Having a polished online presence is essential for small businesses today, but custom website design quotes can induce sticker shock. Professional developers are out of reach for many tiny startups and local SMBs. However, constructing an effective website on a microscopic budget is possible with some strategic shortcuts.
When funds barely allow even bargain-bin cheap web design, here are tactics for piecing together a DIY small business site:
Leverage Free Site Builders
User-friendly DIY website builders like Wix, Weebly and Squarespace allow creating a basic website at no cost. While lacking robust features, their free tiers meet the minimum requirements for a simple site. Familiarize yourself thoroughly with any limitations before committing.
Use Pre-Made Templates as a Foundation
All DIY site builders offer templates to get started. Browse thoroughly to find a responsive, mobile-friendly template matching your industry and brand style. Look for modern, clean designs over flashy templates. Customizing a pre-made template is easier than building from scratch.
Take Advantage of Free Images and Icons
Visually appealing photos and graphics quickly elevate site design. But custom visual assets can be costly. Luckily, sites like Pexels and Unsplash offer completely free stock imagery to incorporate. Icon sites like Iconfinder also provide free icon packs for common elements.
Optimize with Built-In SEO Settings
DIY site builders provide basic on-page SEO controls like meta title/descriptions, alt text etc. Maximize these defaults to improve visibility, along with SEO plugins if available. Learn SEO best practices to apply yourself if you can’t afford an SEO expert.
Explore Available Integrations and Widgets
Most DIY platforms offer plugins or built-in widgets for adding features like social media feeds, contact forms, polls and more. Determine must-have features for your site and look for free integrations to enable them. Avoid unnecessary bells and whistles.
Carefully Evaluate Paid Upgrades
While starting with free plans, DIY site builders eventually require paid upgrades for needs like more storage, ecommerce and custom domains. Scrutinize these paid tiers and factor expenses into your budget. Only upgrade if truly worthwhile.
Patch Together a Simple Content Strategy
Professional content requires investment. But you can implement a barebones strategy by publishing key pages upfront then gradually adding blog posts and guides yourself over time. Focus on addressing audience questions and goals.
In summary, building a website on extremely limited funds requires clever use of free resources and strategic trade-offs. While higher-budget options like hiring a cheap web designer allow more robust sites, scrappy small businesses can still establish an effective basic website presence with mindful DIY planning.
