Should You Build Your Own Website?
We have had a few conversations with people who think that building their own website is a good solution to what they need, so I thought I’d write an article all about the pro’s and con’s of this and give people an impartial view of everything you need to know about this topic.
Building Your Own Website
Years ago, building your own website was a really complicated task, and still is a little to be honest! If you have knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript, then it is easier, and some website builders allow you to drag and drop things onto your website and make them look good. However, sometimes these websites can load slowly and aren’t as customisable to your exact needs. So if you want a simple 1-5 page website and don’t really want something that can be customised for your needs, then a self-build may be the way forward. It comes down to your comfort level in building the website and the time you have on your hands. If time is scarce because of work and family life, then a self-build may not be the option.
As I have mentioned above, customising a website when its self-built can be tricky and there are some other problems you may face as well. The hosting maybe on a shared server that hosts hundreds of websites, so this could mean slow web page loading times that will frustrate your website visitors. They also fall short when allowing you to add in more than just text, video and images. Developing things such as forms, call-to-actions and other essential elements can be difficult or impossible depending on which website builder you choose.
A major factor you should consider is how your self-build website really communicates your brand and what you offer. There’s some great templates out there that you can tweak and change. However, your website is your shop window to a whole host of potential customers, so you need to ensure that when people visit it everything looks great and functions properly. If you feel like you are able to do this, then a self-build option is a really strong contender for you!
Let’s look at the pros and cons of using a site builder:
Pros:
– Save money
– Have complete control of the creative process
– Hosting and maintaining are all part of the package
– Take your time and get it right
– Don’t need much technical knowledge
– Best for new, small, or self-proprietor owned businesses
Cons:
– Hard to customize
– Slow
– Need to do SEO yourself
– Very time consuming
– If anything goes wrong you have no support
– You have to set-up emails and everything like that yourself
– You don’t have an expert to call upon when you need
– If you are busy then it will take an age to finish
Hiring A Web Design Expert
Hiring an expert also comes with its own list of pros and cons. However, unless you are a developer yourself, it can be worthwhile working with an expert who can create something from scratch that’s tailor-made for you and your goals. A great expert, or team in our case, will be able to customise every aspect of your website. We bring a wide range of technical knowledge in web design and experience in online marketing, mobile-optimisation and fast loading websites. Even more importantly, it will also save you lots of time and effort in the long term if you don’t have the skills in-house and want a solution that meets your exacting needs.
Take a look at what your business wants to achieve and then look at whether you have the time to self-build or if you need to bring in an expert/company that will help you get there quicker. It’s like with anything, you could do your own taxes, even build your own house, or you could bring in an expert who can do it quicker, better and faster than you ever could. That is the trust value of an expert.
Overall, when making the decision as to whether or not to make your own website or hire experts, ask the following questions:
Do I have the time and resources to commit to this project?
Do I feel confident in my design abilities, and ability to learn and utilize my chosen platform?
Is my platform able to effectively communicate my brand?
Will I save enough money doing it myself to justify the time I will spend doing it myself?
Do I have the time and know-how to maintain and run my website, SEO and social media myself?
If you’re feeling uncertain or simply know deep down that you can’t dedicate yourself or your team to building a website that’s ready to work for you, get some help. There’s no shame in that! And, as we like to say, your website and overall marketing should help you generate better leads, faster.
If you are looking for an expert website designer in Ottawa then please contact us to discuss your needs.
