Should You Hire a Web Designer or Try to Build a Website Yourself?

I know what you’re thinking: this article is written by a web design company, so of course they’re going to recommend hiring a professional web designer.

And you’d be right… sort of.

There are plenty of reasons to hire a professional web designer, but sometimes it makes sense to use a popular DIY website builder like Wix, 1and1 or even WordPress.com. My guess is you’re trying to figure out which is best for you. So to help you make a decision, consider these ideas:

Are you a DIYer or a Delegator?

Are you the kind of person who enjoys tinkering with your house on the weekend? Maybe you’ve tried installing a new socket? Or building a new workbench? Do you find yourself daydreaming about pulling weeds and mowing the yard?

If you enjoy digging into a challenge – and have the time to do it – try building your own website. Web builders offer simple tools most anyone can use. When the site is done it may not be elegant, it may not look professional, but you will have built it. You can now call yourself a web designer and brag to your friends.

Or you can do it once and do it right.

As a business owner, it’s up to you to decide what to delegate. There are only so many hours in the day to finish projects and enjoy free time. Do you want to learn how to build a website, build the darn thing, then have to manage it? Or would you rather delegate the task to someone who will likely do a better job anyways? How much is your time worth?

You Only Need a One-Page Site

If your ideal website only needs one page, build it yourself. There’s no reason to use a professional to craft a single-page website for you or your business. DIY website builders are well versed at creating the most basic of sites (phone number, brief description, a pretty picture, etc.) Save yourself the money and create your site using their tools.

But first ask yourself a question, will a one-page site meet all your needs now and in the future?

When first visiting a site, does a single page demonstrate a trustworthy business? Remember, first appearances matter and most of your web visitors will be experiencing your company for the first time. Your website is a key part of your brand and it can make or break a customer’s desire to pick up the phone or make a purchase.

But my Nephew Bobby will Build us a Website for only $100!

Web design isn’t nearly as complicated as it once was, but that doesn’t mean everyone can do it. Yes, your nephew may be able to build a website for you, but does he really know what he’s doing? Will he know what techniques to use to drive traffic to your site? Will he know what types of information visitors are looking for? Will he be able to tell you whether your new website is actually doing anything to improve your business?

I doubt it.

Ditto for the freelancer networks available online. You’ve undoubtedly been bombarded with spam emails from foreign countries offering web design for as little as $3 per hour. Would you trust someone charging $3 per hour to answer your phones? Communicate with your customers? Be available when things go wrong?

Freelancers often want to complete your project as quickly as possible, with little interest in the final outcome. That’s how the cheap ones make their money. They’re not interested in what happens AFTER the project is complete.

Are all the best web designers expensive?

On the flip side, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to hire a full-tilt web designer. Like some shade-tree mechanics, web designers pray on people who don’t fully understand what they do or how they charge. Too often I’ve heard of people falling into the trap of paying a designer an hourly rate, ultimately with nothing to show for it. That’s why we like flat rates and clear deliverables that allow you to budget for your website without worrying about uncontrollable costs.

If there’s an unusual feature you must have, or if you have a budget to burn, hire an expensive designer.

But if you’re flexible about what your site must have we can build you a beautiful site for much less, then use the extra to help drive traffic or help build social media communities for you.

Conclusion

If your needs are simple and you haven’t tried a DIY web builder, give it a shot. Their tools are getting better by the day. For some individuals and beginner businesses with little budget to invest it makes sense.

But if you’ve tried one without much success, or if you’re ready to get serious about your website and expand it with a variety of other marketing methods like social media, pay per click advertising, or search engine optimization, then a custom website is the way to go.

We founded our company with the goal of serving people in the middle: the ones who don’t want to DIY, but also don’t want to spend thousands for a specialized designer. Your business doesn’t need a $5,000 site to succeed. But it does deserve better than $5 per month.