Most anyone can build a website and make it look nice. There are plenty of online website builders that function well. GoDaddy.com, Wix.com, SquareSpace.com just to name a few. In three easy steps, you can build a website with most any host available. Buy a domain, pick your hosting plan, and use the online web design tool.
These tools provide easy drag and drop features for filling in templates you choose. Simple, yet easy features make experts out of most anyone. Or does it? Fonts, colors, and graphic placement can have limitations when it comes to customizing your new site. These site builders are great to make an initial splash in the online marketplace, but you may find you outgrow their capabilities.
As your business grows, so do your web design needs. It might be time to hire a professional web designer when your website needs more functionality, it takes too much of your time to keep your website up to date and requires more than you want to spend trying to keep up with the demands of the constantly changing internet market.
It’s time to hire a professional website designer when . . .
. . . you want your website to do more work for you.
As your business grows, your website requires more functionality than when you first started. You might want to add the ability to schedule appointments, take payments online or add an e-commerce store to sell products. You may want to include a feedback page or forum where you can have interaction with your viewers to answer their most frequent questions. Integrating your social media channels to your website may require more than just a link. You might want to have active feeds or embed videos. So many options, and so little time.
. . . it takes too much of your time to keep the website updated.
It can be distracting, trying to keep up with the ins and outs of what your website might need. If you have content that changes, and you should for SEO, it can be frustrating to make yourself stop and think through the changes and then actually take the time to sign in and do it. This may take more of your time away from actually running your business and planning for the future.
. . . your business is growing and your website just isn’t enough anymore.
Or, vice versa, when your Facebook Page just isn’t enough and you need a great functioning website to benefit your online presence. As your business market share increases, so should your Internet presence. Thinking through your overall Digital Marketing Strategy may be more than you want to tackle on your own. It includes social media, any advertising you might need, keywords, SEO campaigns, blog posts, mailing lists, other add-on services that would improve automated systems online to help your overall business efficiency. If any of this begins to make your head swell, then it’s time to hire a professional web designer.
Many DIYers can accomplish some of these items. There are plenty of YouTube videos to help people learn the small tasks. What a professional web designer does is take the hassle out of it for you. They already know all the ins and outs of the Internet and how it all works together. And, if they don’t, they are more likely to be able to figure it out. It’s their business to help your business grow.
So next time your head begins to swirl just thinking about what your next step with your website or Digital Marketing needs to be, or you just need a little help thinking things through, call a professional web designer and keep focusing on what matters most to you … growing your business!