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Where to Create a Free Web Page
by Contributing Writer
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Overview
Having a Web page is the modern equivalent of a business card, printing press and storefront. However, a Web page demands a Web host, a decision carrying its own particular strategy. Chief to that strategy is where to obtain a free Web page, the page's purpose and skills of the page owner.
Blogger.com is the largest free Web page host.
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Points to Consider
There are many Web hosts offering free Web pages. Before selecting your online home, there are several points to consider, including whether you intend to earn money using the site, whether you desire a unique design and whether you'd prefer a particular online community.
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Whether to Advertise
Web pages fall into two general categories: personal and commercial. A personal website is akin to an open letter, allowing a person to speak to millions about his or her passion. Most personal websites focus on the Internet's ability to provide anyone a soapbox rather than as a way to make money.
However, if your goal is to develop a Web page for income, your needs for a free Web page may be different than a strictly personal page. If you want to earn money, displaying advertising (pay-per-click, affiliate or otherwise) is frequently the first step. Any strategy for creating a free Web page is governed by a Web hosts' rules regarding ads.
"A free Web hosting company often makes money by selling advertising space on the websites it hosts," states Network Solutions, a commercial Web host. If your goal is to offer advertising and retain all income, you may opt for a commercial Web host that provides greater freedom for a fee.
Two examples of advertising policies surrounding advertising include leading Web host Blogger.com and WordPress.com, a rival owned by San Francisco, Calif.-based Automattic. Blogger allows Adsense, a pay-per-click ad program from parent company Google. WordPress.com allows no ads on its free Web pages, but permits ads on fee-based websites it hosts.
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Design Flexibility
Another issue when deciding where to create a free Web page is design flexibility. Almost all hosting companies offering free Web pages restrict access to the internal workings of a Web page design or theme. Because of this limitation, most free Web pages must choose from a set list of designs available to all. This means millions of other people may adopt the same "look"--a drawback if either you are a designer capable of creating a one-of-a-kind design or you want to stand out from the crowd.
To balance this loss of design flexibility, free Web hosts often offer ways to easily add various "widgets" to enhance your site. Some of these site tools include polling, PayPal integration and video playback. Again, some free Web hosts offer the ability to edit your page design for a fee.
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Choosing a Community
Although the largest free website hosts have a general focus, a number of Web hosts cater to particular communities. Businesspeople can open a free website on LinkedIn.com, while music lovers gravitate toward MySpace.com, and arts and craft fans can open shops on Etsy.com.
