As most businesses are going digital, there have never been so many different alternatives to building a website as in recent years. Startups and individuals who are new to website building may feel overwhelmed and confused at the variety of options out there. So how do you get started?
The first decision you’d have to make is whether you’d like to host your website on the cloud or whether you’d like to invest in an in-house server for hosting. In the case of a cloud-based solution, a third party (a website hosting company) will host your website, so you won’t have to worry about backups and data losses.
Having an in-house server requires an investment in hardware and infrastructure - and if you’re not IT-savvy, you would also need a developer and IT support to help you along the way. In-house servers give you more control over your information, but may be costly, require space and come with no uptime guarantees. This makes them less than ideal for one person businesses or companies who are dependent on online transactions.
Perhaps the fastest way to build and design a website if you have no coding skills or if you don’t want to hire your own developer is to join a website building and hosting company, such as Squarespace or Wix. These companies have different plans, and give you access to a variety of templates so you can customize and design your website using drag and drop functions.
This solution is perfect for small businesses who would simply like an eye-catching site or blog, and also offer different plans with additional features, such as an online store, appointment scheduling and email marketing. However, using these services may be a bit limiting if you’d like to have certain custom features. In this case it’s best to host the site yourself and employ a qualified developer!
It’s always best to get started by getting clear on your business requirements. Would you simply like to showcase your artistic portfolio? Will you be selling products or services? Or do you require a software provider in order to be able to offer your services (for instance, many gambling websites like the ones featured on IndiaCasinos need to rent or buy their software from other companies).
Once you know what you want, you can find the solution that is most cost-effective and convenient for you or your business!