When to DIY a website and when to let the pros handle it

Nobody needs to convince you that your business needs to have a website. You’re committed to either getting online for the first time, or you know you need to refresh your web presence. The question is, what’s the best way to go about it?

You want to build your own site

Getting online through a DIY website tool is a good choice for your business if…

Your budget limits your options to these tools

We don’t all have room in the budget to invest thousands of dollars into a website, and that’s alright. Sometimes you just need to exist online and that’s the first step. The whole idea is that your web presence will grow your business so that there will be more room in that budget, right?

You don’t have the time/manpower to manage a website

Like finances, time is a limited and valuable resource. If your team doesn’t have the capacity to keep your website up-to-date with fresh content it might be best to let an AI tool like The Grid manage that for you.

You just need something really simple

If it doesn’t take many pages of content to explain what your business does, a simpler and cheaper approach may make sense for you. The website building tools will have standard, clean layouts that let you get your message across simply and clearly.

The tools available for DIY business websites range from around $15/mo upwards to $30/mo, which makes this a relatively small investment in terms of money. Keep in mind that this will be a big investment of your time since you’re running the show. Before you jump in and commit to a website-building tool, be sure to consider the trade-offs.

When a custom-built website makes sense

You get a website that perfectly communicates your brand

When you go with a pre-built template for a website, you lose the ability to control how your brand is reflected on the web. Although templates are generally stylish and on-trend, they don’t have an unlimited number of features and options. The result is that you get your brand overlaid on a website that is often very similar to everything else out there, and it doesn’t set you apart.

You get a professional designer

With the extremely visual nature of websites, having powerful imagery and graphics on your website is paramount to its success. When going the DIY route you’re likely limited to a stock library that comes with your subscription, and you’re also limited by the strength of your own eye for design. Having a pro designer on your side means having a beautiful and engaging website.

You get professional copywriting and marketing strategy

You know your business best. What you may not know is how best to tell its story on the web. Having marketing and writing professionals manage the content structure and creation for your site not only saves you time, but it also ensures your site achieves your business objectives.

You get to sit back and watch the magic happen

Having a team of experts at your website’s disposal is more valuable than people tend to think. When banner design needs changing or your web server goes down, all you have to do is make one phone call and it’s taken care of. Another plus: the cost associated with your service call is considerably less than the salary of having someone manage the site in-house.

Whichever way you decide to go, just know that you’re taking a big step in the right direction. Best of luck!