With technology advancing, you may be considering building your own website, using some well-known platforms that guide you through every step. However, deciding whether it’s the right option for your business requires understanding about the pros and cons of self-building.
If you think the limitations involved may hold your business back from achieving its goals in the longer-term, you should consider hiring a professional web designer instead.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Customisation
Self-build platforms like to make things easy for you, often implementing drag and drop features to help you achieve the desired layout. However, that doesn’t mean you can do what you want. The themes used are often relatively rigid, so any design must be created within the layout provided. This also means your website may not be unique to you, with many finding it hard to put their own stamp on the site to promote their brand properly.
Experienced web developers often choose WordPress to build bespoke websites thanks to the hundreds of customisable features available. It allows businesses to achieve designs that can be tailored to their needs at any point.
Moving Your Website
If you ever decide to move your website to a different platform, many self-built websites are tied into their original location. It means you can’t take the design with you. If you think you may need changes in the future, especially if your business has plans for growth, the best option is often to start from scratch with a flexible web design you can take with you in the future.
Cost
The initial cost difference seems obvious when you compare free website builders to the price of hiring a pro website designer. However, you should consider the future costs involved if you ever wanted your self-built website to break out of its current theme or move location. There are sometimes hidden costs of website building platforms, including the use of your domain name.
Time & Skill
Website development takes time and skill, so you need to consider your available resources, and realistically, whether you can afford to dedicate a lot of time to this. Designing a website yourself takes you away from your business, often taking much longer to complete than if you used an expert web designer.
Effective web design which appeals to your target customers can help you attract more leads and paying clients. Professionals understand the psychology behind appealing colours, layouts and easy website navigation. They can also implement good SEO (search engine optimisation) practices as part of the design.
Content
Do you have all the content you need to fill the design and help convert website visitors to paying customers? A professional web designer can help you with everything from sourcing images to recommending copywriters who will create the words to promote your products and services. The content should be completely unique – never copied from other websites. Is this something you have the time and know-how for if you’re building your own website?
If you need more advice about web design, get in touch with JJ Solutions.
We provide honest advice about the pros and cons of your website development plans, and aim to save you time and money by getting it right the first time. For a no-obligation chat, call now on 020 3871 8773.
