Your own website

A website doesn't have to cost a lot. There are many options for building a site easily and for free. With WordPress, Wix, Weebly, etc., you can set up a free web page yourself with a choice of different pre-built templates.

Of course, you can always hire a professional web designer to build your site, after which you can easily maintain it yourself.

Make sure your website is informative and user-friendly. A clear and logical layout and navigation are very important. This will enable your visitors to quickly and easily find the information they are looking for: contact details, opening hours, a lesson or activity calendar, the mission or vision of your school/group/company, links to your social media, etc. Also make sure that it is clear to visitors what steps they need to take to register or buy tickets, for example. You can do this by adding clear buttons with a clear description to your page.

Keep your site up to date. An outdated or neglected website comes across as unprofessional.

It is important that your site looks attractive; after all, it is a kind of business card. So try to use an attractive design and appealing photos. And remember: less is often more. Clarity, simplicity, and user-friendliness should take precedence over flashy effects.

Make sure your web address (your URL) is clear and easy to communicate or remember. On the dns.be website, you can check whether your desired web address (with a .be extension) is still available.

If the URL is still available, you need to register it. This costs around 30 euros per year and can be done through various companies. You can find a comprehensive list by clicking on ‘Search registrar’ on dns.be.

If you use free website software, you can have your URL ‘redirected’ to your WordPress, Wix, or Weebly address.

If you have a custom-made site built, you will also need ‘hosting’ or ‘web space’ for your site: a place on a server that runs day and night so that your site is always accessible. This can usually be done at the same company where you register your URL. If you work with a webmaster, he or she will arrange this for you.