Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Small Business Web Design: DIY vs. Professional Services

By Kelly Montagna


Your business will benefit tremendously from having a website, but how do you create a website that your customers will want to use? You first have to determine whether you have it in you to create a well designed website on your own, or if you need to bring in the professionals to get the job done efficiently. Many business owners want to create their own website simply because they do not want to make room in their budget for a website, but that means sacrificing a lot of time that most business owners do not have to spare.

DIY Websites

Anyone can slap up a website of some sort on their own today. There are services that allow click-and-drag creation of websites, but most of those sites are cookie-cutter images of one another because every user is clicking and dragging the same images and design themes. You may not have to learn real web design principles this way, but you also do not create a customized website designed just for your business. What's your fast and easy website will lack is effective branding and a unique look and feel that none of your competitors can match.

If you want something more unique and functional for your small business website, you have to invest time and energy in learning modern web design strategies. Of course, things change rather quickly in the web design industry, so you will also spend a lot of time ensuring your website remains attractive and functional over time. It is not shocking if you are thinking that learning to create your own customized website will take too much time and energy. You now see why most small business owners decide to pay a small business web design company to create their site headache-free.

Affordable Options

Professionals who made web design their profession already have the knowledge required to create attractive professional websites that are easy to navigate and that are set-up for organic search engine optimization. It may take you months or years to accumulate the knowledge that these professionals already have, and then you would be outdated on many topics and would have to keep learning to catch up to the times.

affordable custom web design professionals often cater to small business owners, and they are willing to give you a good deal. These professional web designers know that small businesses do not have large budgets for websites, and they are willing to offer great prices without lowering the quality of their work. The amount of time you will save hiring a professional is definitely worth more than the money you pay that professional.

Your professional web designer will also be a go-to source of expertise in the future when you come up against a technical glitch or decide your website needs a fresh look. Technical issues are a fact of life when you own a website, and you will want a fresh look for your website at some point.

You do get what you pay for in the custom web design business, so pay attention to the skill level of your chosen service provider. Ask for samples of previous work and make sure you trust your chosen service provider before you pay for a website. Unless your service provider can offer great websites that are attractive and easy to navigate, they are not worth the price tag no matter how cheap. Reasonable does not mean bargain basement prices, so make sure you do not pick the lowest price you stumble upon.




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