However, with so many free digital marketing options out there, it’s worth spending some time to decide how a website fits into your marketing strategy.
If you think about your website like a shop window, it is important to make people stay and explore more. You need to be prepared to keep it up to date and give people the information they want and need.
Think about the pros and cons before you invest your time and energy into developing a website for your club:
Can be accessed by anyone, anytime and anywhere
Ideal for promoting your group: show who you are, what you do and how to get in touch with you
Communication centre: share good news or important updates, it can be a focal point for your social media channels
Targeting the right people: unlike some other forms of marketing it is difficult to make sure you reach the right people and don’t get lost amongst the mountains of online information
Maintenance: with your website being open 24/7 it is important to make sure it is working well, up to date and with new content so people know that it is active
Creativity: thinking up interesting content on a regular basis can be challenging, see our content tips below
There are a number of platforms you can use that are 'open sourced', which simply means they are free of charge.
It's worth exploring the range of tools available, including Wordpress, Drupal and Umbraco, for example.
Keep in mind that even though they are free, it will take time and commitment to get it right.
Here’s some useful information to help you start thinking about how to approach creating a website.