Free Webmaster Services
If you're planning on building a Web site, or if you already own a site and wish to improve it, don't delve into your wallet just yet! The Internet never fails to provide a truckload of free stuff, and if you're a Webmaster just starting out (or even an experienced Webmaster) you'll find a great mixture of free services in the categories below. Whether you require a counter service to track the number of visitors you receive, a message board solution, or a utility to help you promote your site, you're sure to find what you need here. However, if you're been using a service that we haven't yet reviewed, please submit it. Likewise, if you find an outdated link, we would also appreciate it if you could report it. Thanks!
Once you begin attracting a reasonable number of visitors to your site, the odd advert is an ideal way to generate some extra cash, either to pay for hosting fees or for other purposes. Here, we provide reviews of the most reliable and trustworthy affiliate programs the Internet has to offer. Most of them will send you money on a monthly basis and allow you to pick and choose the adverts to display on your pages.
The banner advert is an effective Web site promotion tool, particularly if you're strapped for cash and can't afford traditional advertising. This category has a collection of the best banner exchange programs available. All are free and often remotely hosted, meaning you aren't required to have any knowledge of programming. Even if your site has little traffic, these are guaranteed to reel-in some additional visitors.
If you're building a Web page, a counter is probably the most important tool you can have. Without one, you have no idea of how many visitors your site generates. In this category, FreebieList.com reviews all the best free hit counter services, along with more advanced counters (called trackers) that record a wide variety of information, such as referring sites, search engine keywords, visitor's country and browser type, etc.
Free JavaScript and CGI Scripts
There are literally thousands of free scripts available online, all performing different functions. Some of the most common scripts include those that rotate banners, manage mailing lists, allow you to create your own online store and create polls. Despite the large amount of commercial CGI, many popular scripts are still available completely free of charge. Here, we also feature free JavaScript providers.
Guestbooks make excellent "add-ons" to personal and even professional Web sites on the Net. They allow visitors to leave messages, either for others to read or for the Webmaster to take note of. You can have users leave their e-mail address, country and even name. Many of the guestbooks listed in here can be customised to the look and colour of your site and are completely free to register with.
Ever wanted to create your own e-mail newsletter? With these services you can, and best of all, they're completely free. A large mailing list can eventually prove to be a powerful revenue tool, especially if it's targeted at a specific audience. Most mailing list providers also have administration and management capabilities, so you can add subscribers, delete them or even import an entire list from another service.
These are ideal for creating visitor loyalty and communities on your site. Most modern free message boards can be customised with the colours and design of your page. Some also have extra functions like language options, IP blocking and the ability to change HTML headers and footers. They also provide excellent "sticky" content, which entices visitors to return to your Web site for the latest posts.
Promote your Web site using these easy to use tools. You can even submit your site to all the top search engines for free and get advice on how to build your traffic without spending money on advertising. Once your site is searchable, take a look at discussion forums and free advice sites that cover how to "get the word out". This is a must-see category for every Webmaster serious about building up their site traffic.
Before you pay through the teeth for a brand new Web site, be sure to check out our free Web hosting listings. Producing a Web site is less complicated than people imagine, and with so many services available that automate the process for you, even inexperienced users can produce a site that's worthy of an audience. Many of the free hosting services we review here allow you to upgrade to a commercial solution if you feel you've outgrown your "free" package.
Webmaster resources that don't fit into the other categories is what you'll find in this section. If you can't find what you are looking for in our other categories, chances are you will find it here. Things like URL-redirection services and search providers are listed, along with specialist sites that offer numerous services of their own. To submit a site for addition, follow the links at the top of this page (click "suggest a site").