Your business website serves as your brand’s home online. This way, your customers can find you and check what you have to offer anytime they want. But before you can enjoy this benefit, you first have to build a user-friendly and navigable website. This leads us to the big question: should you hire a website development company or do it yourself?

In this post, we will discuss the pros and cons of both options and which one might suit your business best. Read on to see which option will give you the best bang for the buck in the long run.

DIY website vs professional

Are you planning to build a business website but unsure how to do it? Many businesses hire designers to handle the work while others take the DIY route for various reasons. To help you choose, we outlined here the pros and cons that you should know:

Custom web developer service

Custom web development services cost a fee, but it certainly brings a lot of advantages to your business. But whether it’s the right choice depends on what you want to achieve. Here’s a rundown of its pros and cons:

Pros

• Tailored solutions. With a professional team, you’re assured that the design of your website is tailored to your specific needs. You can also request specific features and functionalities that you simply can’t do on DIY website builders.

• Expertise. Aside from a tailored design, a professional web developer service will take the guesswork out of your website. They can build just about any feature or technology you want to include on your pages. They will also ensure that your website has top-notch performance at all times.

• Scalability. Professional website development allows you to scale your pages as needed. This means you can grow your website at a fast pace as your business expands, which is quite limited if you have a DIY website design.
• Better performance. Expert web developers also know how to optimize your website, so it loads faster across devices. This way, your target customers can easily access your pages, which will boost your conversion rates.

• Ownership and control. The good thing with custom web development services is that you’ll own everything on your website. You’re not strictly tied to a single platform when it comes to making changes or updating your pages.

• SEO-ready. Custom-built websites are not only tailored to your business but also ready for marketing campaigns. Web developers will ensure that your pages are ready for search engine optimization. This way, your website will easily have organic traffic and excellent visibility.

Cons

• Higher cost. Custom web services can be more expensive than website design DIY. It’s because the developers will have to build your website from scratch to make sure it’s tailored for your business.

• Longer turnaround time. Professional web development takes more time than DIY web design. It could take a few weeks to months to get your custom website live, depending on the number of pages you need.

• Less control. You’re dependent on the developers for updates, maintenance, and ongoing support for your website. The upside here is that if you hire a good team, you’ll have peace of mind that your website is in good hands.

• Potential learning curve. Unlike drag-and-drop website builders, custom-built systems have a learning curve that you have to go through. This might be a deal-breaker for some who prefer a system that’s fast to implement.

• Potential delays. Since you’re relying on the work of a third-party provider, you might encounter delays in the process. There could be unforeseen challenges or roadblocks that may drag the launch of your custom website.

DIY website builder

DIY website building can also be a good strategy if you want to build online pages for your website. It’s usually fast, intuitive, and cheaper to launch than custom websites. However, it also comes with some serious downsides that we outlined below:

Pros

• Ease of use. The main advantage of DIY websites design is its intuitive, drag-and-drop design that almost anyone can use. You can easily build a website for your business with little to no coding experience.

• Cost-effective. Most of the time, DIY website design is cheaper than hiring professionals for custom pages. You can even find free platforms that can host your pages, although you won’t have a custom domain.

• Customer support. Many DIY website platforms also offer 24/7 support in case you have issues or questions about their tools. They can help you troubleshoot your website even in the middle of the night.

• Quick setup. If you want to launch a page for your business within hours, website development DIY would be a good option. However, you should still remember that you won’t get custom features the same way as professional website services.

Cons

• Limited customization. The biggest downside with DIY website platforms is they offer little to no customization. You’re stuck with their pre-designed features and templates, which are not enough if you plan to expand your business in the future.

• Less scalability. DIY website builders are limited when it comes to the number of pages you can create. Also, it could be challenging or impossible to integrate specific functions that your business needs.

• Less control. With DIY website builders, you don’t have full control over the backend of your pages. Also, you can’t use a custom domain and your website URL will always carry the builder’s domain.

• Limited SEO. Since DIY website builders offer convenience, they only offer a limited chance to implement search engine optimization strategies. This means it would be difficult or even impossible to rank high on search results.

• Limited branding. Do-it-yourself website builders only have preset color schemes, logo placements, font choices, and so on. So if you’re aiming for a specific design, this option may not be the best for your business.

• Complicated data portability. In case you decide to move your website data to another platform, a DIY builder could make it challenging. You may have to transfer it manually or start from scratch. In the long run, this will cost your business more time and money compared to when you hire a professional in the beginning.

Which one is best for your business?

Overall, both professional website services and DIY website builders will let you launch online pages for your brand. However, the right choice depends on your needs. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide which one you should choose:

You need professional web development services if…

• You have a fast-growing business and you plan to expand it in the near future.
• You need specific and advanced features that DIY builders can’t do.
• You’re willing to shell out a substantial budget to get a tailor-fit website for your business.
• You plan to integrate third-party systems, APIs, and databases.
• You want to get the best website performance in terms of speed.
• You’re future-proofing your business’s online presence.
• You want to leverage analytics and tracking features, so you can make data-driven decisions for your business.
• Your website needs to handle large-scale transactions or high-volume traffic.
• Your business will seek specific compliance from organizations or authorities (ex. healthcare, finance, etc.)

You can use DIY website builders if…

• You have a limited budget and looking for an affordable option.
• You only need a simple website without complex features.
• Your business is small-scale and won’t expect heavy traffic anytime soon.
• You need a quick and easy way to launch a simple page for your business.
• You’re comfortable doing some work in setting up your website.
• You’re content with using pre-designed templates and don’t mind not having unique web designs.
• You don’t have plans to invest in search engine optimization (SEO).
• You prefer a straightforward and simple online presence.

Conclusion

When it comes to your business website, it’s always important to choose a strategy that will pay off in the future. While DIY builders are convenient and simple, they may not be enough for a fast-growing company with high traffic.

On the other hand, professional website building may not always be necessary, especially if you’re just getting started on your business. But if you have zero knowledge about website creation, a team of professionals is often a great option since they can guide you on what your business really needs.

Whatever choice you pick, make sure you assess the price, maintenance, support, and your specific requirements. This way, you can have a business website that will bring in customers and sales. Above all, it will secure your business’s online presence in the long run.