Ignorance is bliss when it comes to taking advantage of small business owners who know they need a website but have little budget, even less time and poor knowledge of technical matters.

It is possible to set up a website for a few pounds these days with huge competition in the market but, according to Oxford-based developer Andrew Turner, it is a “race to the bottom” in terms of quality.

He said: “Price and quality are coming down and down but there are always people prepared to pay but end up with junk.”

Yet it is possible to design a website quickly and have it working for you within 24-hours at a price that won’t break the bank.

And it will be bespoke to your business because you will have built it yourself under the supervision of Mr Turner.

Mr Turner has set up training events using the WordPress platform which has evolved through a global community of developers using Open Source software.

Now it is powerful enough to be behind websites ranging from BBC America to 100 metre record holder Usain Bolt.

Mr Turner said: “There are more than 60 million websites around the world built using WordPress.”

The customisation of the basic website comes through the use of thousands of plugins and themes which can be chosen depending on the user’s needs.

And that range of tools is constantly expanding, allowing websites to be continually updated with the latest developments.

Mr Turner is running his events, for groups of up to 12 over the course of a weekend or individually with his target audience being small businesses who cannot afford to spend thousands on a web site.

He explained: “Part of the training is to explain what it is they need to do to optimise their site to give them the best chance of being found by the Google search engine.”

But while WordPress offers a value website, it does not have to look that way.

“Most people judge a business by the quality of the website. If it looks terrible then that is reflected on the company concerned.

“And most websites contain information that is meaningless. What is needed is short pieces to get the message across in a split second.”

Mr Turner promises to guide his rookie developers through the whole process of setting up their site, offering a host of tips along the way.

And that includes identifying limitations to perhaps overly-ambitious people who think they need something far more complicated than is really necessary.

That said, WordPress can accommodate most people’s needs.

“Most of the beautiful looking websites are driven by WordPress,” said Mr Turner.

The courses start from the basic tasks of planning what the client wants before registering a domain name and setting up the appropriate e-mail address. Then there is the issue of where the website will be hosted.

“So many companies register their domain name in America and there is no support. Often it is very difficult to get it back but it is vital because the domain is part of the company’s brand and intellectual property.”

Mr Turner can offer to host the site and offers support if anything goes wrong.

Then the process of building pages and installing images begins and ensuring they read well and look good. Once the site is up and running, the owner then has the knowledge and tools to continue to develop it in their own time.

The use of social media is also examined in the courses.

Mr Turner said: “What I am finding is that a lot of people are posting material on Twitter and Facebook independently of their website but by doing that they are building on someone else’s ‘ecosystem.’ “Anyone finding information on Twitter will link back to your website to find out more.”

Examples of clients Mr Turner has worked with include the North Parade Farmers’ Market in Oxford and photo journalists’ site reportage.co.uk But whatever the needs of the client, Mr Turner is looking to deliver value.

“The point about the website is that you get to take it forward for the development of your business.

“So many people spend thousands of pounds on websites that do not do them any favours at all.”

* The next WordPress Weekend will be held on March 16 and 17 at The Oxford Hotel, Godstow Road, Oxford OX2 8AL. The course fee is £295.