When you are starting a new business, one of the first things you will need is a website. In this day and age having web precedence is essential in virtually any industry. Whether you are creating a new website or want to revamp your current site, you will quickly find you have a lot of options.
Most of these options will fall into one of two camps. Either you can use software and website building platforms to DIY your website or you can partner with a web development and design company that will collaborate with you to create your website.
What is the best option for you and your business, well that will depend.
In this post, we will look at the pros and cons of either a DIY website or a professionally designed website in a variety of different categories including a budget, design, complexity, security, support, and more.
As a web design company, we of course see tremendous value in the services we provide to our clients with beautifully designed websites and ongoing support but we always want your business to make an informed decision that will support your overall business goals. So let’s get to it!
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Website
There are a variety of reasons to explore DIY web builder tools. More often than not, we see business owners choose this route as a cost-effective way to launch their website, but there are many other areas to be considered.
Budget
Web-building platforms usually provide users with an affordable annual payment plan. This often includes hosting and domain name registration, as well. DIY will likely be the most cost-effective way to get a simple website up and running.
Time and Energy
While web building platforms may advertise your website could be designed in a day, this likely isn’t true unless you are extremely tech savvy. Designing your website on your own will take some time, energy, and patience as you learn how to work with the builder and customize different features to your liking.
If you have the willingness to learn and are okay with some trial and error and having some time and energy to put into your website build, you could DIY a simple website.
Customization and Complexity
DIY can be a good option for those looking for the most basic or simple websites. Most builders have restrictions on the level of customization that can be done or features that can be added. The more features or customization you need, the harder it could be to go the DIY route.
Security and Support
Most reputable website builders offer closed sourced websites. This means your website will be safe and secure for your business and users. Many come with customer support options, tutorials, and forums.
Your Skill Level
Website builders are easy to use after you get used to them and don’t require any HTML or CSS coding knowledge. If you’ve got the design and tech skills a DIY site is an option.
Design and Strategy
Web builder platforms will come with pre-designed templates for you to choose from. However, you don’t want your website to look like everyone else’s. You can customize the design templates to a certain extent but if you are concerned about a unique look or have a specific design in mind, a DIY website may have some restrictions.
Professional Web Design
We may be biased but hiring a professional web designer for your website has countless benefits. At Torrch we strive to make these benefits accessible to small business owners with affordable web design packages.
Your website is one of your biggest marketing tools, many of your marketing efforts will lead back to your website. It only makes sense to hire a professional to ensure it’s well designed, effective, and stands out in the competition. When you work with a pro you get the benefit of our experience and expertise.
Budget
Hiring a web design professional will likely be a bigger upfront investment. At Torrch we strive to keep your web design process budget friendly. We do this by offering web design packages at an affordable monthly price.
At this monthly price we create well designed, mobile friendly custom websites. This monthly cost will also cover ongoing maintenance, security, updates, support, and more.
Check out our pricing options.
Time and Energy
Perhaps the most invaluable reason to hire a professional is that this will end up saving you time and stress. Not only can a website designer build your site quickly and efficiently, but they can also set up website functionalities like an appointment scheduler or contact form that will eliminate the need to book appointments via telephone and back-and-forth email which will help your business run more efficiently.
Customization and Complexity
When you work with a professional web designer your options for website customization expand greatly. This will allow your website to reflect your business and brand better.
You’ll have access to our team with years of experience, creative ideas, and technological know-how.
Security and Support
If you are unfamiliar with web design and website maintenance you may be surprised to know your website will need ongoing support. Your website is never truly done. The world of technology is ever changing which means codes need updating, security systems need revamping, and plugins need maintenance.
With our ongoing support services you never have to worry about keeping up with updates or security protocols, we handle all of that for you.
Your Skill Level
This is one of the biggest reasons to hire a web designer. A website will require several features including, proper heading elements, image optimization, code or plugin knowledge, responsive design, SEO, and more. If you aren’t confident in your skill level, you will benefit from the knowledge and expertise of a professional.
Torrch Web Design
At Torch we want to offer our clients all the benefits of a professional web designer at an affordable price. Our unique Monthly pricing plans make professional web design accessible to small businesses and entrepreneurs. If you are looking to launch a website contact our team today.