Vistaprint website - advice please x

[Jenx]

Hi, I have a website with freewebs at the moment, but am considering changing it to vistaprint as I get all my business cards and flyers etc from there.
Advantages that I can see are that I get to use the same images as my cards etc, no adverts and I can point my domain name directly to the site.
I was thinking of going for the £6 package.

Does anyone else have any experience of vista websites (pros and cons please) just not sure if it is worth paying for a site when I already have a free one - I am a bit tight with my money that way.
However, I know it would look much more professional than the set up that I have just now which isn't ideal www.simply-tanning.co.uk .

Can I still upload any images etc if I use vistaprint?

Any help would be much appreciated xx

 

[lisa17]

Hi I have just cancelled with them because I found that i needed to keep upgrading to get the different pages that i needed to advertise properly. So i would stick with a free one.

 

[satinbaby]

Hi hun i have a Vistaprint website i pay £10 something a month as i have the top one...... The thing is with vistaprint its all very easy to do upload pics etc.... Whats wrong with your site?? I think it just needs a bit of modernisation other wise its good! Take a look at mine and get an idea A Key To Beauty & - Home ...also vista do 1 month free so u cud try it ... good luck xxx

 

[spraytangeek]

Hey,
I use that package and i really like it. You have full control over it and can upload your own images etc. i like that you can see the traffic going to your site.
But i like your website too.
x

 

[satinbaby]

I think its nice as well as ts all ure own work gone into it well done spraytan geek ures looks good too xx

 

[spraytangeek]

Awww thank u x

 

[Jenx]

Thanks for all that info. The only things I don't like about my site are that my domain name doesn't link directly to the site, the ads and the lack of any real identity iykwim. Was considering vista as I could get everything to match.
Your sites are both fab btw,
lots to think about x

 

[Chloe D]

I had a vista print site for about a year - it was fine until I realised that they are terrible for SEO, i.e the search engines do not pick them up and index them readily as they are template generated websites. If I were you I would list yourself in the on line directories (yell, thomson, etc) and then keep your free site which can be linked from the directory. This will mean that for internet searches you will come up on the first 1/2 pages of google.

 

[Ruth Mills]

I think the main problem with Vistaprint sites is that they are all based on templates which anyone else can use, so there is a high chance of ending up with a website that looks very similar to someone else's because they are based on the same template (same graphics, colours, etc).

And the same would go for the business card designs etc too.

 

[App'ment Diary]

Jennifer,

From what I have seen Vista are farly good and to pay so little you get a lot, yes you do have to go with templates but to be honest if you make use of your own images it isn't a problem at all, it's not like all your clients will be looking at your site and comparing it to others.

Clients are going to your site to gain information on pricing, products treatments, promos etc as long as it does that and looks good (in your eyes mainly) then it's a good job. PLEASE don't feel you have to spend extra money on a custom built website that you will gain very little from, you already have examples in the replies on here that prove that.

Their printing is OK but there are hidden costs like upgrading the paper it's printed on which is where they gain a little extra cash from you and if you don't your business cards will be flimsly (sad past job in paper & print lol), but on a hole they arn't too bad.

I can recomend 1and1.co.uk, you can start with their 1&1 Home package at £4.99 a month (1st 3 months free at the moment) this gives you 12 pages using their web builder which is good, loads of e-mail accounts, web stats, I could go on! Trust me this is all you will need, website companies will have you think you need more but that's so they can charge you more.

If you need any advice on getting set up I'm happy to help.

 

[Helen v]

Hi, It all depends on what you are looking for i would recommend HealthHosts - Therapists Website Design - Welcome... personally, they offer a variety of packages from as little as £4.99 a month but for a small one off fee they will design a site from your ideas. We have a couple of site from them and have found it really easy to update, add new pages pics etc. hth

Helen xx

 

[Jenx]

Thank you all for your responses, I think for now I am going to just try to sort out the site that I have until I can do things properly. I have a template website just now which is free, so probably not much point in paying for another template one.
Not going to go with vista now, but have taken a note of the sites mentioned to try and also Ruths, for future reference.
Thanks for all your advice xxx

 

[leonnib]

i have one with freewebs

but it points directly to my webs site and i have no adverts..

 

[Jenx]

Decided to have a go at a new one on weebly.
It seems easier to use than webs.com and it has no ads

Just created a new post to ask people to have a look over for me.

Simply Tanning - Overview

Jen x