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Is there an easy way to build a website?
Building a website is no easy matter. There are so many choices to make, and it’s not cheap either. After you’ve paid for hosting, a theme — even if you use an open-source content management system, like WordPress, you will still need a theme — had a design commissioned and content written, you will pay a sizeable build cost and ongoing maintenance too.
My website was not paying its way last year, and as I needed to cut costs, I binned it when I saw what Godaddy wanted to charge me for hosting it. It wasn’t earning its keep getting me more business. To be fair, the industry had been turned upside down, and there was little new business to had anywhere.
Sometimes you need to make tough decisions.
This year I have been looking a little more closely at Google sites. I had dismissed it before as it wasn’t a CMS (Content Management System) and looked a bit ‘old hat’ in terms of design options. But after watching a few videos from creative webmasters, I’ve changed my mind.
The great thing about Google sites is it’s free. You can even assign your own domain name if you have bought one already. Failing that, you can buy one from Google domains and assign it to your new Google website.
It’s also very easy to build and although the options are limited, in a way, that’s a good thing. Speaking from experience here, I can easily become paralysed when there are infinite design and build choices. What if I keep it really simple, but use the advice from a few YouTubers whose site I like the look of, to build a decent looking site for me?
It’s now on my to-do list — yes, I have one of those and it does help me get stuff done — and I will get a site up and running soon.
Except for my domain name annual renewal cost, it will be free!
