This is what I know about weebly
Where to start...
Years ago I discovered Weebly thanks to a friend who had a travel website with it. I BADLY needed a professional website for my small business (writingthatsizzles.net), but did not want to pay hundreds of dollars, let alone I know nothing about building a website and didn't have time to learn. All I really knew was how to buy a domain name and that I wanted my own site.
I looked into Wordpress, but found it difficult to use. I am also a control freak and wanted a beautiful site I could change at any time.
The free WP templates were frustrating and even when I paid for a theme, it was still hard to manipulate anything (and I eventually gave up on it).
What I really wanted was a site where I could easily format, update, and look professional, but without spending a lot of time or money.
While competitors of Weebly's drag and drop template have been creeping up the last few years, I think Weebly is still the best option.
For people like me (creatives, small businesses, every day jane's and joe's) who want a user-friendly website where you have control over the look and feel of your site and a visual dashboard that you can grasp in a few minutes, Weebly is a good, solid choice — you can test drive it here.
Try it for yourself for FREE. Join right now.
Weebly Is a Simple, Fast and Powerful — but it's NOT perfect.
I like making websites on Weebly because I love having 100% access to all of my content AND design with attractive templates I can manipulate in one place.
The main problem I've had with Weebly is that sometimes there are funky things that happens with the templates (learning how to use columns really helps alleviate this!) and from time to time the page can freeze while you're trying to update it (this doesn't happen much anymore though).
Where they win is I've had a site that has been up and available for over 9 years now and I've never had a problem accessing it (even when I forgot my login and didn't use the site for a year). It's really cool to log back in and see how much better Weebly has become.
And holy shit, they're not charging you for it anymore. It's FREE! (unless you want to have it be set up as an ecommerce site)
No hosting problems. No attitude when I've emailed and asked Weebly questions. I also really like that every time I make a design or other change and a few months has passed, they have continued to improve the user experience.
In fact, I recently went in to update my sight and — hot damn — there are a ton of new designs that look amazing.
I have a Pro Account and can log into ONE account where all my websites are located (10 sites total -- and it might be more now), and I can do everything immediately — check page stats (or easily plug stuff into Google Analytics), edit the site, upload a photo or video, whatever.
You can also give Weebly a whirl from FREE. That's how I started.
I wouldn't have paid them a dime, but then I decided I wanted to try a few more features and make it look more professional. People are amazed (yes, I've been told this) that my site is from Weebly. And it's, I believe, at least 100% cheaper than doing it through a host (like blue host) and using Wordpress or another site that sucks the life out of you with a learning curve, or causes a need to hire programmers.
I work for a major healthcare company and I WISH our website was as easy to use as Weebly. It pisses me off to have a site that has been developed with the guys who write the code in mind (not ME the user). Weebly, you can tell right now, is TOTALLY focused on their users (yes, dumbasses like me and you).
Make updates and get what you want out of the site
Honestly, you could knock down a couple glasses of wine and still figure out how make a site on Weebly (if you're into that kind of thing). It's that easy because of the visual format of the dashboard. Of course, you'll need to spend some time test driving the features, BUT it's an enjoying, rewarding experience.
You get a lot of features (probably more than I have here):
Click to get started with Weebly! (yes, I get a small kickback, but the love is appreciated). And I really am surprised I'm still happy with it. That's weird in this day and age, you know?
Also, you can be an "old person" and easily use Weebly (depending how you define old). I'm not your grandma, but I think she could do this, or at least your mom could.
Many people have asked me about the cost of the site.
It is now FREE to use Weebly and have access to creating 10 sites with your account (maybe more, I'm not sure), I think it's worth paying for, but you don't have to anymore!!!
Imagine my delight when I logged into my site after a year of not using it to find EXACTLY the same features and they are keeping it free now. Fucking nice, right?
I used to pay $46/year (and I'm not sure what the ecommerce cost is), but it's probably not a big investment for what you get. AND when you go a few months without making changes to your site, you'll notice they're continuing to invest in new designs with the customer in mind.
Now I am paying nothing and I love that. It's so reverse of the norm.
For a solid, basic business or personal website, Weebly is great in my opinion, but you might as well try it yourself.
