Why Professional Website Design Is Always Better Than A DIY Website
Should you go DIY (do it yourself), or hire a pro website designer, like me?
I love 🌸 working with small biz owners - such as coaches, educators and consultants and that’s why I offer Squarespace website design packages for all budgets.
I get to work with many small business owners and understand that it’s overwhelming when you know your website isn’t bringing in new clients or sales and you need a new website or want a redesign, but you’re not sure where to start.
First, whether you’ve been running your business for a while or have a new biz, I’d ALWAYS recommend a website, even if it’s one-page website. It’s the cornerstone of your marketing, so it pays to get it right from the start!
In this blog post, I list some questions to ask yourself to help you decide which route to take, then we’ll take a look at what DIY’ing your website and having a pro custom website means, together with the considerations for both.
Low conversion rate is the top reason people redesign websites. (GoodFirms)
Pre-Project Website Design Questions
Building a website/redesign is a mega-important step for your biz, so it’s worthwhile asking yourself the right questions BEFORE you kick things off. So, grab a notepad and pen, and let’s get started.
💷 What can you afford?
📝 How much overall content do you have, and will you write the words (web copy) for your website?
⏰ How much time do you have, really?
👩💻 Do you lack any necessary skills for the job at hand?
🎓 Are you up for learning new skills, or is that a turn-off?
🖥️ Will you be up for updating/editing the site yourself?
🔮 Do you have a clear vision for your business?
🌟 Can you clearly answer the all-important, “who, what, how, why” for your business?
"Good design is good business." - Thomas J. Watson Jr.
What is DIY web design?
“DIY - Do It Yourself” designing literally means that you build it all from the ground up. You’ll choose the web builder platform, and the visuals, and write your words, making sure that all the back-end settings are fully tested and correct.
It involves taking extensive time out from your business to do everything, and if that’s you, well done for putting in all that effort and hard work 💪🎉!
The DIY website design approach
Don’t be fooled by promises of creating a DIY site in a day. It’s not easy, and it can take a lot of hard work and effort to do it right. There is a learning curve no matter which platform you choose.
Considerations:
Time investment: Learning SEO, writing content, learning the platform, and thinking about marketing can be very time-consuming. Can your time be better spent running your business?
Unprofessional appearance: Your site may look outdated, not match your brand, and leave a negative first impression.
Confusion: Visitors may not understand the value of your offering = your dream client not knowing either, resulting in missed opportunities.
Lack of motivation: This may be due to a lack of interest in tech or creativity.
Limited functionality: Adding extra features, such as Squarespace plugins, mailing list integration, e-commerce, scheduling, custom forms, and a membership site, may be difficult and time-consuming.
Tech aspects: Domain set-up, back-end settings, and mobile optimisation can be challenging.
SEO: At least a basic set-up is vital for a successful website.
Lack of vision: Without an overall goal and mission, it’s easy to lose focus and direction.
Poor user experience: Disorganised content can make navigation difficult and confusing for your audience. Here are some tips for how to map out, plan and design the best website navigation menu.
Strategy - messaging and marketing: Having an overall strategy for communicating to, and converting your dream clients/customers.
Dream client: Being able to clarify exactly who you are excited to work with, or sell to.
Imagery and words: Writing web copy and souring imagery can be challenging if you’re not used to these tasks.
Need for a fresh perspective: Sometimes, we just need another pair of eyes 👀 to achieve the best end result.
What is professional, custom website design?
Yep, this would be me - I offer web design packages and custom website design! This is where we collaborate and you end up with a brand and custom-built website. Here’s my portfolio with recent client work and here’s my work with me, page.
Put it this way, a professional website could be compared to a garden.
* Just as a well-designed garden requires careful planning, attention to detail, and ongoing maintenance to thrive, a professional website requires the same level of care and attention.
* Just as a garden can attract visitors and create a sense of beauty and tranquillity, a professional website can attract potential customers and create a sense of professionalism and credibility.
* On the other hand, a neglected garden can become overgrown and unsightly, just as a poorly designed website can turn potential customers away and harm a business's reputation.
Why professional website design is a great 🌟 idea
Considerations:
Time-saving: You can focus on running your biz while I, or someone else, builds the website for you.
Make a great first impression: The first touchpoint. You can achieve some of this with a DIY but from an overall design, build, launch, and end-user experience, you can’t beat a professionally built site.
Expertise: You are paying for experience and industry knowledge. I know best practices and can help with messaging, and copywriting.
Targeted: A strategic and targeted website can help you reach more clients and make more sales.
Ongoing relationship and single point of contact: If you need my help, I can take care of things. Support is available if you need me. I’m here for any queries, updates, or to add functionality.
Messaging and copywriting: Two important aspects of professional website design that can make a big difference in attracting and retaining customers. As a professional website designer, I can help you develop a strong brand message and craft compelling copy that speaks directly to your target audience. This can help you to establish credibility, build trust with potential customers, and ultimately drive more conversions and sales.
Strategy: As a professional website designer, I can help you think through and develop your overall web strategy beyond just the design and build of your website. This can include analysing web traffic, developing a content strategy, and implementing a search engine optimisation plan.
Security: A professional website can be more secure and less prone to hacking attempts than a DIY website.
Optimised for search engines: A pro website can be optimised, thereby increasing the likelihood of appearing higher in search results pages. Get my Free Squarespace SEO checklist (relevant for other website platforms, too).
Mobile-responsive: Ensuring that it looks great and functions well on all devices.
User-friendly and easy to navigate: Leading to a better overall user experience.
Custom build and design: A professional website can be customised to meet the specific needs of a small business, including features like e-commerce functionality or integrations with other business tools.
Training: With me, you receive 1:1 training, or personalised training videos for you to refer to as needed.
Visuals: A professional website designer can ensure that your website has a visually appealing and cohesive design that reflects your brand and business. This includes selecting the right colour scheme, typography, imagery, and layout to create a professional and polished look for your website.
Improve your online presence: Professional website design can increase your visibility to potential customers.
When to go down the custom website design route
You can afford it - well, yes, because why not? 🥂
The DIY route is taking waaaayyyy too long, it’s overwhelming/frustrating, or it’s not turning out how you’d like.
You want to take your business to the next level, and you need focused, strategic, and creative expertise and input.
You’re not sure about your messaging - eg. who you are for, your unique magic, and how to attract your dream client. Or, you are sure of your messaging and want to encapsulate that goodness into a wonderful website.
If you have the time and are willing to undergo a steep learning curve, learn new skills, and put in hard work, you can try the DIY route.
However, opting for a professional website has several advantages for small businesses.
It can help to improve online presence and visibility to potential customers. Additionally, a professional website can be strategically designed to be user-friendly, optimised for search engines, more secure, mobile-responsive, and customised to meet specific business needs.
All these factors contribute to a better overall user experience and can increase conversions.
Now that you have some considerations, you can decide whether to go for the DIY or professional website route. Which is best for you?
If you're ready to start a website project and want a free 15-minute call to discuss your goals/needs and see if we're a good fit, click the button below to schedule a call.
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