You need a new website.

Should you hire a website designer or DIY?

If you are an individual or small business in need of a website, you have a couple options:

1. You can hire a web designer (like me) that offers services within your budget.
2. You can use one of the DIY website builder services like Squarespace or Wix.

DIY WEBSITE BUILDERS

DIY website builders offer a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to build your own website without the need to know any coding. They package the use of their services with hosting, and charge you a monthly fee based on the package you choose. If you decide to go DIY, you’ll need to dive in and get your hands dirty. However, with some effort you can end up with a great website that you built yourself.

Hiring A Web Designer

If you decide to go with a web designer, you’ll work directly with them throughout the process and they’ll present you with a series of deliverables (see my process) on which you offer feedback. Many also provide website hosting and maintenance packages for those who are interested in those services. If you work with me, you can have as much or as little involvement in the design process as you choose, but you’ll have someone with knowledge and experience taking care of the details and guiding the process.

Should you DIY or hire a designer? Keep reading for some food for thought about which camp you belong in:

Choose a web designer if one or more of the follow statements sound like you:

1. You are busy and don’t have the time or energy to devote to working through the learning curve to get your website designed and built.
2. You don’t feel interested in or confident using new software and want someone else to take care of all the details.
3. You don’t feel like you have the background to understand what makes a good website, and you want the input of someone who has experience.
4. You prefer to work with just one person (your designer) as your point of contact regarding your website, rather than relying on the support people at the other end of the phone, email, or chat if you need help while using a website builder.
5. You think your business and website might grow beyond the capability of the website builder. You have plans to keep a blog, monetize your site, or have an e-commerce store.

Choose a DIY website builder with a monthly fee if the following statements sound like you:

1. You have a total shoestring budget, and your top priority is to spend as little money as possible.
2. You feel generally confident using new software. You have the time and energy to invest in learning about website best practices and applying this knowledge to the building of your site.
3. You are interested in the process of building websites, and would like to keep your hands in the project the entire time.
4. You aren’t worried about some of the limitations inherent in a website builder. (With a website builder, you are limited to using their functionality. Unlike WordPress, you do not have access to the source code, so you don’t have 100% of the control. For the average brochure site this probably won’t be a problem, but it could create roadblocks as you attempt to scale your website. Generally, if you plan to blog, monetize your site, or sell things from your site it is probably best to go with a WordPress site.)

If you’ve decided to hire a designer, I’d be honored if you’d contact me for a quote. If you have decided you want to try your hand at using a website builder, stay tuned for my comparison of Wix and Squarespace.