Your Website Is Your Art Gallery - The Subscription Is Your Rent!

An empty gallery room showcases ornate frames against a deep blue wall, inviting contemplation from a solitary wooden bench.

Your business website is your art gallery. It is where your current clients and potential new clients go to see the masterpieces you have on display—that is, the products and services you offer. Like every art gallery, you need to rent or pay a mortgage on your space. Your website works in much the same way. 

Many people who desire to own a website don’t realize that costs are involved beyond website design. If you don’t have one already, you’ll need a domain, and if your website is hosted on platforms like Weebly, Squarespace, Wix, Square, WordPress, etc., they all require you to pay for a plan if you want a professional and polished-looking website.

Advantages of a Website Subscription Plan

The advantages of paying for your website “rent,” so to speak, are numerous. Professionalism is the biggest advantage. 

Custom Domains

If you own a custom domain or require one, you won’t be able to use it if you don’t have a plan. Most, if not all, platforms will not allow you to connect your custom domain using their free service. 

Ad-Free Space

Your website is a functional ad for your business with a series of calls to action. The last thing you want is a bunch of ads on your website competing with your brand. With Wix, for example, their free plan will give you a nice website bombarded with ads. When you have a plan, the ads disappear and your business is front and centre. 

Better SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

The whole point of having a website is that you want to be found online. A website without a subscription plan usually offers few SEO (Search Engine Optimization) options. The SEO gets you found online, not the website itself. 

Increased Storage Space and Bandwidth 

Storage and bandwidth may not seem like a big deal, but they are a big part of what makes your site worth visiting. As your website grows, the content you add to your website increases. With increased content, you’ll need proper storage to house all the new photos and documents you add. Free plans don’t offer the space required for a growing website.

In addition, when your site grows and more content is added, you’ll need increased bandwidth. Without proper bandwidth, your site loading time will be slow, and visitors will get impatient and leave.

What Free Plans Can Do For You

Free plans are great for a small personal website (like showcasing a hobby or sharing photos with friends) or if you simply want to test out a platform. Let’s face it: If you are running a business, you want to be taken seriously by your customers, and a free plan won’t help your street cred.  Consider this: would you want to buy a painting from an art gallery that did not have a proper roof over its space? Is it really a good investment to buy a painting that may have been exposed to the elements? Your clients will think about your website the same way if you attempt to cut corners. 

If you need more guidance on Website plans, we're here to help! Contact us today for your website needs.