The photo above (which I took) shows a huge tanker followed by a smaller boat at Dubai Creek. What does that have to do with websites, you ask?
Well, allow me to explain.
Despite the advent of social media networks, a website is still a must for professionals. That’s your own space where you can showcase your work in a structured manner. (A lot of things come to mind when we hear the word “social media” but sadly, structured is just not one of them).
Before you setup a website though, you have to make a big decision. Will you have a hosted website or a self-hosted one? A hosted website uses a third party platform whereas a self-hosted website uses your own server.
What’s the difference, one might wonder? Well, the difference comes down to cost, ease of use, freedom and control.Let’s use the example of the two boats above. The tanker is clunky but it is so huge and powerful. It stands out but it is also harder to maintain. The small boat would be easier to maintain and more agile but it does not stand out. The size also brings about many limitations. The tanker is the self hosted website whereas the smaller boat is the hosted website.
A self-hosted website is completely setup and managed by you but a hosted website isn’t. WordPress.com, Shopify, Ghost, etc. are all hosted websites.*
[*Wix is also a hosted website but it is by an Israeli company (as is Elementor, the famous plug-in maker) so please stay away.]
With some of the hosted websites, you can start for free which is great initially in terms of cost. There is also no website maintenance required from your end as the hosting company does everything.
That sounds great, so why go down the self-hosted route at all? Well, because there are limitations. Customizations are not possible without upgrading your package. Sometimes even then, there is a limit to how much you can customize.
Also, when you consider the costs of using a hosted website after upgrading the package, and the cost involved in setting up a self-hosted website, you might find that the former is initially cheaper but ends up being more expensive in the long run.
Ultimately it comes down to what YOU want. If you want control and freedom and wish to stand out (tanker alert!), self-hosting is the way to go. However, you should be ready for the challenges in maintaining your website. If you are good at technology, it should not be much of a problem. You could also pay someone to maintain it on a regular basis.
On the other hand, if you want something that is easier to setup without worrying about maintenance then a hosted website for you. Small boats are more agile after all.
With my new company, Dobuy, Data & Design, I actually went down both routes. How?
For my website, www.dx3.me, I used a self-hosted WordPress website as I wanted freedom and control. I was able to choose my own theme and plugins and do whatever I wanted. Website maintenance does not bother me – I’ve maintained www.albidaayah.com since 2016 and it felt great.
However, for my stock photography store, store.dx3.me, I eventually decided to host it on Smug Mug, because it meant that I could start out much more easily. Uploading hundreds of photos could be done in a very short amount of time unlike on WordPress which can take ages for bulk uploads. So I saved a LOT of time.
Unlike Shopify, Smug Mug was built for photographers which made it easy to set up my store. However, it means that I cannot customize everything the way I want. Also, Smug Mug takes a certain amount every month for this package plus 15% percent in sales. So this is a small loss in terms of money.
Now, a lot of ladies might not be comfortable setting up their own website. That’s where people like me come in. You hire us and we set up your website. However, I understand that for many women, their website might be a passion project as well and they would want full input from beginning to end. At Dx3, that’s what we offer – a website that has your footprints all over it. [It will also be a website that will not go against Islamic principles.]
Before setting up a website though, I offer a consultation session where I explain the detailed differences between hosted and self-hosted sites and mention all the steps involved along with their approximate costs. This way you won’t take a huge leap at once, but rather a small step in the right direction.
A one hour session costs AED 100 and should suffice most women. For those that want even more info before they decide, I can offer a 2 hour session for AED 200. We can do it online or onsite. Groups sessions are also allowed (up to 3 ladies, 100 per hour per lady).
[Note: I do not use video cameras. You’ll see my presentation instead].
I keep mentioned “ladies” because my services are only for my own gender. [I’m a female who covers from head to toe and is also a student (and teacher) of Islamic knowledge so I hope you understand that I need to live by my beliefs.]
If you are interested, please reply to this post or email me on admin@dx3.me . You can also contact me via Instagram (@dx3.me).
Looking forward to hearing from you!
[This article was cross-posted on LinkedIn and on my website.]
