Today’s businesses market themselves through the internet. The goal is to make a unique, stand-out website that draws people to their products and/or services. One can use either a Do-It-Yourself web design company like Wix or 1&1, or a custom design company such as Square 205 or NoFavorite. Think of DIY web design like a wind-up toy car. They’re cheap and fun to play with for a while, but eventually they don’t meet up to your expectations. Most don’t go in straight lines, and will run into whatever may be in its path. What more can you expect when you only paid a dollar or two for that toy? Custom website design is like a remote-control car. They are generally flashier, and the owner assumes full control of it; however, getting a hang of how the controls work may take a little more time than winding it up. They are also more expensive. Once you have saved up the money and learned the controls, though, it’s usually a good idea to build a dirt ramp and launch it more than a foot into the air. Here is a comparison of both methods of website design.
DIY Websites
Cheap $0-$30/month depending on your budget or how many more perks you want. Just Wind It Up Just pick a template and throw some text and/or media into the various preset boxes. No Batteries Required They are just like the self-checkout lanes at Walmart; get in, find what you want, and get out without dealing with a disgruntled employee.
It’s Hard to Stand Out Anyone can use the exact same template(s), it’s not exactly your idea (just close enough), and it will usually be obvious that you did it yourself without a professional. Plus, most people who visit the site may very easily tell that you used a DIY website to make it.4 Doesn’t Drive Straight Once the site is made, one usually just sits back and hopes for the best via a word-of-mouth marketing campaign and either limited or no SEO optimization. The website will most likely attract strays surfing the web. When It Breaks Customer support is a 1-800 number located at the bottom of the screen. That’s it. It’s very impersonal and probably a waste of time listening to bad “hold” music. Not Enough Trunk Space Templates have a nasty habit of being very limiting. You may realize you have big ideas to put into your website, but then can’t work with a coding framework that doesn’t allow much flexibility. You will need to find another template that works better and start from scratch.
CUSTOM DESIGN
Remote Control You are not left to fend for yourself. A team of professionals who actually know what they’re doing takes quite a burden off. Big, Flashy Wheels Your website is built from scratch and will fit in with your ideas entirely. Everything from the graphic design to the digital marketing strategy will make your company different from everyone else.
The Dirt Ramps Just about anything is possible because things like a pre-designed template, for example, do not limit a professional team. Expensive Depending on your business’ needs, you may need a larger budget set aside for a custom design website. Start-up costs can get fairly high. Learning To Drive (Sort Of) You’ll have to be much more patient with a custom design company because it takes much more effort to build something from scratch.
CONCLUSION
Here are two factors to consider when determining the best choice for your website design: content and budget. Your budget is the most obvious. You are either willing to put up the budget for a custom designed website or you aren’t. Plain and simple. Content is perhaps the most crucial factor. DIY design is best when you simply want to inform people of your business and/or keep connected with the local community. On the other hand, if you want to truly compete and fully engage and interact with potential clients, custom design is worth the higher budget.
All in all, you get what you pay for. Sometimes your budget will only allow you enough room to get that wind-up toy car. At some point down the line, hopefully, you’ve saved up for the flashy remote control car. This will open up more exciting possibilities for your business to grow and be successful. We can help you develop your own ideas into a unique digital marketing campaign with a stand-out website. Contact us for a free consultation.