I went to people per hour and hired someone to do it. Unless you are willing to pay a lot of money for it, it's not worth it because the lowest offers are just crap. And mind I didn't get the lowest offer, but I didn't get the higher either. The only thing I got that was worth my money was the logo I created. So I fired the developer I had hired from there.
I then tried to edit the Wordpress that he had set up for me and I made a mess of it. It's simple to use yes but you could tell by the quality it wasn't professionally made.
Wix is a good DIY idea, same or similar to vistaprint I think, and easy to set up and running immediately but again the same results.
I ended up hiring a web +graphics developer team that set up my site from scratch for 600€ basic +100€ for any extra language + free training for me on how to use it + domain-based mail setup.
I did add a few things like a professional photoshoot and bank paying, but that was my choice which came afterwards and not part of the initial cost. It still is in Wordpress so I can add or adjust products, offers, articles on the blog etc.
I know it sounds a lot at first but trust me when I tell you that it isn't. And that when you go cheap, like with everything else, you pay double. The good things are I always know whom to call when I need something changed or done and the guys are fast. They notify me on time if there is something that needs my attention. And my site has that professionally-made look I wanted instead of the rubbish the first guy had done. Not to mention they did all the communication with the bank, cause I wouldn't know heads or tails to set that up!
So if you want to set up a website I'd definitely recommend to hire someone professional.
As to whether or not it's worth it or to go for social media marketing, I personally wouldn't trust an add I couldn't find info online or a fb page that would give minimal info. I always look for the website whenever I look at a fb page and go straight to the source. A website is not just for advertisement. It's the representation of your work. To make a simile for you, a website is your shop and Facebook is your flyer. You wouldn't give out flyers if you didn't have a shop, would you? Not to mention that any social media marketing needs your constant attention. If it's dead online then it's dead generally.
Having said that, I wouldn't jump right into making a site cause I understand it can cost a lot. Not to mention that certain occupations just have no ground for a website, like pet-sitters or animateurs for instance and they can work better through a fb page. It just all depends on how involved you are in your work. If it's a side job or your main job, etc.
I would first go for the social media, fb page mainly as it is also minimally informative, and use the things I already have to give myself a boost and attract some clients. See if I can get any interest in it. If it's a side job I wouldn't go further. If it was my main, I'd later invest in a professionally made site.
Hope it helps you. If you are decided on it I can give you contact info of my developers' team. They are superb.
