Website: DIY or a Professional Site?
Behind every great business, there is a website. This website could be many things: a catalogue, a storefront, or an information area; but is it something you should do yourself? DIY websites are common, as they’re viewed as more cost effective; and in the short term, we can see why company owners would see this as a viable option. The truth of the matter is that company owners may actually lose potential customers if the site isn’t up to the customer’s standards; and with how time consuming and tricky creating an updated, streamlined and ideal website, you may not be able to put the necessary work into the site. Now that isn’t necessarily a negative thing, if you’re busy with other aspects of your business, it typically means it’s growing and flourishing; but that brings us full circle. If your business is growing and flourishing, your website needs to do the same.
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Now it’s not just time constraints at play here, even if they can prove to be a large factor; but there is still a larger issue at hand. DIY websites have constraints, and don’t typically offer some of the features that a professional website designer would easily be able to include; such as videos, RSS feeds and other website links. You’re also limited in how you can design your web page, as the host site typically provides the images and layouts that you can use. Some sites offer the option for you to upload your own imagery, but even those are limited to the selected layout of the site; so photo’s can only be a certain size, which can hinder a customer’s ability to see what you’re trying to show them. This cuts down the initial interest exponentially, especially if it’s a product that they’re trying to view. If a customer can’t clearly see what it is they’re about to purchase, they’re less likely to buy it online or come to your store. If, however, they can discern what exactly is in the image, they may be more inclined to make that purchase, assuming it’s what they’re looking for. To put it in a nutshell, DIY websites have the tendency to limit options; and thus slowing or completely eliminating any hope of growth.
The limitations, however, don’t just end with visuals. DIY sites, as mentioned above, limit the options you have to optimize Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In not allowing you to add certain features, DIY sites eliminate crucial opportunities for your website to pop up in a web search. If anything, your site is actually being used to advertise their host site. A professional site designer, however; would be able to create your own, secular place in the world wide web. So not only does your business get their own little piece of the net, but the designer can also add features and scripts that trigger SEO; thus offering you a better chance of high ‘web traffic’.
A professional website designer can also create a website that’s aesthetically pleasing, and far more user friendly than a DIY site. By keeping up with current trends in website designs, features, and user capabilities; professional designers can keep your website up to date and user friendly. Keeping up with said trends, and implementing them into your site, however, can be very time-consuming. The internet and everything on it is constantly changing and evolving, growing more and more each and every passing moment. When there are new companies popping up on a daily basis, threatening to sway customers to them as opposed to your company, you’ve got to stay ahead of the game; having a current and user-friendly web page is one large step towards winning that metaphorical race. The issue that comes into play at that point, however, is that your time may be better spent on ways to help your company grow in other areas. Instead of researching the latest code or trend, you could be at a meeting to set up a partnership, or possibly setting up a deal of a lifetime. In hiring a professional web designer, you free up time that could be invested into your company in other areas, allowing it to grow and flourish in the way it’s meant to.
If anything, investing in a web designer could even jack your sales up. You see, professional website designers seek to create websites that keep the customer interested while making them feel comfortable; as opposed to potentially frustrating them through a complicated navigation system, or overwhelming them with the color scheme and layout. This keeps the customer in a good mood, and generally this makes a customer more inclined to make a purchase. The happier they are, the more likely they are to invest in your product and company. If they feel that they’ve been running in circles around your website, and aren’t finding what they want, they’ll simply leave your page and move on.
In investing in a professional web designer, you save yourself time while potentially netting a larger profit and building up your customer base; talk about a win-win situation! You get all the perks of having a website, while avoiding the headache of maintaining it, so you can focus on what’s important: your company’s exciting growth. With so many more options and benefits that come with investing in a professional, compared to biting the bullet and doing it yourself, it’s difficult to see why so many are reluctant to take the opportunity at hand. If you’re interested in expanding your reach within the internet, but still not 100% sure about hiring a website designer, feel free to contact us and ask your questions! We here at Sly Fox Digital Media Marketing are committed to helping your business grow and develop, and love talking shop. For now, we’ll let you digest this information. Best of luck!
