

Free Website

However, the creation of a website with high standards, such as strong search engine ranking, appealing and user-friendly navigation, optimized code structure, ideal content, fast loading speeds, and complete functionality, requires a specialized approach and implementation that only a professional can ensure. Let's start with the basics.

What Is a Website?

A website consists of a set of technologies that combine to display information and allow user interaction. The "framework" of a website includes three main components:

  • HTML (HyperText Markup Language): The language that defines the structure of a website, determining elements like text, titles, and images.
  • CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): The language that controls the appearance of the website, such as colors, fonts, and the layout of elements.
  • JavaScript: Used to add interactive elements like buttons and animations.

Combining these three elements creates a website that can be static (with fixed content) or dynamic (with interactive elements and the ability to update). Although knowledge of HTML and CSS is not always required, it is helpful for those who want a deeper understanding of their site’s structure and design, especially if they plan to customize it in the future.

Free Tools for Website Creation

Many website builders offer free versions for users, providing basic functionality and sometimes displaying ads on the pages. Here are the main tools:

Wix

  • Pros: User-friendly interface with many ready-made customizations, ideal for beginners. It also offers a wide variety of design and customization options.
  • Cons: Free sites contain ads, and customization is limited. There is no support for transferring the site if the user wishes to switch platforms later or change themes after the site launch.

Weebly

  • Pros: Provides an easy drag-and-drop design interface and some built-in SEO features, making it easier for beginners to create their first websites.
  • Cons: Customization limits are quite tight, and the free version includes ads. It has limited capabilities for more complex projects.

Yola

  • Pros: A wide selection of themes and use of AI for easy template selection based on the type of website you want. It allows theme changes even after publishing the site.
  • Cons: Limited SEO tools and ads in the free version.

Google Sites

  • Pros: Free, ad-free, and fully integrated with Google products. It’s ideal for simple and collaborative websites that connect to the Google Workspace platform.
  • Cons: Limited customization and design options, mainly suitable for simple sites.

All the above options allow you to create a website by yourself, for free, without commitments. Additionally, most of these (except Google Sites) offer low-cost paid versions that remove ads and provide more tools (e.g., SEO) along with greater flexibility in themes and designs.

Building a Website On Your Own: Simple and Easy Solutions from the Local Market

Beyond the more popular international platforms, there are also solutions from Greece that allow you to build your website by yourself. These options are similar to those above and are just as good for simple websites and experimentation.

  • Papaki Website Builder: Provides basic website creation features with drag-and-drop tools and support in Greek. This platform is great for simple websites that don’t require extensive customization.
  • DNhost Website Builder: Another Greek platform offering free tools for basic website needs. Support in Greek and solutions tailored to local needs are two of its strong points.

These options are great for those who need a simple web presence without investing in something more specialized. However, it's important to note that SEO capabilities on both platforms are limited, making them less ideal for businesses aiming for high search engine rankings.

Another key drawback of all the above systems is the code structure and quality. Tools offering automation and drag&drop capabilities tend to produce complex and unstructured code segments, blending HTML with inline CSS and JavaScript, which reduce the quality, speed, and efficiency of a website.

This is something that only a professional web developer can observe by viewing the source code through their browser. Unfortunately, Google itself will also analyze and evaluate this through its spider (Google Bot) with less than optimal results for organic page ranking.

Creating a Website via Tutorials - The Power of WordPress

For the more adventurous, WordPress is the most popular platform, providing a flexible and dynamic solution for creating websites. There are countless sources and detailed step-by-step presentations on how one can build their website independently using WordPress. For instance, YouTube offers countless tutorials that will guide you through this process in detail.

  • WordPress.com: The free version allows for the creation of basic pages and blogs, with some pre-designed themes and limited customization options.
  • WordPress.org: The open version of WordPress, which gives full control and allows hosting on an independent server (at a low hosting cost), offering vast scalability and customization options.

By learning WordPress, you can manage and update your site easily without requiring extensive technical knowledge. Although there are many free tutorials, paid training can provide advanced techniques for those who want to create specialized sites.

Building a Website with HTML and CSS: The First Step in Programming

Building websites from scratch using HTML and CSS is an excellent choice for anyone wanting to learn how code works and gain a deeper understanding of how a website functions. Although this approach requires more time and learning, it is ideal for students or new developers looking to experiment and learn the basics of web design.

There are countless tutorials and free courses online that cover HTML and CSS basics. With these lessons, you will be able to create a simple, static website containing basic information for personal or professional use. For those who want to better understand how websites work, learning HTML and CSS is the first step toward more advanced languages, like JavaScript.

When a Professional Developer Is Needed

The need for a professional developer arises from the specific needs of each business. For example, if a company wants to build a website aiming to sell products and services, increase brand recognition, boost sales, attract more visitors, and ensure a highly professional online presence, a web developer or web design company is essential.

Some examples where a professional approach offers advantages are as follows:

  • SEO and Search Engine Optimization: Creating websites with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) capability is crucial for businesses wanting to improve their position in search engine results.
  • Creating an E-shop: E-commerce stores require specialized content management, secure transactions, and inventory tracking capabilities, all of which need expertise.
  • Customized Solutions, such as Rent a Car: Specialized functions, such as booking systems for car rentals, require advanced programming and design knowledge to achieve optimal user experience.
  • Content Guidance: Keyword analysis for search engines, competitor analysis, and creating proper content structure. Writing effective text with a good text-to-code ratio, as well as ideal usage of primary keywords in each page’s text naturally. Correct translations for multilingual websites.

Professionals can ensure that your website has the necessary performance, speed, and security, while also being user-friendly and attractive to visitors. With specialized construction, implementation, and further support, your website will have much greater success and appeal while achieving far better results in all areas.

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