Free webhosts have a great allure, and new webmasters flock to them in ever-increasing numbers. A service like blogger.com lets the entrepreneur open a new site right this moment with no money upfront and no money due tomorrow. The big attraction here is that it’s simple to walk away from the big mistake. If you made a rash decision or an incorrect choice, you can simply fold up the tent and leave with no strings attached.
The webmasters that’ll succeed, however, won’t waver in the morning. They have a vision of substance, an idea for a website that stands apart from everything else on the Net. In that case, think of it like a patent. This is intellectual property, and the webmaster must protect it. If an inventor creates some new kitchen appliance that’ll change our lives, that person wouldn’t sell it via a platform that could legally “steal” or control the rights. But this is precisely what many new webmasters do.
First or second class?
When a webmaster registers a domain, he is a first-class citizen. When a webmaster is a tenant, he is a second-class citizen. That’s not just hyperbole. Contracts govern business scenarios, and it may surprise you that the legally binding agreements associated with most free webhosts “steal” rights from the creator. In fact, many of these agreements are so favorable for the hosts that no one would knowingly sign them. Of course, few actually read these agreements before clicking their rights away.
When you register a domain and pay for a traditional webhosting service, you get the industry-standard agreement. In other words, you have full rights to all content posted and all profit generated. You’re also in a position of power. If the webhost doesn’t live up to its promises, you can move the site to a new webhost. Such moves can happen so quickly and seamlessly that your visitors won’t even realize anything at all has changed. They’ll still navigate to that domain address that you continue to “own.”
Let’s consider a couple of old yet powerful adages: “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch,” and “if it’s free, you’re the product not the consumer.” There’s no denying that free is sexy, and that allure is difficult to resist. But that early savings is a lot like renting. It’s cheaper and more convenient now but at the cost of sacrificing tomorrow’s earning potential. If your goal is to create something lasting, then you have to start working toward that goal from the first day.
Don't believe everything you hear
Now, being an entrepreneur at startup isn’t easy. Many webmasters setting out don’t have a great deal of financial flexibility. This is the reason why the attraction to free webhosts is so powerful. There are, however, low-cost alternatives. The free sites want you to believe that they’re the only option, but that’s hardly the case. A savvy webmaster can launch a website for less than $10, if need be, and can limit their monthly responsibility to less than $5. Then, once the site is in the black, that paid-for webhost can expand to meet the new needs of the growing site.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and someone out there can point to an example of a successful website that graduated from a free webhost with all of its intellectual property intact. But banking on being the exception isn’t the wise way to lay a business foundation. Instead, develop a plan. Create a budget, even if that’s just $5 per month. Then, start as small as you need to in order to fit that budget. Go forward from there. It may seem tough now, but as the website grows and succeeds, the value of that decision will become even more apparent.
Commented by: Sean C, 1 December, 2011
Have to agree with thtis article. Would never ever start up a website with free hosting. I want to own my content! Good post! Thanks
Commented by: Peter Matthews, 1 December, 2011
My English teacher did not like the word a lot.
" Having been in the industry for a lot years now he knows pretty much everthing about everything."
Something seem wrong here for a guy who knows everything about everything.
Commented by: Air, 12 January, 2012
where is the best place to register my domain name?