---
title: "websites on the cheap"
id: "459"
type: "post"
slug: "websites-on-the-cheap"
published_at: "2009-12-04T22:29:15+00:00"
modified_at: "2024-11-14T21:35:20+00:00"
url: "https://factor1studios.com/websites-on-the-cheap/"
markdown_url: "https://factor1studios.com/websites-on-the-cheap.md"
excerpt: "Often we are contacted by potential clients that have little to no money. Just yesterday we had an up and coming actress inquire about a site, and only had $300 to spend. This is hard on me. I love to..."
taxonomy_category:
  - "business|design"
---

# websites on the cheap

#### By Matt Adams December 4, 2009

Often we are contacted by potential clients that have little to no money. Just yesterday we had an up and coming actress inquire about a site, and only had $300 to spend.  
 This is hard on me. I love to help people, and I really love the web and marketing. In fact its why I love my job. I really wish I didn’t have bills, I would probably sit around, and help people for free or cheap all day long, and still love my job.  
 So back to my story. I thought to myself, I wish I could help this actress out, but for $300, there was little we could do. So I had an idea that would get her started on a site, help her out, and not use her entire budget.

## WordPress!

WordPress is a blog. but it has pages. and you can flip wordpress around to be pages first, blog secondary. Thus turning it into a sweet little CMS anyone can use. Here are the steps.

### 1. get hosting set up that doesnt have any advertising headers.

Personally I love [Liquid web](http://www.liquidweb.com/?RID=factor1)
, and we use LW for our dedicated servers.  
 or wordpress.com works. If you go this route, skip step 2.

### 2. Install wordpress.

Most big hosts can do this for you, or give you a simple install button in their control panel.

### 3. Pick a classy theme

there are great free themes and paid for themes.  
 free:  
 [http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/18/100-amazing-free-wordpress-themes-for-2009/](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/05/18/100-amazing-free-wordpress-themes-for-2009/)
  
 [http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/08/100-excellent-free-high-quality-wordpress-themes/](http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/01/08/100-excellent-free-high-quality-wordpress-themes/)
  
 Or there are paid themes: woothemes.com

### 4. Add in your pages as needed.

wordpress is traditionally a blog, but with a few tweeks, it can look more like a website, with a news page, than a blog.  
 Learn more about [using wordpress here](http://codex.wordpress.org/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start)
  
 Now while this is a good cheap and dirty set up, its no substitution to a great designer building something custom.

# Dont forget – your organization, product and services are unique, and so are your customers, so you still need to custom tailor the site experience to fit those factors. This is merely a quick patch for a no money situation. A real website will do 10x for you that a free template can.

#### By Matt Adams December 4, 2009