Website building is becoming easier and easier for the man on the street as there are more free or cheap website builders available. Many businesses are choosing to use tools like Squarespace, Weebly and Wix to create their websites as it is fairly simple and far more affordable than hiring a professional web developer.
But is it all it’s cracked up to be? Is it really worth sacrificing quality, support and various other things that can make your website super special and get in front of the audience you wish to target?
Let’s find out. Let’s find out why the old adage “you need to spend money to get money” still stands true, even when it comes to having your website designed (and especially when you are wanting to turn a profit via your website).
WHAT ARE THE FREE OPTIONS AVAILABLE?
First off let us take a brief look at the tools mentioned above. And then we will explore why a professional web developer is a far better choice.
Squarespace, possibly one of the most common ones used. Although there are some great themes and the overall look is nice, it still does not have the full functionality of a web developer website.
Weebly and Wix both have the problem of loading slowly, and in this day and age speed is everything. A website that loads too slowly will not have people stick around as we all want things to be as instant as possible.
Let us now look at what a web developer can do for you and why it is a far better choice to pay someone to set up your website for you.
WHY A WEB DEVELOPER IS BEST
One of the most obvious reasons is that someone who builds websites for a living has obviously got a heap of knowledge and years of experience behind them.
This means that they know every possible trick and tool in the book to make your website absolutely stellar, and that is definitely what you want.
A web developer has the skills necessary to make your website stand out.
These are just some of the things a web developer will look into while creating your magical website:
SEO – this is a major one as making sure your website has everything in it to make it show up in searches is incredibly important and can be quite a task. Things like keywords, proper headlines in blogs, image names and alt text on images can have a major impact, in a good way, if they are taken care of properly.
SPEED – When a web developer designs your website, they know what to do and what sort of content to include that will make your website load super fast and keep the audience sticking around long enough to actually engage with your website and your services or products.
ECOMMERCE – Perhaps you are wanting to sell your product or service on your website, great, the web developer can set up payment options and forms and things that are needed when making sales and keeping track. A web developer will also know what will look best when listing your products and services.
IMAGES – Naming your images on your website correctly is way more important than you may think initially. The names and alt text you use on your images assists greatly in SEO.
DOMAINS – A developer will assist with securing domains and setting up emails and linking forms and all that good stuff which keeps your target audience coming back for more.
VISUAL APPEAL – A website developer also has the knowledge, and creative edge, to make you website look amazing, and let’s face it, first impressions last. So when you land on a great looking website you tend to hang around because you want to see what more is on offer.
SUPPORT – Last, but certainly not least, when you have a professional create your website, you can be sure that they will be there with you every step of the way. They will chat with you about their concerns and listen to yours. They will ask for things that showcase your business and your uniqueness too. After all, you would want your website to reflect you as a person.
They will explain things to you in a way that you can understand why they are doing what they are doing, and why they may be taking slightly longer than anticipated.
And even though a web developer does take a while sometimes, the end product is so worth the wait, and the after sales support is just as important.
IT’S A WRAP
So, in conclusion, although there are some amazing DIY website builders around, the results will never be quite as on par as those you would get with a web developer.
If you have the budget and you want a top notch, high quality, functional, beautiful website, get yourself a web developer and let them work their magic. If you are not too sure where to start or want to work with someone that can work with your budget, get in touch with one of consultants at Creative Ground and let us show you the way.
