You know you need a small business website, but you don’t know if you are qualified for the job. Whether you ought to do it yourself or hire a custom web design company is a common one. To answer them, start by trying to create your own site. Between the sheer amount of resources available to help you build your own, and the plethora of easy-to-use site builders, this is often the best option. Worse yet, you can hire a professional if you run into any issues.
Here are the top three reasons why do it yourself (DIY) is the best option for most small businesses:
The full picture to hiring a Pro vs DIY at a Glance
Reason 1: Ease of Use
If you are looking for a revolutionary website that requires a lot of customization and with that, custom coding, hiring a professional is the only way to go. However, if all you require is a simple website, it will be easier to do it yourself using a drag-and-drop site builder like Wix or Squarespace.
This is because what many don’t realize is that there is actually a lot of work to be hired and worked with a web developer or a development team. You must communicate what you want and provide a copy of the site and site materials such as images and videos. This means that being a customer is always a job. Even if it’s just about providing feedback and advice, you still need to be involved in the process.
Reason 2: Build Time
While you might assume it would be faster for someone else to do it, the reality is that with the help of all-in-one site builders, you can build your own website in less time. ‘a day. In some cases, you can even build your own website in under an hour. You just need to find the right tools. For instance, if you want an eCommerce site you should look for the best website builders for eCommerce and you will be good to go. In contrast, the average lead time when hiring a web designer will be weeks or even months.
- Average DIY improvement time: as little as an hour or two for a simple website
- Average web designer turnaround time: typically weeks or even months
- In short, if you need a site quickly, you have to do it yourself.
Reason 3: Cost
There is no competition between the cost of creating your own site and the cost of hiring a web designer. In other words, unless your time is worth a ton of money. The average cost to build your own site with a site builder is around $12 per month. WordPress generally costs a little more to build (around $50 to $300), but less to maintain (around $5 to $10 per month). On the contrary, the average cost of a professionally designed website starts around $500 and increases to over $10,000.
Average DIY website cost: around $50 to $300 for WordPress; about $12 per month with a site builder
The average cost to hire a web designer: around $500 to $10,000 or more, depending on site requirements
Want to know more about all the costs related to WordPress? Get a full overview of all WordPress costs.
When to Hire a Web Designer
Those looking to build a site with unique capabilities, advanced customizations, and potentially custom coding may wish to hire an expert to build their site. Even those who are not looking to invent the wheel again when it comes to their website might desire to outsource to a professional if they are simply short on time or want the peace of mind of having a site built by professionals.
Consider bringing in an expert if:
- Your website requires advanced customizations and coding
- You lack the time or bandwidth to create in-house
- You prefer your site to be fully managed by experts at all times
How to Find a Web Design Expert
You can easily find the right web design expert for your website project with the Internet at your fingertips. Your unique website needs and requirements will help you determine how you should find a web designer. For example, if you need a standard business website, consider using 99designs or Fiverr to get a professionally designed site competitively priced. If your website is more multifaceted, use Upwork or work with a local responsive web design services provider.
Here are the top methods to discover a web designer to build your website:
99designs: nervous that you might not like the design suggested by an expert? Get multiple designs using 99designs. There you can submit your site proposal and receive fifteen web design ideas to select from for $599. If by any chance you don’t like any of the design concepts you receive, you can get your money back.
Fiverr: With Fiverr, you can find the perfect freelance writer for your job. The best part is that with Fiverr, you know exactly what you’re getting and when you’re getting it because the projects (also known as “gigs”) come pre-packaged. Note that the quality of the work varies widely depending on the freelancer, so always get advice and consider going with a verified professional.
Upwork: There are tons of professional freelance web designers. Find the right freelancer for you with Upwork. There you can submit a job and get free proposals from the web designers including a quote and estimated turnaround time.
Wondering about a local web design company? If you need a complex site that requires a lot of custom code, use Google to search for web designers near you. Look at user reviews to gauge customer satisfaction, browse portfolios to get a feel for their style, and request a quote.
When to Build Your Own Site
With an almost endless list of platforms and tools, almost anyone can build a small business website without any technical or design experience. Businesses looking for a cheap choice without the complex proficiencies and willing to spend their time constructing a website are good candidates for a website developer. Another benefit of creating your own site is that you retain full control and the ease of managing it in-house.
Consider starting your own website if:
- You have time to require building your website (no web design experience needed)
- You have a tight budget
- You want full control over your site and plan to manage it internally
Most Popular DIY Website Platforms
You have two key methods to create your own website: with WordPress or an all-in-one website builder like Squarespace. Although WordPress is the world’s first content management system (CMS), it is not the simplest CMS. For this reason, all-in-one site builders were designed to give people the ability to build their own professional websites without any web design or technical background.
Here are the finest techniques to develop your own site with following sites:
- WordPress
- Square space
- Wix
- Come on daddy
- Weebly
What is the most inexpensive method to get a professionally made site?
While there are all kinds of cheap services you can find online, the easiest way to get an ultra-affordable professionally designed website is to use Fiverr. It is an independent marketplace where you can find a web design expert to build your website for you. Packages, or “gigs,” as Fiverr calls them, will vary in price depending on the freelancers and your website needs. But, for reference, the prices for a full website range from $50 to over $750.
Which is better: Squarespace or Wix?
Squarespace and Wix are two head-to-head competitors. While they are both high-quality solutions for easily building an affordable, code-free website, they have their differences. Generally, Squarespace is better for those new to web design because it’s harder to break patterns, while Wix is better for those who want maximum design flexibility with a drag-and-drop builder.
Which is easier to create an online store with: Square or Shopify?
Most will find Square to be easier than Shopify. While Shopify is one of the top eCommerce site builders, it’s not the most user-friendly. Its editing interface offers very little customization capability, and the number of Shopify themes available leaves a lot to be desired. Square, on the other hand, has an easy-to-use site editor where you can build a site with little to no hassle. It’s also cheaper at $12 per month instead of Shopify’s $29 per month. Learn more about Shopify vs Square.
