So you might think this article will be biased towards hiring a web designer —after all, that’s what I do. But I know there are other options out there and when starting a business, you need to consider every single one.
There are pros and cons for building your own website and hiring a website designer, but ultimately you need to decide what is best for you.
Reasons to Build Your Own Website
Nowadays, there are so many different online builders to choose from. The cost and functionality can vary, so it will come down to what you need your website to do.
You will pay from £8.50 up to £30 every month to have a website hosted on web builder platform. The most popular website builders in the UK are WiX and Squarespace.
Many business owners decide to go the down the ‘do it yourself’ route to…
- reduce cost, you have to be careful what you builder you choose and consider the long term costs but builders are usually a more affordable option up front.
- get started and go live quickly, if you’re relatively techy you might find you can set up a really simple website in less than a week.
- find your viable market, if you’re still new and testing things out then a simple website will help you work out if your product or service is viable.
- learn a new skill, it could be helpful for you to learn how the website is put together. Especially if you work with websites in some capacity, such as a Copywriter or in Marketing.
Reasons to Hire a Web Designer
Hiring a web designer might seem daunting, there is often a high cost associated with it and it can take time to find the right person.
A small business owner might consider hiring a website designer to…
- save time, when you’re starting your business you already have a lot to do. This way you can concentrate on doing what you do best.
- avoid technology, if you’re not very technical it can be daunting. Having someone create the site and give you training can be a load off your mind.
- ensure your site is set up correctly, you wouldn’t have to worry about setting up your basic SEO, Google Analytics, or optimiser your sire and page speed.
- get a custom design, most website builders have limited templates that are used by many other businesses. A custom design would unique to you and your business.
- guide you through the process, a website designer should help you understand your target audience and advise your content creation. They also train you on how to use your website.
- get advanced functionality, web builders are limited and you may need extra functionality that a web developer could implement.
- have someone who understands design and user experience, this is key to having a website that converts. A designer will understand the customer journey, the hierarchy/priority of content and adapt your layout to help you get more sales and leads.
Before you decide, firstly you need to identify your target audience. Once you know who your ideal customer is and what they need, then you can figure out what functionality you’ll need to make your life and your customers life easier.
A website can do many things. You can have a blog to share useful articles, an image gallery to showcase your work, an online shop with different payment methods, a booking system to make it easier to book appointments etc.
So how do you decided what platforms is right for you?
Well, next you’ll need to do some research. Compare the different web builders and content management systems (CMS), look at what they can do and how much they cost.
To help you the next article Web Builders vs WordPress CMS shows the pros and cons of using the different platforms.
