The internet is packed full of countless companies offering free website hosting, and although this sounds a little more than tempting, the old saying the best things in life are free, doesn’t really apply when it comes to websites.
Most beginners who wish to start their own website want to keep the associated costs as low as possible, this is understandable. However, once you sign up for these “free website services” it won’t be long before you begin to discover the myriad of limitations that these free website have. In fact, in many cases you will find that these website services aren’t free at all – not to mention the time you will waste on creating a mediocre and ultimately ineffective website.
Today, anyone can have a presence on the web, even a 12 year old can create a crappy website and be present on the web – that does not mean that you’re going to get your name or your brand for that matter out there effectively. In this article I will share with you 10 reasons why having a free website is a terrible idea, and why you should avoid it all costs.
Slow websites
This is perhaps the most common negative aspect of free websites. This is because most free website hosting providers have hundreds of websites sharing the same server. This makes for a website that loads at a very slow speed, that gives a bad user experience, and is even worse for SEO.
Unprofessional web address
First of all, having a website with a domain name like “freewebsite.com” looks anything but professional. In fact, you can’t expect potential clients to take you or your website seriously if you don’t even have a proper domain name. Sure, some free website companies will offer custom domain names, but they usually come with a fee- making them a NOT free website, that has the same limitations as the “free” offerings. It’s just not worth it.
Irrelevant and intrusive advertisements on your website
The majority of these free website services are supported by advertisements that more often than not have absolutely nothing to do with you. Whats worse is that you’re creating the content on your website while your free website provider is racking in the cash for these ads. I personally am very intolerant of websites that blast me with intrusive and unattractive ads. Even if I am interested in the content of the site, a horde of ads littering the page will do nothing more than motivate me to find the information or service I am looking for elsewhere. In some cases it may be your very own competitors whose ads appear on your website! No thank you.
These companies can close up shop at anytime
At any time, and without notice, these free websites can decide to pack up their business and go. Before you know it they can and will shut down their servers, taking with them all the data and hard work you have put in. Think they can’t do that? Think again. Their terms and conditions give them full legal authority to do so.
They can shut down your website
These free websites come with terms and conditions that very clearly state that they can shut down your website at anytime, and without reason. In most cases this means that once your website has been shut down, you won’t get back any of the data, or be provided with a way to save your content. No one needs that sort of hassle hovering over their head.
Limited or no WordPress
Most free website services do not allow you to install WordPress, this is because WordPress requires more resources than a free website can afford, or is willing pay. Even if you find a free website service that allows you to host WordPress, more often than not their servers are just not capable of running it. In fact, you will almost certainly come across countless errors, that will ruin your WordPress experience.
They can sell your information
Look, these free website providers aren’t providing these free services out of the goodness of their hearts. They are in it to make money. One way they make their money, is by selling your information to other companies. This small detail is always mentioned in the terms and conditions, unfortunately no one really reads them – which is exactly what these providers are banking on.
Malware distribution
Free website service providers are notorious for distributing malware. This is probably due in part to their poor security, or they could just be doing it to increase their bank account balance. At any rate, it hurts your website’s reputation and SEO.
No branded email
With free websites you cannot create email accounts with your own domain name. This means you will have to use your gmail or hotmail email account, this does not look professional at all.
No backups
Imagine you have designed and created a beautifully laid out content for your website. Now think about something bad happening to your site where all of your hard work and data is gone. This is a very real possibility when it comes to having a free website. This is because these free websites have absolutely no concept of regular backups to safeguard you from losing, or being able to restore your data. Again, it’s just not worth it.
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