Is starting with a free website enough for a small business, or will we regret it later?

This is exactly what I did when I started my electrical business three years ago. Set up a site on a builder's free subdomain. Didn't get a single phone call for two months. Later on, a customer told me straight up, 'When I saw your website address, I wasn't sure if you were a scammer or not.' Bought a domain for $12 right away put up a basic template, and the calls started coming in that same week.

Stay away from the free site, but don't blow $1,500 on an agency either. Buy a .com domain for $14 a year and fill out your Google Business Profile completely. People look for AC repair on Google Maps first; once they see your own domain on the profile, they won't hesitate to call.

free sites usually have their own ads on them. when someone looking for ac repair sees other ads plastered at the bottom trust goes out the window... at the very least get your own domain name.

edit: fixed a few typos.

Where do you expect your customers to come from? If they're just scanning a QR code off a street flyer, it might hold you over for a couple of weeks. But if you're hoping to pull in leads from local Google searches, ranking with that free subdomain is pretty much impossible.

Let's break it down into three simple points: 1) A free subdomain technically works, but it instantly kills credibility with customers. 2) All the reviews and search ranking history you build up stay trapped on that platform; you can't migrate them. 3) When you can set up your own standalone site for $50-$60 a year total, taking this risk just isn't worth it.

Wait, cant you just buy a custom domain externally and connect it to these free builders? Do they still force you to pay a monthly plan for that?

In the service industry, local reputation and consumer trust are your most critical assets. Operating without a corporate domain name will damage your brand identity. Even on a minimal budget, opting for an independent domain name owned by your business is in your best long-term interest.

I agree.

This thread is archived.

Generally correct, but one part is missing. Weekly written progress reports are much more useful than asking for dates.

Every "we'll look at it later" in a meeting means unbilled work. Proven by experience.

How did you solve this? If you don't write this down from the start, it leads to arguments later.

Great work.

I went through the same thing two years ago. The cheapest quote is usually the least thought-out one.

weve heard this a lot but it never happened like that for us. just because everyone does it doesnt mean its right.

There's also a measurement aspect to this. Every "we'll look at it later" in a meeting means unbilled work.

I'll argue the opposite, don't get mad. Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

correct. i mean solutions that work at a small scale collapse when you grow; I learned this late.

if you post the result here it will help others too.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. Weekly written progress reports are much more useful than asking for dates.

If scope grows, either time or budget must grow. There is no third option. Of course, it varies if your situation is different.