I keep noticing recently that more and more service companies are throwing a "free website" in with their services. This offer seems odd to me, but hardly unexpected. Clearly, internet is becoming incredibly important for marketing, branding, and just plain exposure. It is just natural that everyone will be trying to capitalize on that. For a smart business owner, an offer of "free website" should sound suspicious. What are you getting exactly? What can you expect? How are they planning to make money? I bet you dollars to donuts, they are going to give you a one page website made from a template and will host it on their server (that's how they will make money). Then, they will charge you to maintain it, if you want. Because surely you will want to because nobody is going to teach you how to update your own site. Sounds like a bate and switch to me. Before you jump on that deal, think about the needs of your business. What do you want exactly to accomplish by having a website. I have already discussed the topic if a small business needs a website. If you decide you want a website, do the homework. Read Step 1 in website creation steps series and figure out why you need a website. If you want to go with the free method, check out with your hosting service - they often offer free website creation when you buy your hosting from them. At least it is a reputable company that is in business of managing websites. Please beware of these free offers because honestly, any 5 year old can create a website. It does not mean, that it is going to be good. What does it mean, a "good website"? It is a website that does what you want it to do and does it well. If you want new customers - it generates new customers; if you want emails - it brings you email addresses. Yes, we are back to the goal. You have a website and so do other 231.5 billion people. Now what? Why do you think you can do better than them? You won't. That's why you need a person who not only going to create a website for you, but to promote it, adjust it so it will fit your clients' needs and makes sure the site does what it is supposed to do. Otherwise, what's the point of having a website? You might as well just get registered with Google Maps and call it even.