That Pesky Website Ad

So what do you reckon, is it worth paying for your website just to avoid having the inevitable website provider’s ad you get on a free one?

Welcome to my new website! As anyone who’s been following me for a while would know, this new website is around my third in three years. It may even be my fourth, to be honest I’ve lost count. So why do I keep changing? Well, not out of choice, that’s for sure. I don’t even think it’s lack of planning, although it could possibly be lack of insight and knowledge. In the past, that is, not now. Now I have a much clearer idea of what to go for and what to avoid.


But none the less, one of the biggest decisions that’s important to decide on before starting out is whether you want to pay for a website or if you’re okay with a free one that will undoubtedly come with an ad for the company that's providing the site.
 
When I first started out decades ago, I was willing to pay good money each month just to avoid that dreaded ad. Why? Because I was always brought up with the concept that it’s important to look professional if you want to attract business, and to me that ad (no matter how small it was) didn’t reflect professionalism. After all, if you’re successful in your business surely you can afford to pay for a site? Even if the only thing you’re really paying for is not to have the ad, because let’s face it, most of us don’t usually need more than what's included on a free website.


But I think the concept is changing. A free site no longer indicates unprofessionalism. It might indicate a small business, being budget conscious, or contemporary thinking, but rarely unprofessionalism. That’s provided the ad is even noticed in the first place. All of which is probably due, no doubt, to the fact that we’re swamped by advertisements in almost every part of our lives (sadly). After all, how many sites have you been on today which haven’t shown you some form of promotion?


So while once upon a time my choice of website provider depended on getting the basics I needed for the best price, now I’m heading towards the most suited, free, website. In other words, opting for a greater variety of features with more reliability, whilst choosing to ignore the inevitable ad. After all, which would you prefer to visit, a website that's ad-less, limited and clunky, or one that’s easy to navigate and provides all the information and services you’re looking for?


I know which one I’d pick. Who knows, I might even call the latter more professional.

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