Illustrator, author, pickle-maker, skier.
@NessIllustration I apologize if you found my contribution to this discussion offensive. But please don't interpret my words to mean something I did not explicitly say.
I'm simply trying to help anyone who has zero experience designing or developing or maintaining a web site make an informed decision. Take it or leave it.
Clarifying a few things for posterity ...
Cost
WP
If you self-host [a wordpress site] your upfront costs will include hosting fees, purchasing your domain, and security (SSL) certificates. All of these costs add up.
You will also have to consider your time spent installing and building out your site ... if you do not have basic coding skills, you will not be able to customize your site much beyond the free template and free plugins that WP offers. Factor this into your decision.
In the end, not only will you likely not save money, it may cost you more in time spent trying to figure out how to maintain your site or add functionality. If something breaks (and trust me it will), unless you know someone willing to give you free troubleshooting help, you'll be forking out cash to hire a WP developer.
Webhosted Platforms [eg Squarespace, Wix, etc.]
With a hosted site like Squarespace your costs will include the subscription fee and purchasing your domain name. You don't pay additionally for hosting or software updates and you never have to worry about PHP server updates, whether a plugin remains supported, or your site going down. If you want to sell your work, all you have to do is upgrade and start building. All the tools you need are right there. It was also originally built for photographers and designers (artists) in mind so many of their templates are geared specifically toward showcasing portfolios.
SEO
"you can do a whole lot more with wordpress from an SEO perspective" This is a myth.
With the self-hosted version, Wordpress does not offer built-in SEO tools. Accessing advanced SEO tools and premium plugins are only available starting on their business plan for $25/month. Advanced plugins will cost you more.
Squarespace's SEO tools are built in and cost nothing to optimize. Wix has the same SEO features out-of-the-box as Squarespace but you also have the option to purchase plugins that can supercharge your SEO.
Assuming you know the basics of good SEO and how to properly improve your website's SEO using available tools, Squarespace is the better and cheaper option.
In the end, it's not the platform, only what you have the skills to make of it.
Web design and development adage—Free is never truly free.
@NessIllustration @Heather-Boyd Squarespace doesn't "bleed you dry"—It's a one-time yearly subscription fee that covers everything you could possibly need in a web site. In fact, Wordpress jumped on the web-hosted site bandwagon too and their pricing is actually more expensive than Squarespace.
I've built enough custom Wordpress sites to know how awful that platform really is ... Especially if you are installing it on your own hosting account and managing the platform yourself using the "one-click install" option so common to hosting services. It's incredibly misleading. Without a basic knowledge of PHP and CSS, you are effectively trapped in a system you can't customize beyond adding plugins. And the more plugins you add to the system, the more likely you will run into problems down the road.
There is really no point in building and maintaining your own web site any longer with options like Wix, Squarespace, Big Commerce, Etsy, and Shopify (among many many others). If you have any knowledge of coding and styling pages, Squarespace allows a substantial amount of flexibility for customization.
Site maintenance is easy until it's not. The question you have to ask yourself is, "how much time do I want to allocate to maintaining my website?" I used to do this for a living and my answer is "as little as possible."
I 'm a recovering web designer and developer. There is absolutely no reason not to use online solutions like Wix or Squarespace for your online portfolio. Avoid Wordpress at all costs—it's not worth the maintenance headaches.
I currently host my portfolio sites with Squarespace.
@Marsha-Kay-Ottum-Owen A slight clarification on the discussion ... Technically-speaking, your work is copyrighted the moment you put pen to paper. However, if you do not register your work, there is no guarantee that the law will side with you if for some reason you wound up in court challenging someone who potentially stole your idea—It literally becomes a he-said-she-said argument. Registering your work with the US Copyright and Patent office is the only way to prove that you were the first to come up with the idea.
If you are self-publishing, then you should absolutely take the step to officially register your work and protect your intellectual property.
@drawnbyshawn You're welcome! Happy to weigh in on the discussion. And cheers to my Minnesota brethren ... I grew up in the burbs of St. Paul.
