To DIY or not to DIY… that is the question!
DIY comes in many different forms and fashions, from bodging up building jobs, to dodgy looking Christmas decorations and terrible landscaping (my hand is up here!). Thankfully with website building there are a lot of options out there for DIY. And a DIY website certainly has its place.
So let's look at when you should DIY and when you should look to bring in a professional...
When To Use a DIY Website
I 100% believe that there is a place for a DIY website. You can make a professional looking website using a website building tool. This is especially good when you are…
Starting Out: When you first begin your business you are still finding your feet. You aren’t sure which products or services are going to be the most popular, and you aren’t sure which parts of the business will make your heart sing. Your business will slowly evolve from a start up into a legitimate brand that you want to grow. In this trial period, a DIY website is a great option.
Low Budget: Depending on what you need, website design can cost anywhere between $500 to $5000 and beyond. It's a how long is a piece of string type scenario. When you are first starting out, often there isn’t a lot of money to throw around. So creating a website yourself can be a great way to get your online presence started, for a low cost.
Customer Exploration: Your website should speak to your ideal customer. It should let them know that they are in the right place to get their problems solved as soon as they land on your site. But what if you don’t know what their problems are yet? In the stage where you are still gathering client feedback and tweaking your offerings, a DIY website is a good option.
When To Use A Website Developer
Your business is likely to reach a point where DIY just doesn’t make sense any more. At that time, it is a good idea to hand the reins over to a professional website developer. Here is when you should consider it…
Design: How your website LOOKS is a huge part of the message you are sending clients and potential customers. When you show you care about the presentation of your website, there is a rapport that is subconsciously built that you will also care about them, or have a quality product, attention to detail etc etc. This ranges in importance across different industries but regardless, an ugly site does no one any favours. And as many people are finding, despite how amazing the DIY software is, making it look pretty can take some skill!
Simple Is Not Enough: Have you got to a point where your offerings are quite complex, or you have a large range of e-commerce products to sell? When you need something outside of a simple website template, it is time to call in the experts to create coding and all those confusing back end things that non-techy people don’t fully understand. You can watch all the YouTube tutorials in the world, but a professional will be able to do the job quickly and more effectively because it is their genius.
Time: Gosh it can take a long time to fiddle with the back end of your website. Especially if you don’t really know what you are doing. Is your business is humming along well and servicing your clients is taking all of the time in your day? Time to hand the creation or updating of your website onto an expert instead. That will allow you to focus on your core business instead of wasting time.
You Need A Strategy: Your website should theoretically take your clients on a logical journey from introduction, to problem solving, to trust, and finally to paying client. But there is quite a science behind that process, and it needs to be done in the right way. A professional web designer will be able to help you construct that journey to convert your prospective clients.
A DIY website is a great option until you reach a certain point on your business. If you would like to try building your own we can set you up with a free extended trial of our FAVOURITE web builder Rocketspark. When you are ready to grow and take your business to the next level, a professional designer can definitely help you get there. Don’t let money be a concern at this point. All businesses need investment to grow them. Besides, “If you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur!”
If you are ready to take your business to the next level, then feel free to get in touch with us here at Repeatable. We have a range of website options designed to fit any business. We can even help if you want to skip the DIY phase and just get a simple online presence established. Let’s chat about getting your business online in the right way!