I have to say that another thing I like is their customer service. I've had questions from time to time and they've been awesome. I don't feel like I'm bothering someone in China or talking to a douche bag that only speaks in code. These people seem to get it. I LOVEEE good customer service like I love a good snowstorm and a beautiful beach and good solid people.
Your Domain Name — Be Smart and Buy it Elsewhere -- because you will save a TON
If you want a unique domain name, one of my recommendations with Weebly is to NOT buy your domain name from them. Last time I looked at the price it was 3x the cost of other sites. Instead, go to a site like iPower or Go Daddy to buy your domain name. You'll spend something like $19.00 for a year.
Do a little research on where it's best to buy a name. I've bought all my URL names at Go Daddy, but I think they're kind of annoying now. They keep charging more and their checkout blows. So, that's kinda why it's nice to have a business like Weebly, who I feel like is doing this opposite. They could possibly be a good place to buy now (2017), but do you research first.
If you buy your domain elsewhere (like from Go Daddy), these my instructions from a couple years ago -- not sure if they still work, but go ahead and try):
Step 1: You'll need to then go into both your domain name account and your Weebly settings to change some things for it to work. I was able to figure it out. Here's how you do it after you've bought your name on Go Daddy:
Click here to try Weebly for FREE and let me know how it goes!
If you have any questions or need help let me know. I'm here for ya.
Warmly,
Lindsay
Freelance Writer
writingthatsizzles.net
[email protected]
Years ago I discovered Weebly thanks to a friend who had a travel website with it. I BADLY needed a professional website for my small business (writingthatsizzles.net), but did not want to pay hundreds of dollars, let alone I know nothing about building a website and didn't have time to learn. All I really knew was how to buy a domain name and that I wanted my own site.
I looked into Wordpress, but found it difficult to use. I am also a control freak and wanted a beautiful site I could change at any time.
The free WP templates were frustrating and even when I paid for a theme, it was still hard to manipulate anything (and I eventually gave up on it).
What I really wanted was a site where I could easily format, update, and look professional, but without spending a lot of time or money.
While competitors of Weebly's drag and drop template have been creeping up the last few years, I think Weebly is still the best option.
For people like me (creatives, small businesses, every day jane's and joe's) who want a user-friendly website where you have control over the look and feel of your site and a visual dashboard that you can grasp in a few minutes, Weebly is a good, solid choice — you can test drive it here.
Try it for yourself for FREE. Join right now.
Weebly Is a Simple, Fast and Powerful — but it's NOT perfect.
I like making websites on Weebly because I love having 100% access to all of my content AND design with attractive templates I can manipulate in one place.
The main problem I've had with Weebly is that sometimes there are funky things that happens with the templates (learning how to use columns really helps alleviate this!) and from time to time the page can freeze while you're trying to update it (this doesn't happen much anymore though).
Where they win is I've had a site that has been up and available for over 9 years now and I've never had a problem accessing it (even when I forgot my login and didn't use the site for a year). It's really cool to log back in and see how much better Weebly has become.
And holy shit, they're not charging you for it anymore. It's FREE! (unless you want to have it be set up as an ecommerce site)
No hosting problems. No attitude when I've emailed and asked Weebly questions. I also really like that every time I make a design or other change and a few months has passed, they have continued to improve the user experience.
In fact, I recently went in to update my sight and — hot damn — there are a ton of new designs that look amazing.
I have a Pro Account and can log into ONE account where all my websites are located (10 sites total -- and it might be more now), and I can do everything immediately — check page stats (or easily plug stuff into Google Analytics), edit the site, upload a photo or video, whatever.
You can also give Weebly a whirl from FREE. That's how I started.
I wouldn't have paid them a dime, but then I decided I wanted to try a few more features and make it look more professional. People are amazed (yes, I've been told this) that my site is from Weebly. And it's, I believe, at least 100% cheaper than doing it through a host (like blue host) and using Wordpress or another site that sucks the life out of you with a learning curve, or causes a need to hire programmers.
I work for a major healthcare company and I WISH our website was as easy to use as Weebly. It pisses me off to have a site that has been developed with the guys who write the code in mind (not ME the user). Weebly, you can tell right now, is TOTALLY focused on their users (yes, dumbasses like me and you).
