[Plas Nant]

I'm looking to build a cheap reasonably good looking site to display my soay sheep. I notice a lot of smallholders have site and wondered if anyone could recommend a cheap, easy and reliable way to do it? I've seen adverts for building and hosting sites packages, are they worth while?

Cheers

Bob

[JulieS]

I use names.co.uk.

Quite reasonably priced and their sitemaker is pretty easy to use too.

[doganjo]

I've never used them but am about to help a friend set up a website using webs or weebly which are both free I understand.  A domain name should cast you around £7 for two years registration.

[little blue]

yes, weebly is def free...

[ellied]

I use webs (also free) which provide hundreds of templates in multiple colour options, and are simple to create and maintain..

I used to hand build/edit sites but they're so easy to do with these tools now that it makes no sense to go for anything more complex for the kind of site you're talking about and it makes things much cheaper for the client aswell as simple enough for them to take on and edit/update themselves afterwards.

You can either buy a domain name and reroute to the webs page eg www.elementalheart.com goes to http://elementalheart.webs.com which is where it really is, and for my stud I gave up the www.kirkcarrion.com as actually it is fine with http://kirkcarrion.webs.com To be honest the domain purchase isn't that important, it's how you link and use the site name you have

[Plas Nant]

Thanks for the replies. A great result i.e learning that it can even be free and that using the site builders is a good way. I had seen adverts on TV for 1 & 1 hosting and web builder, but then read some adverse comment about them. Left me unsure which way to go.

Thanks again, Bob

[tizaala]

We use Webs.com

[princesspiggy]

You can either buy a domain name and reroute to the webs page eg www.elementalheart.com goes to http://elementalheart.webs.com which is where it really is,

this is my next challenge. how do u actually do that? i have the .com but currently using webs.

[goosepimple]

We have Business Gateway Enterprise which is a learning trust for those starting small businesses etc - they do brilliant courses on getting your own website up and running, how to do tax returns, marketing etc and its all free.  They do it extremely professionally and they give you free 1 to 1 help if you need it (they don't just give you an idea what to do and leave you, they really do help).  I don't know what areas they do but you may have something similar in your area under a different name (we're Scottish Borders).  Its great and totally free.

[Plas Nant]

Again, thanks for the replies. I've just looked at one of the webs.com sites, expecting it to be full of adverts. I couldn't see any so the question is, what do the hosts get out of it? It looks good to me but just want to be sure that there isn't a snag. If not, why pay the charges on other sites such as 1&1?

Cheers

Bob

[Dan]

Again, thanks for the replies. I've just looked at one of the webs.com sites, expecting it to be full of adverts. I couldn't see any so the question is, what do the hosts get out of it?

They offer paid packages as well as the free packages: http://www.webs.com/pricing.htm

It may be that you just haven't visited any of the free, ad-supported sites yet?

I expect their business model is based on getting enough free subscribers to upgrade to get more features and remove ads.

HTH,

Dan