| The short answer is: Maybe. Free web page hosting | | | | It's actually pretty easy to find paid, yet affordable, |
| may be a great way to get started with your Web | | | | web hosting that will enable your online business to |
| presence, especially if you are planning to develop a | | | | compete effectively against the big guys. That is, if |
| personal website. | | | | you know the kind of web hosting solution that will |
| Nearly all Internet Service Providers give you very | | | | suit your immediate and long term needs. |
| limited free hosting when you sign up for an internet | | | | Let's take a look at the pros and cons of free web |
| access plan. But it's usually just enough for a page or | | | | page hosting versus a more comprehensive paid web |
| two. There are even some web hosting companies | | | | hosting plan.Free Hosting - Pros |
| who'll give you a fairly complete free web site | | | | - Well, nothing is completely free. In the case of free |
| hosting package. | | | | web page hosting, it's pretty close to being free |
| Quid Pro Quo | | | | except for having to put up with those pesky ads. |
| The give-back with free web page hosting is that | | | | - Free web sites that come with your ISP's internet |
| you must accept online ads plastered all over your | | | | access plan are generally easy to set up and modify |
| web site over which you'll have no control. If you are | | | | using free, though limited, web site design tools |
| hosting a personal web site and are not concerned | | | | provided. |
| about a bunch of unrelated or possibly offensive ads | | | | - This is also true of the free hosting packages |
| on your web pages, a free web site may be a good | | | | offered by some mainstream web hosting companies. |
| way to go. | | | | They get some ad revenue. You get online for free. |
| However, if you plan to establish an online business | | | | - Free sites should cause no concerns if you are |
| presence you should simply forget about free web | | | | planning to build a web site that is essentially |
| page hosting. The limited range of features, coupled | | | | non-commercial in nature. |
| with a barrage of ads unrelated to your business, will | | | | Free Hosting - Cons |
| certainly be a turn-off for your visitors. | | | | - The main drawback with free web page hosting is |
| It's Not 1995 Anymore | | | | that it obviuosly looks to your visitors like a |
| Most web surfers today are pretty savvy and can | | | | non-commercial (read "unprofessional") web site. |
| spot a free website at a glance and will not take | | | | So if you are planning to transact any business online, |
| your business seriously if your website doesn't exude | | | | whether product, software, or services sales, or |
| at least a basic degree of professionalism. You just | | | | affiliate and pay-per-click marketing. you simply must |
| can't do that with a free web site. | | | | pay for your hosting. |
| The Good News | | | | |