To be clear, of course, you can build your business website! With access to website builders like Weebly or Wix and other free website templates, the ability to create your website for your small or new business has never been more effortless. Or so it seems at first glance. Not included in these DIY business website design templates are the actual instructions for creating a successful business website.
By hiring a professional web designer or agency, you ensure that your business website serves the needs of your business. Your website must attract visitors, engage them, and convert them into consumers right from the start. Doing this on your own will take a lot of trial and error, and most likely, you will not succeed on your own.
If you want to build your business website, of course, you can do it. Before you invest more hours than you think you will need take a look at these thoughts.
Should this be a major priority of yours?
You have better things to do than to figure out how to add content to a free template or to understand how to get started with a free website builder.
As a new business owner, you have lots of other things to do that are more valuable for your business and more fun for you. Focus on those instead. By doing so, you will have a much more positive impact on your business than failing at DIY business website design.
That includes everything from talking to existing clients, networking to get new ones, stocking your shelves, or cooking in your restaurant. You may even want to consider spending more time with family, loved ones or simply relaxing and recharging yourself.
Trust me with this; I have seen too many DIY website failures to wish this on any business owner.
The Value of your Time
Take a look at this table. For a standard site using a website builder like Wix or Squarespace, the average time is around 35 hours (yes that much!) For more complex E-commerce solutions this number can increase by 50%. This compares to around 10 hours using a Web Designer. These times are estimates based on research and personal ability, this time does not include the time you spend on content this is just design time. You do need to provide feedback and some content ideas. Depending on how you charge or value your time the cost will vary this table will give you an idea of the cost. Please also note that this does not include any fees for the actual website builder which can amount to a significant amount over time.
* Example of charge-out rates or your own time valuation
** These will vary depending on the complexity of the job and are based on the simplest of sites
If this is not enough to convince you just look at what a web designer will bring to the table
CREATE A HIGH-QUALITY SITE
We live in an era where having a website couldn’t be easier – various platforms provide very economical templates. However, relying on these cookie-cutter tools will ultimately result in a site that’s boring, generic, and fails to make you stand out amongst more polished competitors.
When you work with a professional web designer, they’ll create a customised site that has all the unique features you need to successfully operate your business online. And because you’re working with a pro, you can rest assured that all of the shiny new features they formulate will be fit for purpose and align awesomely with your business plans and brand persona.
CREATE A PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING SITE
First impressions count. And when it comes to the online world, your website is the place where many consumers will form their first impression of your brand. Employing the services of an experienced web designer ensures that the end product of your project is a gorgeous website that captivates visitors the moment they land on your site and leaves a lasting positive impression.
When it comes to web design, an eye-tracking study by Missouri University found that it takes users less than two-tenths of a second to form a first impression of a website. So when it comes to web design, half measures and DIY hacks simply won’t cut it – you need to be working with a specialist who can make your brand a visual phenomenon that people recognise instantly and trust and favour above all others
STRENGTHEN YOUR ONLINE STRATEGY
The main goal of a professional web designer is to establish a firm foundation for your site so that it prospers for years to come. To achieve this, they’ll take the time to really get to know your business – its goals, values, and target audience. Web designers use this information as a compass that guides the course of your web design project in order to create a site where every element is pointed to the ‘true north’ of your vision – the practical goals you want to achieve and the image you want to project.
In this way, a web designer has the power to significantly strengthen your online strategy by creating a powerful customer-grabbing website that’s perfectly molded around your brand and complements your other marketing strategies.
CREATE A FIRST-CLASS USER EXPERIENCE
An eye-catching website that provides an incredible user experience (UX) will convert curious visitors into prospects and paying customers who you can continue to connect with beyond their first visit to your site.
And one of the most important parts of UX is your page loading speed. Research by Google found that as a page load time goes from one to ten seconds, the probability of a mobile user bouncing (leaving your site) increases by 123%. To ensure that customers stick around, it’s therefore essential that your web pages take no more than a few seconds to load.
And further, a pro web designer will be able to build you a site with an intuitive user interface and plugins which provide increased speed and security for your site. When these factors combine, you’ve got an online business engine that loads quickly and grips visitors long enough for them to follow your CTAs (calls-to-action) and converts them to paying customers.
Future-Proofing
Professional web design agencies work with innovative technology. What will your website look like two years from now? A professional web design agency not only designs and develops websites but also keeps an eye on future developments. With many new apps and ever-increasing web functionality to appeal to the social-mobile-local shopper, a professional web design agency can show you how to plan and not get left behind in the digital world.
Even if you only have a vague vision of what you have in mind a professional web design agency can help you refine it and make sure it works in life; the latter comes in really handy!