Make updates and get what you want out of the site
Honestly, you could knock down a couple glasses of wine and still figure out how make a site on Weebly (if you're into that kind of thing). It's that easy because of the visual format of the dashboard. Of course, you'll need to spend some time test driving the features, BUT it's an enjoying, rewarding experience.
You get a lot of features (probably more than I have here):
- Over 100 attractive drag and drop templates to customize
- An easy-to-use photo editor that allows you to change header images -- add your own or choose from an image with one click. Yeah!
- Tons of font choices for attractive header images.
- Ability to add video, custom html, Google Ads, slideshows, audio
- Ability to modify html code, and even a code dummy like me has modified code BECASUE I COULD ACTUALLY FIGURE IT OUT.
- Ecommerce solutions: Sell products via paypal with simple features for revenue (but you do pay for that feature)
- Make basic edits on style sheets to change sizes, colors, or anything else
- Options for setting up multiple columns on a page to make it look good
- No need to know ftp stuff or anything fancy to change images or create custom backgrounds — it's one login where everything goes.
- No need to buy hosting. Weebly hosts your site for you.
- Photos you can display that rotate (a cool, new feature).
- Ability to archive your site if you want to ensure you never lose anything.
- Ability to create online polls or customized surveys on your website in a few minutes
- Create a forum and let visitors interact with each other
Click to get started with Weebly! (yes, I get a small kickback, but the love is appreciated). And I really am surprised I'm still happy with it. That's weird in this day and age, you know?
Also, you can be an "old person" and easily use Weebly (depending how you define old). I'm not your grandma, but I think she could do this, or at least your mom could.
Many people have asked me about the cost of the site.
It is now FREE to use Weebly and have access to creating 10 sites with your account (maybe more, I'm not sure), I think it's worth paying for, but you don't have to anymore!!!
Imagine my delight when I logged into my site after a year of not using it to find EXACTLY the same features and they are keeping it free now. Fucking nice, right?
I used to pay $46/year (and I'm not sure what the ecommerce cost is), but it's probably not a big investment for what you get. AND when you go a few months without making changes to your site, you'll notice they're continuing to invest in new designs with the customer in mind.
Now I am paying nothing and I love that. It's so reverse of the norm.
For a solid, basic business or personal website, Weebly is great in my opinion, but you might as well try it yourself.
I have to say that another thing I like is their customer service. I've had questions from time to time and they've been awesome. I don't feel like I'm bothering someone in China or talking to a douche bag that only speaks in code. These people seem to get it. I LOVEEE good customer service like I love a good snowstorm and a beautiful beach and good solid people.
Your Domain Name — Be Smart and Buy it Elsewhere -- because you will save a TON
If you want a unique domain name, one of my recommendations with Weebly is to NOT buy your domain name from them. Last time I looked at the price it was 3x the cost of other sites. Instead, go to a site like iPower or Go Daddy to buy your domain name. You'll spend something like $19.00 for a year.
Do a little research on where it's best to buy a name. I've bought all my URL names at Go Daddy, but I think they're kind of annoying now. They keep charging more and their checkout blows. So, that's kinda why it's nice to have a business like Weebly, who I feel like is doing this opposite. They could possibly be a good place to buy now (2017), but do you research first.
If you buy your domain elsewhere (like from Go Daddy), these my instructions from a couple years ago -- not sure if they still work, but go ahead and try):
Step 1: You'll need to then go into both your domain name account and your Weebly settings to change some things for it to work. I was able to figure it out. Here's how you do it after you've bought your name on Go Daddy:
- Login to Go Daddy
- Go to Domains--> Domain Management
- Click on the name of the domain
- Now you should be on the Domain Details page.
- Scroll down the page. On the left side it should say Nameservers
- Click on Set Nameservers.
- When you set up the name with Weebly, they will provide you with two names you can cut and paste into this field (it will be something like NS53.DOMAINCONTROL.COM).
- Voila!---> if these instructions have changed in the meantime, know you can still figure it out. Don't pay $30 for a $11 domain!!!
Click here to try Weebly for FREE and let me know how it goes!
If you have any questions or need help let me know. I'm here for ya.
Warmly,
Lindsay
Freelance Writer
writingthatsizzles.net
[email protected]