@drawnbyshawn Setting up an LLC on your own is easy. I'm not saying it isn't. I set up my first LLC using an online service. But there are simply certain things that you should leave to people who specialize in those areas of expertise—for me, that's laws and numbers.
I had a horrible, terrible, very bad experience with a client at the dawn of my career that caused me to take certain things about running a business seriously ... All it took was a year of ceaseless harassment and threats of a lawsuit.
I'm not a lawyer and my thoughts below are exactly that, thoughts (based on my experience). But any lawyer will tell you that the limited liability of an LLC will protect you ... if it's "set up correctly". And, no, I'm not exactly sure what that means.
Corporations (LLCs, Incs) are governed by the state in which you register. While the basic rules are fairly consistent, each state has different rules and regulations for the creation of business entities—Nothing at all unusual about this. But those rules and regulations do change from time to time and, if you set up an LLC on your own, you will be responsible for tracking and updating your company information with these changes.
Potential problem areas with LLC creation:
A lawyer will handle all of this for you and make sure that it's all completed correctly.
But the biggest benefit of retaining a lawyer is that he/she will make sure you are current with all your required annual state filings—including registration, filing your articles of incorporation, and minutes. Miss any one of them and you will get hit with penalties, late fees, and even suspension. I prefer not to have the responsibility of handling all of this on my own every year.
My lawyer handles all of my yearly incorporation paperwork and is worth every penny ... when I need him.
@Nyrryl-Cadiz Oops. My bad. I tagged the wrong person. Meant to tag @juliekitzes.
@Nyrryl-Cadiz, @Coreyartus is 100% correct that when it comes to filing taxes as a small business owner things can get confusing.
A sole proprietor is literally anyone who decides to start a business. The moment you accept payment for a service or product, you become a sole proprietor in the eyes of the IRS. It's the simplest means of paying taxes as small business owner. Basically, all profits and loss are "passed" through the business to your personal taxes.
A sole proprietor has zero protection against two things: 1) getting sued and 2) debt. If your business gets sued or goes bankrupt, it's not the company that takes the hit ... it's you. For example, creditors can swoop in and take not only your business assets but your personal assets as well—like your house, car, television, and welcome mat.
Assuming your LLC is set up by a competent lawyer, the "limited liability" of an LLC protects you from both of these consequences. The problems begin and end with the business.
You will hear a lot about "double taxation" as a corporation (INC)—this simply refers to being taxed twice on the same income for corporate taxes and personal income taxes.
Sole proprietors and LLCs are not double taxed—in other words, the corporation is not taxed, you are. BUT there's a catch ... you ARE subject to "self-employment" tax in addition to income tax. Technically, you still get taxed twice. Gotta love the IRS (but their customer service is outstanding. No kidding.)
After you create your LLC, you can reduce your tax liability by having your accountant file an "S-Corp" election with the IRS ... this is not a legal entity, it's an IRS designation.But it'll save you a bundle on taxes.
Anyway, to answer your question in a word ... An LLC is "safer".
I've been an LLC, in one incarnation or another, for 24 years, and the best advice I can give you is that the smartest decision you can make is to find a good accountant (not H&R Block and don't do your own taxes).
The second best advice I can impart is to work with a lawyer who specializes in corporate law to set up your LLC (this typically costs about $500)—While it's possible to set up an LLC on your own using online services that offer bargain rates and quick turnarounds, do NOT do this.
Cheers
Generally speaking, product liability will be covered under a [small business] general liability policy—and protects you from things like parents who decide to blame you for their kid choking on a puzzle piece from your product.
I carried General Liability Insurance for nearly twenty years as a small web design and development company—for custom websites, believe it or not. Thankfully, I never had to use it. The monthly cost wasn't exorbitant, but it wasn't cheap either ... That being said, if a worst case scenario arises, going to court would likely bankrupt you.
I'm not currently carrying insurance.