Buying a website or making it by yourself?

butterfly_effect

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What is better to buy a ready to go website or make it on your own? I am seriously thinking whether I should buy one instead of making it on my own since I don't have any experience in the field. What is the catch when buying one? I hope someone can explain! :)
 

Richard White

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When you say "ready to go", are you talking about using a service like WordPress, or are you talking about web sites that are created/maintained by someone else for you? I have opinions but I want to define just what you're looking for.
 

stephenf

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Hi
It is not too difficult to make your own website if you have plenty of time. You will need to, register a domain name, find a cheap and reliable company to host your site, and download Wordpress. There you go, you will have a website. Youtube is a good place to look for a more detailed explanation of what to do and customize Wordpress. Whatever you do, don't take any offers of free websites or domain name registration.
 
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Laer Carroll

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You don't have to buy a website. WordPress, Blogger, and several other companies let you create a totally free site where your only cost is the time it takes you to shape it into the "brand" you want to show to your readers. It's fairly simple to create an elegantly simple site which will serve you for years. One cost you probably want eventually is to rent a domain name, such as FirstnameLastname.com. (You cannot buy a domain name which is yours forever; you can only rent it for a year, or at most three years.)

If you need more options than the free sites provide you can buy time on a server and download WordPress or similar software to set up the site. But this costs not just money but expertise you either want to develop or hire out. Best to begin with a free site and graduate to a self-hosted site when you need the extra options self-hosted gives you.
 

butterfly_effect

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When you say "ready to go", are you talking about using a service like WordPress, or are you talking about web sites that are created/maintained by someone else for you? I have opinions but I want to define just what you're looking for.
I was thinking about letting someone else maintaining it since I don't have enough knowledge nor experience.

Hi
It is not too difficult to make your own website if you have plenty of time. You will need to, register a domain name, find a cheap and reliable company to host your site, and download Wordpress. There you go, you will have a website. Youtube is a good place to look for a more detailed explanation of what to do and customize Wordpress. Whatever you do, don't take any offers of free websites or domain name registration.
Yeah, I guess it is true if I do enough research I might come across some good source and do it by myself. I was just wondering whether it is worth it. I will spend a lot of time doing it and I am not sure whether I will achieve or not. But I guess it is cost-efficient.

You don't have to buy a website. WordPress, Blogger, and several other companies let you create a totally free site where your only cost is the time it takes you to shape it into the "brand" you want to show to your readers. It's fairly simple to create an elegantly simple site which will serve you for years. One cost you probably want eventually is to rent a domain name, such as FirstnameLastname.com. (You cannot buy a domain name which is yours forever; you can only rent it for a year, or at most three years.)

If you need more options than the free sites provide you can buy time on a server and download WordPress or similar software to set up the site. But this costs not just money but expertise you either want to develop or hire out. Best to begin with a free site and graduate to a self-hosted site when you need the extra options self-hosted gives you.
Thank you so much for the information! I will check them out! So can the domain name usage be extended in the future after the 3rd year?
 

EMaree

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Thank you so much for the information! I will check them out! So can the domain name usage be extended in the future after the 3rd year?

Yes, very easily, and you will get plenty of notice before renewal. It is very simple to keep hold of a domain name indefinitely, just keep on top of payments and keep your contact details up-to-date.
 

Rosanna Banana

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I made my own website last year and I had zero clue what I was doing. I googled, watched YouTube videos and just picked it up as I went along. It was actually kind of satisfying learning and doing it myself, although certainly took a little bit of time and effort (especially because I work full-time, have kids etc. so it was a "spare time" project.) My husband was going to ask a friend to do my website but I wanted to learn the ropes and be in control of it. I felt if I didn't learn and handed it over to someone else that anytime I wanted to change anything I'd have to wait for someone else to do it. Now, if I want to make changes I know what to do and can get it done quick.
 

Enlightened

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There are advantages and disadvantages of using your own Web site vs. doing something like a blog site on Wordpress.

The more ways you use it, outside of a blog, the more sense it makes to have your own. You can run it from your own server (at home)m which can invite attackers at any time. Running an HTTP server brings LOADS of security issues. If you pay a web hosting company, many will help build a Web site and maintain it for you as well.

If you make videos, and you do not want adverts on them, a blog, a private message board, and whatever else, you may want to think about having your own. If it is just a blog and videos, you can upload videos to YouTube and embed the links in your blog page, but adverts show. There are tradeoffs.

Also. if you pay a webhost for their storage and what not, you have someone to talk to for help.
 
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stephenf

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I was just wondering whether it is worth it. I will spend a lot of time doing it and I am not sure whether I will achieve or not. But I guess it is cost-efficient.

It is probably only worth making and maintaining a website if you enjoy the process.