If your research project requires building a dedicated website you might find it helpful to consider the following:
Planning stage:
- costings for the build, hosting and management
- the design and content of the site
- where is it being hosted, back-up plans, security and support arrangements
- development, maintenance and hosting for the full life of the website.
When the project is underway:
- resourcing the design, launch and maintenance
- any bandwidth/capacity, hosting considerations
Once the project is complete:
- does the site need to be maintained or used as a static reference?
- how long is it needed for?
- is a disclaimer planned if website is de-commissioned?
- if the website is needed after project closure - how is this going to be funded?
Once you have considered all of this, depending on your budget, you could consider Google sites, WordPress or Squarespace.