5 Ways to Build a Website for Free!

Yes – you can build a decent website for free. I will outline five online tools that will leave you with neither an embarrassing website nor a large bill!

1. Weebly – 

I do not know how these guys make money. One of the biggest challenges with do-it-yourself websites is the designs. They're usually TERRIBLE. As in, don't touch it with a 10-ft pole terrible. The designs on Weebly are great – provided you want a very simple, clean streamlined website that does not require robust e-commerce. I built a website in literally 15 minutes.

2. Site2You – 

You still need a hosting company and there's a $59.95 fee after your 7-day trial period, but you can get yourself up and running at no cost for the first seven days. The templates are a mix of great and overly busy. The site is easy to set up. This one took me the full hour, but I ended up with a more professional looking website.

3. freewebs.com –

While there is a difference between the free version and the pro versions you can still set up great looking website. In the pro version you have access to lots of features (in future articles we'll help you decide if you actually need any of these features). The free version is completely free – no trial period.

4. Blogger and Wordpress – 

Two great blogging sites that are totally free. But did you know you can also build regular website using Blogger & Wordpress? These can be great, free tools and you can point your domain name to them so that it doesn't read "yourbusiness.blogger.com"

5. Apple's website building tool - 

I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of websites I've seen my students build using Apple's iWeb software. They're clean and simple and with a bit of guidance from a professional about what to include and how to avoid common mistakes you'll be well on your way. Of course, you want to have a Mac computer and you'll get the most mileage from the tool if you have a .mac account or another hosting account. Mac users can consider iWeb a good source for building a simple free website.

With all of the DIY tools remember one thing – your website is only as good as its content. Make sure your content isn't just "descriptive" or leading nowhere. Create content that asks for an action - moving visitors one step closer to being customers.

Earn online with You Tube

If there's a dramatic performer hidden inside you who craves applause and adulation, upload yourself on YouTube. You can be a filmmaker, musician or comedian who wants a wider audience. Your earnings will come from ads displayed on your video page. This process is similar to the pay-per-click advertising program common to other Websites and blogs. Sites such as Flixya and Mediaflix can be helpful in this regard.

Online Web Marketing

Once a Website is created and optimised for search engine (SEO), the SEM or Search Engine Marketing begins. A treasure trove lies hidden here. An SEO/SEM expert, who is responsible for marketing a Website, can promote it in various ways. These include article marketing, writing press releases, forum posting, blog posting, submitting your site to directories and search engines, social bookmarking, etc. Most companies don't do this in-house and pay you to conduct the SEM for them.

Stock and forex trading

Joining the stock/forex market may seem a bit risky. However, you can start small and continue researching till you gain experience in this area. Once you do, it will be easy to earn from exchanging foreign currencies and/or stocks. Their rates fluctuate depending on supply and demand, and economic and political influences in the world. The aim of any trader is to spot which currency/stock is likely to rise or fall in value against another. The more time you put in, the more you will earn.

Online Selling photos

If you enjoy photography and are good with a camera, you could be sitting on a huge reserve of revenue. There are people who will be interested in your collection of images. Nowadays, it's easy to take your photos to the public, providing a convenient way to build a secondary income stream. Many stock photo agencies, such as Fotolia, Dreamstime and Shutterstock, offer incentives for people to earn from their photos.

Online Web Marketing

Once a Website is created and optimised for search engine (SEO), the SEM or Search Engine Marketing begins. A treasure trove lies hidden here. An SEO/SEM expert, who is responsible for marketing a Website, can promote it in various ways. These include article marketing, writing press releases, forum posting, blog posting, submitting your site to directories and search engines, social bookmarking, etc. Most companies don't do this in-house and pay you to conduct the SEM for them.

Online Advertising

You can sell space on your Website or blog for advertisements and you earn when these ads are clicked by visitors to your site. The sorting and placing of ads is free. The profitability of pay-per-click advertising depends on the traffic level of the Website and, most importantly, on the clickthrough rate and cost per click. Google AdSense is the most popular option, while others are BidVertiser, Text Link Ads and Blogads. Direct banner and RSS feed are some other forms of online advertising.