I see that Hibu, the new name for Yell, are starting to do “free” web sites. This raises quite a few questions, the first being WHY?

The all powerful online directory are now seemingly admitting defeat in the Search Engine Listings, finally realising that businesses are wise to the fact that they can have their own web sites out performing their directory listing in almost every case.

For many a year now Yell has lived off the back of its old paperback directory and thought that they would be the only option for businesses once they transformed that onto the internet. After years of JPSE Media teaching companies and SME’s that they were throwing their money away, it looks like the giant has finally realised that having a good web site is the place to start, not their directory.

The first main problem here is that they are over 5 years behind in this market, they will again be selling off the back of their name and they will more than likely go the same way as Wix and 1 & 1 by offering very little for a monthly cost upwards of £20, to compound this they will expect the business to do all the work, unless they want to pay for a Yell/Hibu designer to do it for them.

The same problems will arise here as it has done with the other so called free web site options, they will not work unless somebody is employed to the internet marketing side of things, 1&1 and Wix charge upwards of £30 a month for even their most basic options, on top of the ‘ad free’ version of the web site. I know companies that have been charged up to £300 a month and still got a very basic service.

Back to Hibu, when I look at the email I have just been sent I see the words FREE website, it is easy to start (the irony of them sending it to a web development company and marketing professional), then when you read on, you notice that after you have spent hours, days or weeks of your own time working out how to set the web site up, once it is up you only have a 30 day free trial. You could of course just pay £150 for the basic set up.

After the 30 days, the world is their oyster as the y follow the ‘other free web sites’ route in charging you for the honour of doing all the work yourself.

JPSE Media charge less and provide so much more, by integrating ALL aspects of online marketing with a specially designed web site that will bring you business in. Our priority has always been to our customers and it always will be, that is why businesses stay with us once they are with us, we don’t do contracts as we believe that if we are not doing a good job you should be allowed to change with no hassle or obstruction.

Don’t be fooled by the word FREE, these are multimillion pound companies, they do nothing for free.