Every business, large or small needs a website in today’s marketplace. Whether you are a large corporation or a mom-and-pop store, your customers need to find you online and have access to your products and services 24//7. Is building your own website the right choice?
Knowing you need a website is one thing, but knowing how to build one is another. With the advancement in technology, do-it-yourself website builders such as Wix and Squarespace allow business owners to create a website within hours of starting. These “build your own website” solutions sell themselves on the visual appeals they can offer, but if you truly want to increase revenue and expand your business you need a fully customized website.
Pros and Cons of building your own website
Pro: Ease of Use
You’ve likely seen commercials from celebrities such as Karlie Kloss and Brian Orakpo promoting how easy it is to use a “build your own website” solution and they are right. Wix and Squarespace provide their customers with hundreds of templates, categorized by industry. You can drag and drop different elements and create a visually appealing website. No programming knowledge required.
A fully customized website through a Content Management System, such as WordPress, requires development knowledge. You’ll likely need to hire a professional to help assist with your website creation.
Pro: Cost
As with any project you tackle, doing it yourself saves money. Currently, Wix offers website plans from $14 to $35 a month depending on features and functionality. Similarly, Squarespace offers website plans from $12 to $40 a month.
For small business owners and startups, affordability is key, which makes these prices very attractive.
Custom websites typically involve an upfront cost and monthly maintenance charges. You could spend anywhere from $1,500 to $40,000 or more, depending on your specific needs.
Con: Templates
Wix and Squarespace market their products as customizable, but they have limitations. You can make text changes or update an image, but if you want that text box or image moved to another area on the site you are out of luck. Worst of all: your competitor could have the same layout as you!
Your business is unique and when you hire a web design company they work with you to create a vision for your website that is just as unique. When you hire a web design company your website is built how you want and as unique as you want.
Con: Time
Running a business takes time and energy. Even using a “build your own website” solution like Wix or Squarespace takes time and energy that isn’t being spent on growing your business. Your website continuously needs to be updated so your customers are aware of your latest product offerings.
A good website design company handles all of the behind-the-scenes work for you. Whether you run an e-commerce business that needs new products added or need updates and backups installed, the web design company handles everything for you. You get to spend time working on your business.
Choosing the Website Solution that brings you business
Running a business or startup requires you to make a lot of important decisions. Your marketing and website choice is no exception.
When you ready to hire a web design company interview a few local companies. Your website is a big part of whether your business is a success or failure. Find a company that is trustworthy and proven.
At Heartbeat Websites, we offer monthly website plans for any type of business. Our monthly pricing helps reduce some of the pricing struggles small businesses and startups face. We handle everything from hosting, backups, updates, mobile-friendly responsiveness, and Google Analytics setup.
When you are ready to pass off the website building process, we are here to help!