Designing and creating a website for a company or brand can certainly take that company to the next level and open up opportunities. There is a lot of work and details that go into it, which is why there are jobs specifically created for website development. The website developer, sometimes called a website designer, has the ability to understand what is needed to make a website easy to use and appealing at the same time. The designer needs the right technical skills and creativity to build a sufficiently enticing appealing website, but which is also user-friendly. This entails considering webpage layout, content production, as well as graphic design. Today you can choose from a slew of popular “do it yourself” platforms on which you can create and design your own website. Yet, for many people, this may seem daunting and they’d prefer to hire a professional website developer. The truth is, there are many advantages, as well as some disadvantages, to hiring a web designer to help and take over that aspect.
Your website is the online face of your business. And if your website isn’t easy to understand, simple to use, and visually appealing, you could be out of business. One of the first things that come to mind when hiring a web designer is how it saves a tremendous amount of time. It takes a load of work off your back. With that saved time, you can easily invest in other important tasks and focus on developing other parts of your business. The process can move faster as things are getting done properly and by someone who knows what they’re doing.
When things are getting done by the right person, you know you can trust them and trust the process. You can rely on them to design and create something to your liking and needs. When something is done by a professional, there is a much less chance of there being mistakes or technological issues that will show up. By doing it yourself, you risk a possible glitch, or total website shutdown – which could be a disaster for any small business.
Another important aspect of any website is SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Your presence on a search engine is imperative to success for any online business in today’s market. Due to the web designer’s knowledge and full understanding of SEO, they know how to make your website search-friendly, faster, and easier to navigate. Good SEO means better user experience and more people are able to find you. Who doesn’t want that?
Unless you understand everything the web designer understands, and have all the skills to do what he or she does, it is better for the sake of your business to hire one. There is only so much you can do on your own. When designing your own website, there are only a certain number of templates available and there is a good chance they are also being used by many other people trying to do exactly what you’re doing. If you want something different and unique, a web developer/designer can create something more personalized from scratch. Your company will look professional and reputable through the website. Again, it is very important that within the first few seconds that a customer arrives at your website, they will want to stay. With websites, first impressions matter. To do that, your site has to look refined and appealing. Hiring someone can make that happen easily.
Although it sounds like hiring a web designer is the way to go, there are a few disadvantages as well. One obvious disadvantage is the price you’ll pay to hire someone. Not all businesses can afford to hire someone to do their work for them, especially ones who are just starting off. Some people don’t realize that some of the biggest most successful companies have very basic websites, with not that much intricate detail and that it isn’t always about how fancy and jazzy it looks. According to Tech.co, it costs between $500-$10,000 to hire a web designer depending on the features you’d like added and your business needs.
Another disadvantage is that when hiring a web designer, it takes a lot more time than if you would have used a template and some editing on one of those website creating platforms. There is a lot more that goes into it when it is being made from “scratch.” It will take time for a website developer to build the site exactly according to your business’s needs.
Overall, I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons. If you have the time and money, I say go for it! It will be very beneficial for your business, and you’ll thank yourself later. You have to remember that when it comes to a business and what goes into it, it can be worth it to invest in a few things. Of course, if you don’t want to spend the money or can’t afford it, there are always DIY options which can work out as well. Good luck!
