Should You DIY or Outsource Creating Your Website?
When it comes time to create a website, you’ll face one of two options: DIY or outsource?
Each has its benefits and drawbacks, and that’s what we’ll discuss in this post. So stick around and let’s explore your options for website creation together.
Website Creation: DIY or outsource?
That’s a great question and we’re glad you’re asking it. It shows you understand how valuable your website is and that you want to create it the best way possible, and rightfully so. Your website is the hub of your digital presence, it’s where customers go to find you, interact with you, and hopefully, convert. (That means they take whatever action you’d like for them to take on your site, like making a purchase or signing up for the email list on your blog)
If your website is slow, clunky, or hard to navigate then your website visitors won’t be making any purchases or signing up for any lists; instead, they’ll bounce. If you have a high bounce rate, search engines will take note, and your website won’t show up as high in search results moving forward. So it pays to create a good site with your visitors’ preferences and needs in mind and to maintain your website. If you don’t, your site can get buried in the depths of the Internet.
Let’s consider the following points to help determine whether you should DIY or outsource the creation of your website.
What’s the goal of your website?
Have you stopped to consider your website goals? Now is definitely the time. If you don’t consider your goals, how can you create a plan for success?
If you’re a blogger your goal might be to increase the number of visitors to your site and the number of subscribers to your email newsletter. Why? Because those two things can help influence your bottom line by attracting advertisers or companies who’d like to work with you.
If you aren’t sure what your goals are, or how to achieve them, you may want to consider outsourcing your website to someone with experience building similar sites so they can guide you.
Or do you have clear-cut goals and understand how the layout and build of a website can influence them? If so, it sounds like you’re ready to DIY your own site.
Have you created a website before?
Creating websites isn’t as difficult as it was 5, 10, or 15 years ago. You don’t need a 4-year degree and a thorough understanding of JavaScript or any other programming language.
If you’ve created a website before then we have faith that you can do it again! And if you haven’t, we have faith in you, too!
Nowadays, there exists these handy tools called website builders. Website builders, like ours, turn website creation into a quick and painless process. Once you have your domain name and hosting, you can choose a theme for your site. The themes are varied and highly customizable, so you don’t have to worry about your site looking exactly like every other Dick and Jane’s site. You can customize themes by dragging and dropping different elements (like call-to-action buttons or about pages) exactly where you want them. What you see as you build your site is what you’ll get for a finished product.
Are you nervous about creating a website? Don’t be. You can practice by using our free website builder that allows you to create a 6-page site (it’s free with every domain name purchase.)
If after some practice you decide that you’re a website-building rockstar then good for you! As your business grows you may find that you need a larger site, so you can always upgrade your builder and hosting package and continue rocking those site creation skills.
What if you decide that website creation isn’t for you? That’s ok, we can help with our full-service offerings. We understand you may not have the time to devote to a website, so we provide a service that encompasses the following.
Professional Website Services
- Custom 5-page website including content creation for up to 3 pages.
- Drag & drop site builder so you can make changes to the site if you’d like.
- Professional branding because you deserve to look like the pro you are.
- Full website functionality including blog setup, photo gallery, and contact form.
And if that’s not enough, we’ll even help with your marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Managed Local Lift — working with online listing publishers like Yahoo! to make sure local customers are finding you.
- Content marketing. We’ll write articles and create content to support your organic search rank on major search engines.
- Monthly consultations with an expert because we’re here to help you succeed.
Do you understand the time investment and maintenance a website requires?
As much as we wish websites were set-it-and-forget-it, they’re not. (Although it’d be great, wouldn’t it — having one less thing to worry about?)
Alas, we can’t change the way websites and the Internet work for you, but we do our best to make it easier by providing all the options you’ll need to secure and maintain not just your site, but your domain name, too.
There are some bad people and automated programs online and you need to guard your website against them. You can run manual scans and attack the threats one-by-one, but the fact is, there are a lot more automated bots and programs than there are of you. If you’re new to building websites, you might not realize how essential domain privacy and site security are.
Domain.com offers SiteLock Security products, domain privacy + protection, and more so that you can keep your site free from danger without needing expert advice. But if you’d rather not take any chances and have someone else worry about it, then outsourcing your website is a good option. A 3rd party can help you to build your site, maintain it as needed, and advise you as to the best security options and plans for your site.
If I choose to outsource or purchase a DIFM (do-it-for-me) website package, am I stuck with it forever?
It’s a valid question, and we don’t blame you for wondering.
No, you won’t be.
If you need help getting started with your website, don’t have the time to devote to a website right now, or would prefer someone else maintain your site, then outsourcing is the best solution for you right now. But that doesn’t mean things won’t change.
Maybe you’ll hire some new people soon and have more time available to focus on your website and marketing; in that case, you can take ownership over your site again. You can switch plans with us at Domain.com for a self-managed site or make sure to ask any 3rd parties about future arrangements prior to outsourcing your site.
There are many ways to build a website
With so many options at your disposal, you really don’t have an excuse for not having a site in this day and age.
Your website is the heart of your digital presence and your domain name is what leads people there. So don’t delay, get started today!
