Get Rid Of Those Free Sites!
I don’t think we’ve stressed this point nearly enough. If you are in business, you NEED a REAL site. Free sites have really got to go!
Let me explain where I’m coming from here.
I hadn’t ordered from this site, but got these items directly from the owner. (Not naming names here, nor am I even going to say WHAT it was because I don’t want to embarrass this person). I went to the site basically to see other items and prices. Knowing it was a Freewebs site, I went there already mentally blocking out ads. Usually I can somewhat navigate those sites without problems, but I did have my doubts.
When I got there it wasn’t so bad. As mentioned, I was blocking out ads and trying to focus on the items for sale. That is until I got to the ordering page. Right there smack in the middle of all her prices and PayPal buttons was a big fat “Sponsor Ad” from Google. Not just on the side, but IN with her prices. Bleh. I scrolled down a little more still looking at prices, and there was another ad, this time for cell phones. Double bleh!
I scrolled back up and could no longer block them out. I had seen too much, now they were jumping out at me. At the top of the page, there was another ad that was designed to really jump out at you. It was one of those “You have 2 new crushes!” ads. Um yeah, I’m here to shop not find high school love, thanks.
This turned me off. A lot. What kills me is the product and packaging was really fantastic. The site just really did not match the professionalism of the products. If I had been a new customer not having the chance to see the products first, I would have immediately went somewhere else. Trust went right out the window when I saw all those tacky ads.
People, PLEASE get rid of those free sites! Do you honestly think $10 a month (or less) isn’t going to bring you more sales? Your time put into creating the site is worth something too, and when you slap it up on a free site you are wasting that time. Seriously, just pay the money for the hosting. You’ll make enough to cover the cost of it and then some simply by having a nicer site that’s ad free.
Please look into hosting. It’s really not that expensive. I mean look, Anita has some pretty cheap hosting here. If you are serious about your business, you really do need a real host.
Your fellow WAHM in success,
Kara
Topics: Just Venting | 4 Comments »
April 26th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Well, now I’m curious about what you bought of course! LOL
When stuff like that happens I always just want to grab them and beg them to let me put a website for them! Of course then they think I’m some crazy obsessive person on the internet that is stalking them…. oops!
April 28th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Agree. I tend to be quite skeptic when see the product-selling sites hosted for free. The first thought is: “My… If they even don’t have enough money to pay by hosting, then product of what quality they are trying to sell me?”. The second thought is even worse: “May be it’s just a false company that awaits me to send them some money and then leave me with nothing…”
I aware of free sites. They’d better go selling on ebay, where you can always see the seller’s reputation…
April 28th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
First of all … thanks for the plug, lol!
Secondly … AMEN!! Not too long ago, I dealt with something very similar. I can mention the service because just about everybody and their sister offers this, rofl!
It was web/graphic design. Okay, if there is anyone who needs to have a SUPERB looking site, it’s a web designer. Am I wrong? When I went to this site, not only were there ads everywhere, there was also pop ups from hell! Excuse my language but it was absolutely horrible.
My pop up blockers went absolutely nuts AND some slipped past them. I immediately was turned off and clicked away from the site. I was looking for someone to design ebook covers for me. She recommended her services – needless to say – I have no idea what kind of a designer she is because I never gave her a chance.
I too try to ignore a couple ads here and there but this was just unacceptable.
– > Do you really want your visitors to be annoyed?
– > Do you really want your visitors to think you’re unprofessional and not serious?
– > How do you expect others to pay for your products/services if you won’t pay for your needs?
Now don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that having advertisements on your site are completely bad. I’m not saying Google Ads are bad. If I were I’d be a pretty big hipocrit.
There is a difference between a few tasteful ads in tasteful places. It’s all about the placement. Nine times out of ten (if not ten out of ten), you have no control over the ads on these free sites AND they’re not in tasteful places.
Besides, what happens if someone ends up interested in one of those ads? Guess what? You just sent a potential customer/client away from your site! And gee, they weren’t even your ads you’re getting paid for.
Sure would stink if one of those ads ended up being a competitor and YOU just sent them straight into their pockets.
Whoops! Sorry Kara – didn’t mean to take over here! I could go on and on and on … Can you tell this is a subject that the two of us are very passionate and serious about?
Please, please, please take our advice. For less than $10 a month you could have yourself a decent looking site that folks would actually trust enough to do open their wallets – because really, that’s what our goal is, isn’t it?
May 4th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
I agree with this, as well. Web hosting is so affordable now. Anyone who is serious about their business should consider purchasing their own domain. It really IS worth it!
Merry Strong