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Permalink Reply by Dave Sewell on August 18, 2010 at 21:27

Ian,
If you want to dip your toe in the website water then try using Wordpress as your basic platform. Wordpress is very easy to download, choose a good theme, upload images to and it's free if you're happy with a dot wordpress address. If you're not then you can just pay for some normal web hosting (which is bugger all in the general scheme of things) but still use Wordpress for your website. One of the best things about it is it's optimisation. Google LOVES Wordpress! Also there are tonnes of forums online telling you how to use the it.
Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk

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Permalink Reply by Keith Barker on August 18, 2010 at 21:52

Our hosting costs £35 per year and includes Wordpress. While I wouldn't be without it, I'd hesitate to recommend it to a beginner as the learning curve is pretty steep. 

What it does best is allows you to include a blog, but this might be overkill for Ian's requirements.

Dave Sewell said:

Ian, If you want to dip your toe in the website water then try using Wordpress as your basic platform. Wordpress is very easy to download, choose a good theme, upload images to and it's free if you're happy with a dot wordpress address. If you're not then you can just pay for some normal web hosting (which is bugger all in the general scheme of things) but still use Wordpress for your website. One of the best things about it is it's optimisation. Google LOVES Wordpress! Also there are tonnes of forums online telling you how to use the it. Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Whelan on August 19, 2010 at 8:52

The HTA West of England branch is hosting an evening seminar on e-marketing on the 30th September.
Details from HTA Events on www.the-hta.org.uk/events.
If its not on there yet, let me know and I'll see if I can post something on here

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Permalink Reply by Steven Whitaker on August 19, 2010 at 9:17

Hi Ian,

A definate yes. All of my business has come from either the website originally or by recommendation of those customers. I am constantly turning down business because I have more than I can physically do.

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Permalink Reply by Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care on August 19, 2010 at 19:28

I pay £14.99 per year with TSO Hosts ( http://www.tsohost.co.uk/ ) including Wordpress.

I find that people will see our ad in a magazine and then check out our website for further information. For a penny under fifteen quid, plus a bit of time designing a site it's a no brainer really.

Keith Barker said:

Our hosting costs £35 per year and includes Wordpress. While I wouldn't be without it, I'd hesitate to recommend it to a beginner as the learning curve is pretty steep. 

What it does best is allows you to include a blog, but this might be overkill for Ian's requirements.

Dave Sewell said:

Ian, If you want to dip your toe in the website water then try using Wordpress as your basic platform. Wordpress is very easy to download, choose a good theme, upload images to and it's free if you're happy with a dot wordpress address. If you're not then you can just pay for some normal web hosting (which is bugger all in the general scheme of things) but still use Wordpress for your website. One of the best things about it is it's optimisation. Google LOVES Wordpress! Also there are tonnes of forums online telling you how to use the it. Dave
www.the-gardenmakers.co.uk

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Permalink Reply by John on August 19, 2010 at 19:48

Hi Ian,
It all depends on where you are operating, it is obvious from posts on this discusion that many people get lots of work from their websites and others have to force customers to look at them.
It is another string to your bow, but if you can get by without it, then why bother, - unless you are thinking about expanding your business. I only hope that you live in an area of enlightened technocrats.
Don't forget that you can also advertise you business via your Network Page here on LJN,so adding photo's of your work is always advisable.
If you get a website up and running then make sure you link to your LJN Network Page on your website home page, it will allow potential customers to get a more detailed impression of you and your business.

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Permalink Reply by HM GARDENS on August 19, 2010 at 19:54

OOPs I have music on mine (self made) is it that bad! my friend did not like it.
Just wanted to say that my web was free and I've just put a free ad on thompson and was able to add my web site free as well.
Unless there is a sting in the tail! when it's activated.

Gary C said:

Spot on Andrew.

Pet hates:

"Flash" intro's Why ??? - Hit the "skip intro" button as fast as you can find it !

Sites that seem determined to bury their email / tel. no. as deep as possible ?

ANY SITE WITH MUSIC - They should be hung, drawn and quartered !

Sites that keep coming up with "complete our survey" boxes - In fairness, doesn't apply to our sort of sites.

Andrew Goss said:

From my point of view it's better to have one than not but no need to spend a lot of money .....
Tip your toe in the water with MS Office live - easy peasy to get a free n respectable web site up and running and free hosting to boot - also help with optimization etc. I personally think that a lot of sites especially for one man gardening business's are way over the top. I think the average time spent looking is 30 secs so that doesn't give much time to show off those all singing and dancing pages many of which read like autobiography's.......... !
I do a lot of business myself on the net and find bloated sites that load slowly where it's hard to find relevant infomation quickly a pain in the ass . I just look somewhere else. Probably they appeal to the designer's creative urges and ego but not to the prospective buyers .

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Permalink Reply by HM GARDENS on August 19, 2010 at 20:23

Thanks for feed back, the thought of torturing all those people!!

Gary C said:

Yes Miranda, just looked at your site and nice though it is that music would do my head in :-(

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Permalink Reply by Keith Barker on August 19, 2010 at 21:32

We're also with TSO Hosts - you must have the Lite package, as we have the Standard (I run a couple of other domains).

Would recommend them to anyone looking for hosting.

Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care said:

I pay £14.99 per year with TSO Hosts ( http://www.tsohost.co.uk/ ) including Wordpress.

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Permalink Reply by Fenlandphil on August 22, 2010 at 8:51

I have checked the link looks very interesting.

Keith Barker said:

We're also with TSO Hosts - you must have the Lite package, as we have the Standard (I run a couple of other domains).

Would recommend them to anyone looking for hosting.

Paul @ Ashgate Garden Care said:

I pay £14.99 per year with TSO Hosts ( http://www.tsohost.co.uk/ ) including Wordpress.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Howes on August 25, 2010 at 15:47

Thanks for all the feedback peeps, I will read the posts in more detail when the kids have gone to bed. Im sure i will have a few questions.

Ian

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Permalink Reply by HM GARDENS on August 25, 2010 at 17:07

Web on thompson local was not free they wanted £400 pound.

>Just wanted to say that my web was free and I've just put a free ad on thompson and was able to add my web site free as well.
Unless there is a sting in the tail! when it's activated.

Gary C said:

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