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If someone ever asks you for a free website, know this
People really underestimate:
- What it takes to make a website
- What it takes to deploy it
- what it takes to maintain it
- the cost of it all
If they're a friend or family member, educate them!
#100DaysOfCode
People really underestimate:
- What it takes to make a website
- What it takes to deploy it
- what it takes to maintain it
- the cost of it all
If they're a friend or family member, educate them!
#100DaysOfCode
Your project needs a home! 
You need to host the project somewhere.
There are free options but those servers usually "sleep" if they are not being used, which means the server needs to boot up when someone vitis the site (slow!)
A Digital Ocean droplet costs at least $60/yr
You need to host the project somewhere. There are free options but those servers usually "sleep" if they are not being used, which means the server needs to boot up when someone vitis the site (slow!)
A Digital Ocean droplet costs at least $60/yr
.
.. 
Are you going to visit your website by going to
http://<IP-ADDRESS-HERE> ??
Or do they want a fancy .io domain name that costs at least $25 per year?
Even a simple .com, .net, .org costs some money
Do they want something unique or simple?
Maybe a standard WordPress theme works for them
But what if it doesn't? A SIMPLE custom WordPress theme can cost anywhere between $1500 and $5000*
Development work is costly!
--
* I Googled this, I have no experience with WordPress
Maybe a standard WordPress theme works for them
But what if it doesn't? A SIMPLE custom WordPress theme can cost anywhere between $1500 and $5000*
Development work is costly!
--
* I Googled this, I have no experience with WordPress
Maybe they want a live chat as well? Popular chat plugins can cost you around $50 per month!
That's $600 per year for something so "simple"!
And don't even start about other marketing automation $$$$$
That's $600 per year for something so "simple"!
And don't even start about other marketing automation $$$$$
What if something like WordPress doens't work for them?
Maybe they want you to build an actual web application (not a normal website)
There are many ways to do this, and none of them are cheap! This is because it can take months to build a project like this
Maybe they want you to build an actual web application (not a normal website)
There are many ways to do this, and none of them are cheap! This is because it can take months to build a project like this
And before any of these decisions can be made you need to spend a good chunk of time talking to them about their idea for the website.
But don't take this the wrong way!
I'm not saying you should never help your friends or family without them paying you.
That's not my decision to make
It's your call!
I'm not saying you should never help your friends or family without them paying you.
That's not my decision to make
It's your call!
The point of this thread is that you need to manage their expectations and educate them.
Non-technical people often underestimate the amount of work and money it costs to build a website.
And that's not their fault! It's all very abstract
Non-technical people often underestimate the amount of work and money it costs to build a website.
And that's not their fault! It's all very abstract
This is the end of the thread.
Note: I haven't covered all aspects of making a website here.
If there's anything important missing that you'd like to add, feel free to bring it up!
Note: I haven't covered all aspects of making a website here.
If there's anything important missing that you'd like to add, feel free to bring it up!
To the people mentioning free services like Netlify (which are awesome for developers)
Are you going to put content in the code & teach them git?
Maybe a headless CMS? Where will you host images? I love your optimism but non-technical people need A LOT of training to use these!
Are you going to put content in the code & teach them git?
Maybe a headless CMS? Where will you host images? I love your optimism but non-technical people need A LOT of training to use these!
