2 .Find a free online website-building service. There are a lot of
options out there; some great, some poor, some cheap, some expensive; so
it's worth spending some time comparing features. Most offer limited
services for free sites and typically place advertisements on your site.
Your website will most likely also be a subdomain of the host site
instead of its own site (e.g. yoursite.host.com instead of yoursite.com). Some of the more popular free hosting sites include:
Wordpress; great for blogs, small to medium-sized websites of all kinds
Drupal; great for medium to large-sized websites
Webs
Angelfire
Google Sites
Webnode
3. Compare service features. Each host will offer different services at the free level. Most hosts have a limit on how much data you can upload for your webpage, and this is typically very limited. This means that if you intend to have a media-rich site with images and video, you may not be able to effectively use a free site.
Different free hosts have different policies regarding creating online stores. If you intend to create an e-commerce website, ensure that the service you pick can adequately support your goals.
Most free hosts have low bandwidth limits as well. This means they don’t work very well as file hosts, as downloading files can quickly max your data allowance.
Check to see if the host allows you to upload your own websites. Most free services have web page creation tools and don’t allow you to upload your own custom code. This works for most basic needs, but if you want to be able to create your own site, make sure that the host allows it.
4. Choose a theme that suits you or your business. Browse through the available pre-made themes (sometimes called 'templates' or 'styles'); you can use the software's own available themes, as well as browse theme-selling marketplace websites like Theme Forrest.
Many hosts have specialized designs for their sites that help maintain a brand identity with that host. Find the design that fits your website’s needs the most.
5. Consider how much it will cost you. Even if the service is for free, the business has to make money to provide it to you; it might use adverts, or it might try to entice you to upgrade to get more features, which might come at a significant monthly cost. Whichever one you choose, make sure you know how much it might cost in the future if you decide to upgrade to get more features.
Wordpress; great for blogs, small to medium-sized websites of all kinds
Drupal; great for medium to large-sized websites
Webs
Angelfire
Google Sites
Webnode
3. Compare service features. Each host will offer different services at the free level. Most hosts have a limit on how much data you can upload for your webpage, and this is typically very limited. This means that if you intend to have a media-rich site with images and video, you may not be able to effectively use a free site.
Different free hosts have different policies regarding creating online stores. If you intend to create an e-commerce website, ensure that the service you pick can adequately support your goals.
Most free hosts have low bandwidth limits as well. This means they don’t work very well as file hosts, as downloading files can quickly max your data allowance.
Check to see if the host allows you to upload your own websites. Most free services have web page creation tools and don’t allow you to upload your own custom code. This works for most basic needs, but if you want to be able to create your own site, make sure that the host allows it.
4. Choose a theme that suits you or your business. Browse through the available pre-made themes (sometimes called 'templates' or 'styles'); you can use the software's own available themes, as well as browse theme-selling marketplace websites like Theme Forrest.
Many hosts have specialized designs for their sites that help maintain a brand identity with that host. Find the design that fits your website’s needs the most.
5. Consider how much it will cost you. Even if the service is for free, the business has to make money to provide it to you; it might use adverts, or it might try to entice you to upgrade to get more features, which might come at a significant monthly cost. Whichever one you choose, make sure you know how much it might cost in the future if you decide to upgrade to get more features.
