Before you start building a website, it's important to understand the full breadth of options available to you. If you have flexibility with what platform you can use (i.e. you're not a student with a Google Sites assignment!), check out different options below. As you explore different options, ask yourself some questions:
Does this platform cost any money and can I afford it?
How much time do I have to build the site?
If other people will help maintain/update the site in the future, can they use this platform?
Is the platform easy to use? Is it buggy?
Do I like these templates?
Is there flexibility in terms of customizations? Can I add different widgets or change existing templates? How hard is that?
What are the platforms policies in terms of data ownership and privacy?
Is this platform viable in the long term, or is this a new/emerging company?
Here are few options besides Google Sites. This list is by no means exhaustive!
| Platform | Level | Highlights | Pros | Cons |
| Build your own website | Intermediate/Advanced | Brandeis library offers a free hands-on workshop where you can learn how to build a website. Check out the workshop calendar or request a session if you can't wait. | Total control of your website's appearance | Time consuming + requires coding knowledge |
| Wordpress | Beginner - Advanced | Extremely popular company that supports all types of websites, including ecommerce. | Offers easy-to-use templates and a drag-and-drop editor. Advanced users can code their own website. Tons of plugins (i.e. add-ons) are available online, many of which are free and created by independent programmers. | Wordpress frequently updates so you need to stay on top of changes to make sure your site looks up-to-date. If you're interested in doing a lot of customizations, these will cost $. |
| StoryMaps | Beginner-Advanced | Platform for creating a website about spatially-themed topics. | Easily integrate maps, text, and images and provide users with a dynamic and interactive web experience. | Users are restricted to the platform's templates; certain features are available on certain templates and it's not easy to switch between them once you've started. |
