Ryanair model for web development?

[easycheapweb]

Driving along one day recently thinking about the RECESSION word, I wondered whether there would be a market for really cheap web development. Did some research and found there are very cheap and sometimes free web development options. However, all of them depended on the user having some understanding of html tags and the like.

I've met many people for whom the sight of something 'complex' like tags sends them running. So I wondered about a very simple forms based means of creating a site. Limited options of course, but I was thinking of small businesses who need a simple brochure site, one picture per page, plus a map showing where they are located.

Easy and cheap, I thought. Pitched to businesses with no website and very limited computer skills. So now I'm testing it and would like volunteers to test it. In return they get a free website for 2 years.

Is there a market for this? Comments appreciated.

[fisicx]

No, not really.

There are loads of website-in-a-box products already available. You don't need any knowledge of HTML/CSS/PHP as it's a WYSIWYG application.

This doesn't mean of course that you will get an effective website. To do that does require a bit of effort and isn't learnt overnight.

Even small businesses recognise this which is why those who want to do it properly pay a designer/developer to build them a site.

[peterjhale]

The Ryan Air model has nothing to do with "cheap" either

[easycheapweb]

However, there are lots of small businesses (think plumbers, hairdressers, car service) who need something simple so they can be found. I'm proposing a forms-based solution. No downloads, plugins, tags or anything that puts novice users off. Easy and cheap, with some advice on their submission before site goes live, just to stop silly mistakes or important things left out.

[fisicx]

So how are you going to include images? How are you going to style a list or the navigation. How do you sort out a no-repeat background and change the page header to green tahoma. How are you going to sort out inline links.

You can already do this using a WYSIWYG application for £40.

[underpressure]

I can't see how this concept relates to Ryan Air! There are bucket loads of fast and FREE website builders.

[bcmedia]

Go onto Gumtree & any other free ads and you'll see the market is awash with bedroom coders offering sites for peanuts. You get what you pay for!

[zookx]

Originally Posted by easycheapweb

However, there are lots of small businesses (think plumbers, hairdressers, car service) who need something simple so they can be found. I'm proposing a forms-based solution. No downloads, plugins, tags or anything that puts novice users off. Easy and cheap, with some advice on their submission before site goes live, just to stop silly mistakes or important things left out.

I can see what you are saying, kind of like a business card online.

I think this would have been great for such businesses in the early days of the internet when there was so little competition. However as others have said, the issue is with what value such a template based site would offer. As someone googleing for say a plumber in bromley is more likely to find a landing page for a large company with a dedicated, optimised site rather than joe the bromley plumber with his one page site.