This is a question that any business owner almost certainly will ask themselves; to DIY or hire a web designer. I am a web designer, but more than that, I am also a business owner. I know how it feels like to try to keep the budget as low as possible when you’re just starting out and also the urge to do everything by yourself. As a web designer, I also often get this question:
“I see a lot of advertisements on DIY website platforms like Wix, Squarespace and also WordPress theme builders that look easy and if I can make a website myself, why would I pay someone to do this for me?”
So, in this blog, I’ll try to provide unbiased explanations about the pros and cons of each option to help you make the decision that suits your business’ individual needs and budget.
COST
It goes without saying that DYI-ing your website will be relatively cheap (if you don’t count the cost of your time). All you need to do is pay for the monthly or annual fee that the platform may charge. Meanwhile hiring a pro may cost tens times more to start, especially for a nicely designed mobile-friendly website with custom branding and all the additional features that your business needs. If your site requires more complex functionality and development, it will cost a lot more.
TIME AND ENERGY
With the advertisement “build a beautiful and stunning website in a day”, many people are lured into jumping to the decision to build their own websites. However, it all depends on how tech-savvy one is. The learning curve is different for everyone until you get the hang of it. But, in terms of the time to market, DIY will get you the chance to market your site faster because you’re doing it by yourself without having to wait for the production/ feedback giving process.
Another consideration regarding time and energy is to make the best use of them. As a business owner, you need to ask yourself if creating and maintaining a website is the best use of your time. It is true that in this day and age, you can get access to information and tutorials easily, but that also means you can get overwhelmed thinking about where to begin and which one works. A trained and experienced professional will already have a system in order to work efficiently and save you the time and energy of trial-and-erroring yourself. Most importantly, by the end of the day, you want to use your time doing more of the things that you like and match your skill sets instead of doing the opposite.
DESIGN AND STRATEGY
If you DIY your website using a template, be aware that pre-designed templates are usually made to serve a bigger and wider range of needs, not specific to your business’ goals. You may be able to find the closest ones to your needs, or dedicate more time to do more edits to the templates.
Hiring a pro means you are paying for a custom experience to be presented on your website. A well-thought out and researched strategic web design will give you the foundation for long term success. A quality custom website design may result in more engagement with your target audience, increased profits and the ability to reach more ideal clients as well as working responsively on mobile.
My conclusion:
Choosing between a DIY and hiring a web designer comes down to what you’re looking for, how much time you can devote, your skill level, your budget and how customized you want to get with your branding and website.
If you’re still not sure about your solutions, I’d be happy to help with my FREE 30-min consultation call. You can book HERE.
