As you know, virtually every person in the modern world with access to the internet performs transactions every day, from simple social media checking to reading newsletters and purchasing products and services online on the fly. With that said, no business, regardless of the industry, should avoid taking their business online – where the bulk of your current and future customers probably already are.
As you plan or design a business website, you generally have two options: build the website yourself (DIY through website builders) or commission a professional Web designer or web development agency. There are benefits and disadvantages to these, so before rushing into a do-it-yourself project or paying a professional, let’s quickly check out both approach options to better decide what’s best for your company website.
The required design and features
Many desktop and online applications allow you to generate websites quickly – sometimes as fast as hours. Web hosting providers offer access to site builder applications that let you quickly create websites. Moreover, templates are also usually provided, so you can use them to create a website with minimal to no HTML experience.
Regardless, some DIY web builders produce only basic sites that can be deemed suitable for personal websites and not businesses, particularly if you offer products and services. While creating an attractive, functional site with the builder is possible, you’ll need some coding and programming experience for advanced features like a working shopping cart application, customer management solutions, or login/membership management. These features are available for advanced e-commerce web builders or might serve you well to use paid professional developer assistance.
The time it takes to build and publish a website.
A web builder is a good option for businesses that only need a small Web presence and a site with a few pages. You’ll be online in a few hours. However, designing and managing a DIY site can be difficult if you want to sell products online or utilize a customer management system. For an online transaction, you must ensure that e-commerce features are in place and your website is secure.
Site issues and management
A successful website needs more than a captivating design and catchy name. After going live, it will need continuous maintenance and updates to keep customers returning. While this can be easy with modern development software tools, broken links, HTML, or other code errors, corrupted database files are always an issue for busy websites. So, unless you or someone at your business can troubleshoot and fix problems that arise from website issues, a professional programmer or web development agency can monitor and maintain your business website to keep it operational.
Money matters
Money is undoubtedly a chief consideration when deciding to outsource your website or do the work in-house. Website developers generally don’t work cheaply, and that’s only fair. However, it’s possible to acquire bids from developers to find someone who can work within your budget.
Building the site DIY style usually requires less money but a lot more work and risks – but this can be mitigated with good customer support and advanced tools. Before undertaking a personal web builder task, determine if the time spent on the project is worth it.
EndNote
If your website is just for a hobby or something that will eventually give you a profit, you can always consider using a website builder to be more cost-effective. But if the website is for a business, investing in a professional web designer or web development agency is the right decision.