How to get a new website for $1000 or less

It pisses me off (really) how many small businesses are being ripped off by website design companies.
Companies that are more than willing to take $5-10k for a 6 page site that won’t ever be found online – and when occasionally someone stumbles across it, it won’t DO anything.

Websites that are at best pretty, and at worse damaging those businesses.

So here for you today is my quick & dirty guide to building a great website, for very little money.

Please, please use WordPress. (make sure you use wordpress.org NOT wordpress.com)
Fancy designers will turn up their noses, but it’s free – as opposed to being locked into an agency’s own, proprietary system (which means they’ll charge you $100-150/hr for all changes!)
It rocks! and best of all, it enables YOU to be in control & easily change info whenever you like (as easy as changing a word doc)

Check out the Fantasic Thesis Theme, or the better looking (but less powerful) woothemes.com for some ideas on design
A typical theme (the look & feel) will cost you $50-100
WordPress is free (we like free)

Google Analytics (for tracking) is free
Google AdWords will get people to your site for around $1 a time (ask us if you want some training!)
And if you really need more, all the wordpress plugins (extra bits that do all sorts of fancy goodness) are either free or very cheap

also check out 99designs.com (a great little Melbourne company) where you can get a ‘custom theme’ created for you for about $300-500
the best thing with 99 is that you get to see ALL the designs & then pick the winner.

You’ll need a domain name if you don’t already have one – I recommend Net Registry for .com.au domains (Melbourne IT charge way over the odds!)

And you’ll need hosting – we use WebCity & love them. #update – we use the Business Pro#1 pack – just $9.95/month

Oh & if you need images use iStockPhoto.com ~$3-7 each

And there you have it…

everything you need to get your old website replaced for under $1000.

So you can focus on what you do best – and not being ripped off by graphic designers that don’t know the first thing about marketing