A quick glance online nowadays makes everything look like a Do It Yourself (DIY) project, even something as complicated as coming up with a great new website for your business. You watch a video of someone with a bunch of professional experience on how to build a fence, a mechanic giving you step-by-step instructions on how to change your sparkplugs, or a website builder claiming you can just drag and drop yourself to success and –BOOM – you’re an expert!
It seems so easy.
But for every one of these “success” stories, there are thousands who try to replicate the results and fail – miserably. DIY projects can be a great way to save a couple of dollars around the house but when it comes to your business you need to know when to DDIY, or Don’t Do It Yourself!
When it comes to a great new website design for your business, that’s one you need to leave to the professionals. Just take a moment to consider the following before you think about diving into the world of web design.
Cookie Cutters vs Master Chefs
Those that take the DIY route when designing their website are either looking to become full on webmasters, which is a fulltime job for a reason, or planning on relying on one of those Drag & Drop site builders. Let’s assume the latter.
It looks easy, right? Drag and drop some stock photos into a template and add in a little text – bingo, bango, done! Here’s the problem, now your website looks like an amateur website with zero creativity, boring imagery, and, unless you’re a professional content writer, drab and boring text. Worse, your website is designed by you, for you, with the limited tools available rather than by an expert, specific to your audience, with a full toolbox at their disposal.
Since the web is more than likely your first impression with a customer, you can likely guess which option is going to lead to more success.
Go Karts vs Race Cars
Imagine you are tasked with winning an car race. You have access to a couple of friends, all the tools in your garage, and any parts you can afford. You have two weeks to get everything together for the race. Many of us would struggle to even put something roadworthy on the track but if you managed, congratulations! Here’s the thing, you’re racing against a Formula One driver and team.
Silly, right?
Well, that is what building your own website is like. It takes a team to design, build, support, and maintain a website 24/7. It’s no longer a one-person show. Technology is always changing, security is always being tested, Search Engine Optimization is like the rocket fuel that powers your website, your audience has specific demands for plug-ins and apps, and a server that is hosting thousands of DIY websites is sluggish. Even if you manage to put together your website, it’s going to get blown out of the water by your competitors, who take their presence on the internet seriously.
Can you afford that?
Placeholder Vs Business Tool
Alright, if you’re looking for your website to just be a placeholder on the web so that you can point people to it and say that you have one, go ahead and build it yourself. But if you’re interested in having your website work for you, to drive customers to you, to be your champion and evangelist and emissary to the world, then you need it done right. An expertly designed website is so much more than just a website – and if you find the right team to design, build, and maintain it for you, you’ll be covering the following aspects of your web presence:
- Unique plug-ins and apps to make you stand out
- Mobile presence and features
- Integrated and timely Social Media messaging
- 24/7 Support
- Continual Content updates and SEO optimization
- Branding and marketing strategies, updates, and campaigns
Professional web designers take into account all of the above in building you a website. For them it’s not a bookmark, it’s a living, evolving, and driving force to power your business!
DIY Vs Peace of Mind
Still thinking that you can DIY? Fine, let’s talk bottom line. If you’re not a professional web designer then you’re going to be wasting precious time trying to figure out how to design, build, manage, support, and maintain a website, its plug-ins and apps, mobile, social media, and content stream. This is time you could have been using to promote your business, interacting with customers, and working on staying on top of the business being sent your way by your professionally built website. And if you do it in your off-hours, then you’re sacrificing time with friends and family, your health and wellbeing, or your sleep.
A good business owner knows how to weigh the costs and benefits, and while DIY on a great website design looks easy, it’s just not worth the cost to you or your business.