As a business owner, one of the most confusing yet necessary decisions you’ll need to make is whether to create your own website or hire someone to build it. Such a decision is both essential and possibly expensive. If you don’t have the knowledge or experience to evaluate options or do the proper research, it can be a daunting task.
Like most things, the cost of a website partly depends on the features and functionalities you need. Websites can cost $1,200 to $50,0000, so the wrong decision can be an expensive mistake. You will likely end up being frustrated, as well as the wrong results if you choose the wrong partner. Or worse, an expensive venture and not much to show for it.
Should you create your own website?
First of all, should you spend thousands of dollars or consider using a drag and drop platform like Wix, Shopify or SquareSpace? Truth is, unless you have web design experience, it’ll be difficult to create an effective website without professional help.
Many small business owners think they’re saving money when they opt to create their own website. Not only is this risky, but the potential loss of business from a poorly designed website can significantly effect your bottom line.
In fact, you won’t even be aware that loss of business is due to an unprofessional looking site or because it doesn’t function properly. Moreover, it may not be found in search results or prospects are put-off by your site once they reach it.
So, is alienating your prospects, not being found in search, and time wasted really a ‘free’ experience for you? When your car needs repairing or you want to remodel your home, you use the professionals like a mechanic or a contractor. With a little research and asking questions, you can get what you need done without breaking the bank.
You wouldn’t hire a landscaper to do drywall work, and you wouldn’t want major work done to your car at a car wash. Websites are similar; to get the job done right, you need to hire the right person or a team of people.
If you’re still asking yourself, ‘is it better to create my own website or hire someone to build it?’, here are some different roles and skills needed:
Web developer
A web developer handles the technical aspects of a website such as functionality.
They are like auto mechanics or electricians in that they handle the behind the scenes stuff that makes a website function and work properly.
To manage complex operations, they often use platforms like Drupal or WordPress, as well as plugins. They use programming languages such as JavaScript, PHP, and HTML for fine-tuning and customizations.
Web designer
A web designer focuses on what a website looks like.
To continue the home remodeling analogy, think of web designers as decorators or interior designers. Their goal is the look and feel and to provide the overall visual experience through layout, imagery, fonts, and colors.
Should you hire someone to build your website?
Because websites are so complex, different skills are needed. In some cases, one person may have the experience to do both. On the other hand, there are times when you’ll need a more specialized team with specific skills to achieve the best website results.
Web design agency
In general, a web design agency usually have both developers and designers on staff who collaborate and combine their expertise to build your website. By using an experienced web design agency, your chances are extremely high that you’ll achieve a well-designed and highly functional website.
Additionally, you will get more team members with skills that may be critical to getting the website of your dreams. For example, additional team members can include copywriters, graphic artists, SEO experts, and an account manager.
How to find the best partner for your website project
First, you should assess your website needs. Will it be a smaller, more informational type of site? Or will it be a more in depth site with lots of pages and critical content. In either case, a web design agency is usually willing to work within your budget.
One of the easiest ways to find the right agency is by looking at websites you like. On almost every website, the information about the agency or person who built the site is located in the bottom area of the site.
Using this method, narrow down your choices to about five agencies. Visit their website and fill out their project request form. You’ll likely get a call from them within a day to discuss your website needs, as well as give you a verbal quote.
Understand the value of your website
Think of your website as a business investment. After all, it will be the digital representation of your business. And whether your business is B2B or B2C, every company or consumer you’re considering doing business with will definitely check out your website before doing business with you.
If you think whether or not having a website matters, just think back to the 2019 pandemic. Most of the businesses that actually survived were the ones that had a website. They were still able to operate, ship products, or offer services via their websites. So, having an online presence is more critical than ever. Besides, your competitors are online, and if you’re not, you’re losing business to them!
Hopefully, we’ve shed light on whether it’s better to create your own website or hire someone to build it. To find out how Envisager Studio can help you achieve a professional online presence, fill out our website project request form. We will follow up with you to schedule a call.
About the Author
Gregory is the Analyst & Digital Marketing Director at Envisager Studio. His data collection is an important part of each client’s unique website design and social media strategy. In his spare time, he writes about web design analytics, social media, visual marketing, and social influence.
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