New entprenuers often struggle with this question – to go the DIY route or hire a web designer/developer to build their site. I’ll get straight to the point (I know you’re busy!)
Yes, do you your own website IF two or more of these hold true for you:
- If you’re on a very tight budget and don’t want to pay for anything beyond the domain name and hosting.
- You’re good with tech
- You’re a fast learner
- You don’t give up easily. You’re okay with learning the trial and error way.
- This is an “investment” in your learning. It’s not just a one time thing. You’re planning to make more websites going ahead.
- You have the time and inclination to learn. A lot. Design principles, user experience, conversion techniques, WordPress (here’s how to choose the right platform). Each platform comes with its own nuances, variables and limitations. For examples WordPress has a few thousand free and paid themes to choose from, and the same number of plugins. An average WordPress site will require at least 20 plugins..
But….
Hire someone to do it for you IF you believe your time is better spent working on other aspects of your business.
This is a loaded one. It means you value your time, and your energy. You’d rather spend your time doing things you enjoy, where you can create greater value. Rather than sitting and wondering how to configure a plugin, or how to add an image with a round frame in Divi, or hook up your optin to your email service provider.
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes when creating a website (learn more about the process here).
Even if you’re on a budget, you can safely outsource the mundane parts (like installing WordPress and the plugins) while you focus your energy on working on the look and feel of your site and how you want users to interact with it. To outsource, on a teeny tiny budget, hire someone off Fiver, Elance or Odesk to the dirty work for you. You could get a basic site done in $5-$100. And then tweak it to suit your sensibilities. (Do your homework though to make sure you’re hiring someone trust worthy!)
But whether on a budget or not, you want a ‘good’ website. One that appeals to your ideal customers, reaches out to engage them, provides value to them; and at the same time conveys the essence of who you are and all that you do.
It might be worthwhile to talk to a few developers and get a feel of how well they understand your services, your customers, and the message you want to convey. (Of course, they also have to be great at their craft!) Check out their public profiles, what people say about them, their other designs etc. And if you gel with someone, but you think you may not be able to afford their rates, ask. Ask if they can do parts of your site, or if they’d take a deferred payment, or if they’re open to barter. (More on choosing the right designer/developer in a later post!)
That’s the good thing about people who work from the heart. When people connect from the heart, they’re willing to go the extra mile for you. They recognize good karma. They’re open to the possibilities it opens up for both you and themselves. Give it a try. You never know.
At the end, you need to choose what works best for you, in your current situation. So where are you now? Share with me in the comments below: Do you prefer the DIY route? Or would you rather outsource?