Weekly Web Tip: Free dental lab websites VS others

For anyone on the Bridge that is considering starting up a website for their lab but don't have the capital to get a custom website built there are a number of options. Each option has another cost, whether it be time or ownership of the website.

As I can't directly link these sites due to the terms and conditions of The Bridge I will mention the searchable terms that will get you to a selection of providers that you can use to get some info about your lab up on the web with minimal monetary cost.

The 'free websites' search will bring up a whole host of companies that allow you to design a website and publish.
PROS: No financial cost, gets searchable information up about your lab and establishes some presence on the web.
CONS: Often these sites will provide you with the URL (the web address field at the top of the screen) meaning at the end of the day the company you made the site through can hit you with fees and charges and threaten to shut down the site undermining the whole process. The host company can advertise through your site and make changes with little or no notification. Although you might have your name or a relevant search term in your web address often you will find the host company name in the URL diluting the searchability of your site eg. ww.hostcompany.mylabwebaddress etc

The search term 'template website' will provide you with a host of companies that provide template websites for a couple hundred dollars. You have to already own the URL to take advantage of a template site.
PROS: The sites are already designed and have some SEO already set up. You choose from a selection of templates that only costs a few hundred dollars. Can be set up relatively quickly.
CONS: Not fully optimized for SEO, might not match your logo or color scheme, set number of pages, once the site is published you can't add more without cost. Others may have the exact same template meaning your page and another lab could look almost identical.

Then there are custom built sites, sites that are made especially for your lab. They cost anywhere from a thousand to tens of thousands of dollars depending on who you use and what you want to do with it. They are designed for your lab to your specifications.
PROS: You can do anything you can specify, A unique, fully optimized site means dentists and patients can find you easily according to your target market. Design is completely in your control.
CONS: Cost, can take a long time to get going. Once the site is finished you have a business relationship with the web designer, whenever you want something changed there will be a fee.

Each type of website set up has it's different appeals and will benefit you differently depending on what stage of business you're at. There are thousands of these companies, but a quick search and you'll get a feel for which website type is for you and your lab.