The do-it-yourself website market is certainly looking more attractive these days with sites like Weebly, Moonfruit and Wix all delivering more compelling product offerings for website design. These platforms all have their place in the market but are quickly discredited for people serious about building a business, not a hobby. Let’s explore why you should use a professional web design company rather then a DIY website option.

 

On the surface, the value proposition looks good; a nice foundation, clean looking website, budget friendly and, well, the examples they show you in the demos look like a piece of cake to build! They have even tackled some of the elements which have been frowned upon in the past like swapping flash for HTML5 and adding SEO features. We can see why clients think it’s valuable.

 

So with cost affective options like this, why use a professional? Lets separate the hobbyists from the serious business owners by looking at what you get with hiring a professional…

Web professionals do this for a living… – We’ve earned our stripes through years and years of experience. We have build hundreds of sites heralding from all sizes and industries. It’s safe to say that you can trust us. (meet our team here)

Web experts talk strategy – We didn’t grow a successful creative agency by relying solely on our skills to design pretty sites. Nope – pretty sites only got us so far. We have come to be successful by bringing strategy to the table – helping business owners strategise their website and how it will ‘talk’ with other marketing channels; the bigger picture.

You get guided you through the process… – we explain why crazy spinning banners and loud distracting sounds on the home page only detract from your key message.

You’ll learn that SEO doesn’t happen on it’s own– it takes lots of hard work.

Web design companies know what works… – from layout to call to actions – we know what will elicit the highest conversions on your site.

Forget having to understand image resolution, colour psychology or any other design related principles – you can rest assured knowing that you will have a quality looking site with none of the ‘tell-tale’ signs of a DIY.

Just because it’s a CMS (Content Managed System) doesn’t mean you should build it yourself from scratch– It would be like driving a semi because you have read a book on ‘driving a truck’. In fact, we should rename it to ‘manage-it-yourself-after-hiring-a-professional-to-design-it-system’! WordPress for example is hugely popular and it is a great CMS tool. But, it gives people a false sense of security. It makes you think you don’t need a professional. Well, not if you’re a hobbyist.

So whilst we applaud business owners thinking smarter about their business and how they can increase their bottom line, cutting costs on your website by a DIY option is just not recommended. Your website is arguably the most important element in your marketing mix, and if done right, can work for you 24/7; converting more leads and sales then ever before.

 

If you are operating a serious business and not a hobby, then do not DIY! You will reap the rewards down the track by entrusting professionals for your web build. If you absolutely must cut costs, then consider hiring a professional WordPress website designer or Business Catalyst website designer to get you started with the design, SEO, and build and then take over the ongoing management of your website. This ensures you have a solid foundation in place.

 

Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss your website needs.