The Master of Design: Should I Hire Some to Build a Website or DIY

Keep debating about hire someone to build a website or just doing it yourself? You'll want to read this guide.

Approximately 29 percent of small businesses in the U.S. are currently operating without a website, even though most business owners acknowledge that an online presence is important in today's digital age.

Have you set up a website for your business yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

For many business owners, the hold-up is not knowing whether they should try and build the website themselves or hire someone to build a website for them.

If you're on the fence, we've got information that can help.

Read on to learn more about each option. Once you're armed with all the facts, you'll have a much easier time making the right decision for yourself.

Reasons to Build Your Website Yourself

Whether you're trying to market your business and reach a wider audience or sell products or services online, there are lots of benefits that come with building your website yourself.

Some of the greatest benefits include:

Save Money

This is one of the main reasons why people choose to build websites themselves. It's often cheaper to use an online program and put together a website using their pre-made templates. If you're working with a very limited budget, the DIY route is often the best way to go.

More Control

When you build a website yourself, you also have more control over the finished product. You get to have a say on every little detail and make sure everything reflects your brand.

Learn New Skills

Building your website on your own gives you an opportunity to learn some important new skills, too. Knowledge of coding and website design is highly valued in 2019, and it's going to become more valuable in the near future.

By taking the time to learn these skills now, you could end up saving yourself even more money later on.

Reasons to Hire Someone to Build a Website

At the same time, there are also plenty of reasons to hire someone to build a website for you.

If you choose this option, you'll be able to enjoy the following benefits:

Save Time

By hiring out and let someone else handle the development of your website, you free yourself up to work on other important aspects of your business.

You don't have to take time out of your busy day to learn coding and website design principles. You can leave that to the pros and focus on what you do best.

Competitive Advantage

Hiring a professional often gives you an advantage over your competition. They can build a website that is faster and more user-friendly than your competitors' websites. This increases the likelihood that customers will visit your site and take their business to you.

Get Help with Updates

Building the initial version of your website on your own is pretty simple.

What happens when you want to upgrade it, though? Upgrades require an advanced skill set, and you probably won't have time to learn those skills on your own.

When you work with a professional website developer, you'll know who to call in the future when you're ready to improve your site.

Tips for Building Your Own Website

If you're leaning toward taking the DIY approach, there are a lot of things you ought to keep in mind to make sure your site is easy-to-use and fully functional.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Start with a Site Plan

Before you dive in and start trying to create your ideal website, spend some time with a pen and paper outlining the way you want your website to look. Think about the layout and your goals for the site. This will make things easier when you're ready to start the building process.

Emphasize SEO

Lots of business owners neglect search engine optimization (or SEO) when they're building their websites. SEO is essential, though, if you want people to be able to find your website when they're searching online.

Make it Mobile-Friendly

Don't forget to make it mobile-friendly. These days, it's not uncommon for folks to perform searches for businesses (especially local businesses) from their smartphones. If they can't access your site easily from their phone, they're going to look elsewhere for products or services like yours.

Tips for Hiring a Website Developer

Hiring a website developer, in most cases, is easier than building a website yourself. In order to get great results, though, you need to make sure you're hiring the right person for the job.

Here are some tips that will help you find a great website developer and fund your project:

Know Your Goals

Before you sit down with a website developer, think about what you want to accomplish with your website.

Do you want to increase sales? Grow your online presence? Both?

Have a clear idea of your goals so you can find a developer who knows how to help you accomplish them.

Look at Their Portfolio

Look carefully at each candidate's portfolio before you make a decision. Ideally, they'll have designed websites for businesses similar to yours in the past.

Look at the types of websites they've built in the past and decide which ones you like the best. Remember to look beyond appearance and consider the functionality and user-friendliness of each website, too.

Set a Budget

Finally, don't forget to set a budget. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on website development. Figure out what you can afford to pay beforehand so you can find a developer whose rates match your needs.

At the same time, don't be afraid to invest in a website. This is something that will almost definitely yield significant returns for your business.

If you need help funding the development of your website, check out this helpful article to learn about fast financing options.

Learn More About Website Building Today

As you can see, there's not a clear answer when it comes to deciding whether you should build your website yourself or hire someone to build a website for you.

If you keep this information in mind, though, you'll have a much easier time deciding which approach is the best for you.

After considering the pros and cons of each option, have you decided that hiring out is the best choice for your business? If so, we can help at Ingenium.

Contact us today to learn more about our website development services, or to request a quote.