Did you know that as of January 2019, there were over 228.6 million unique domains?
What’s more, another 100,000 domains get registered every day!
True, many of these domains end up unused and abandoned. Still, that means more of the good names are getting snatched every day.
Registering domains is only the first step in creating a website though. After that, it’s making a choice between DIY websites and getting experts to build and design the site.
So, which route should you take for your website? When is it fine to design your own site and when is it best to delegate the task to pros?
All these questions we’ll answer in this post, so be sure to keep reading!
DIY Websites: What’s So Great About Them
Affordability and ease of set-up are only a few of the things that make DIY sites appealing. There are many site builders to choose from, all of which give you tools to customize your site.
Here’s a quick look at what makes them a great choice.
They’re Much More Affordable
Do it yourself websites can cost nothing at all.
Yes, nothing as in $0, nil, zilch. That’s because some website builders, like WordPress, offer free website creation. WP, by the way, powers one-third of the top 10 million websites all over the world.
Of course, the free plans are best for designing and building super basic websites. Since they’re free, you can expect them to come with limited features. Still, upgrading to a plan that lets you build a more professional site will still only cost you about $400 to $500 a year.
Basic Set-Up is Quick and Easy
If you only have a simple DIY website design in mind, then you can finish it within a couple of hours.
It also depends on what type of website builder you use: a CMS or a drag-and-drop builder. WP is a type of CMS, while Weebly is a form of a drag-and-drop builder. If you want to a more in-depth comparison of the two, consider checking out this blog post.
You Get to Make All Decisions on Site Design
Whatever you want to incorporate in your website, you have the freedom to do so with DIY web design. What your homepage will look like, how many pages your site has, how to create a sitemap, the type of font to use — these decisions are all up to you.
When a Self-Built Website Won’t Cut It
Between 10 and 20 seconds. That’s how short your window is to keep a site visitor’s attention and interest. If they don’t like how your website looks, they no doubt will leave it in a hurry.
Now, this can happen if it’s your first time building and designing your own site. If it’s a site for personal use, then the loss of visitors may not bother you that much. But if it’s for your business, every visitor you lose equates to lost profits.
Why Professionally-Designed Websites are Awesome
If your website requires a professional look and feel, it may be best to get expert designers or a fully-fledged web design agency such as ALT Agency. This is often the case for businesses since they need to prove their credibility to the public.
That said, let’s take a closer look at what professional website design can bring to the table.
They’re a Pleasure to Use and Look At
Professional web designers create designs tailored to the purposes of their client’s website. They consider the client’s mission, vision, and goals for the website. They also factor in the demographics of their client’s market and target audience.
From there, expert designers will figure out the best type, color, and size of the font to use on their client’s site. They will determine the right background color, text placement, and imagery to use. They also factor in the best ways to make the website as navigable as possible.
This attention to detail is what makes professionally-designed websites a piece of art. This is also why business websites are best left in the hands of expert designers.
Pro Web Designers Free Up Your Time
The larger your website project is, the longer it takes to build, especially from scratch. If your website will rely heavily on multimedia (images and videos), it’ll take even longer. For starters, you may have to convert them into various file types before you can upload them to your site pages.
Allow experts to design your website though, and they’ll take care of everything for you. Of course, they’ll follow your instructions, but at the same time, provide expert input.
In any case, with the site design out of your to-do list, you have more time on your hands. You can then dedicate this time to other important aspects of your business.
The Not-So-Nice Aspects of Having a Pro Design Your Website
The biggest downside to getting pros to design your site is the cost. If you hire them to build your small business site, your bill can range from $2,000 to $8,000. It’s even more expensive for e-commerce sites, with some sites costing up to $40,000!
Before you start shaking your head though, think of how much you can also lose if your site ends up looking sloppy. It’ll likely cost you far more than a couple of thousand bucks.
Keep in mind that your business is a professional entity. Hence, it’s vital to ensure it is credible and professional in all aspects. Since your site is the online identity of your business, then it also needs to be professional.
Making the Right Decision: Keep Your Website’s Goals in Mind
As you can see, DIY websites are perfect for personal users. It’s a great and affordable choice for those who can afford to invest time in improving their website. If, however, you need a website that looks amazing as soon as it goes live, it’s best you hire a professional designer.
What’s important is to keep your website’s end goals in mind when making the decision. If you want to keep it casual, such as for blogging, then a DIY website may cut it. If it’s for-profit generation, leave its design and creation to the pros.
Interested in learning more about WordPress? Then be sure to check out the rest of our blog posts.