Probably the most common questions a small business owner, or a marketing director of a medium sized company, would ask when first interested in creating a new website is this: Should I save money and just build a simple site myself, or should I consider hiring Web Designers to create it for me? There’s a really simple answer for them; it depends on what you’re expecting your website to accomplish.

Some follow-up questions may be: What’s my overall budget? How much time can I dedicate to the process? Is there special functionality that my site needs to have? Is there an expected deadline for the site to be live? Let’s go over those questions before with some pros and cons for each possible direction.

Your Expectations

For starters, it’s best to run through a few key questions with stakeholders in the company to get answers about what the new website needs to accomplish. Is this a fairly new company that simply needs “something” on the web for basic exposure? Are you looking to come on top against your competition on who has the better-designed website? Are you trying to sell products online through your website? Any specifics that really need to be included on the site? Having these questions answered early on can really establish not only a better idea of what a web design company can offer youu, but it familiarizes you with what’s expected from the end product when all is said and done. This is, of course, regardless of whether the choice is to go with building the site on your company’s time or having a web designer/developer handle most of it.

Budgeting and Costs

The decision may just come down to how much you’re willing to spend on having a website. In the short term, a DIY website builder that charges an all-around monthly fee for minimal functionality, cookie cutter design and minimal pages is your best bet, especially for start-up type businesses that have a very minimal marketing budget. For the long term and more concrete business sites, it’s best to consult with web designers and developers for your needs. Costs tend to be more upfront but save money in the long run and you end up having a much stronger digital marketing presence with a more robust, well-built website. Also, it’s always in your best interest to work with domestic firms rather than outsourcing work overseas. The money you save may not be worth the hassle of bad communication, customer service, and possibly a sub-par product. In both situations domain registration, hosting services, and continued SEO and Internet Marketing have separate monthly/annual fees to consider so keep that in mind.

Time Allocation and Deadlines

Another huge factor in the decision can be how much time you and your business plan to allocate to the project. This Feedster Blog arguably says it best:

“Learning how to build a website is time-consuming and there are high chances that you will waste your valuable time. In this case, you should consider hiring a professional designer who will give you numerous benefits of a well experienced professional knowledge. This way, your website will be completed professionally and quickly.”

Even for the “easy to learn and use” DIY builders are time-consuming, so if you go that route be ready to make the time to get it done, especially if you have a deadline. However, even if you go 100% with a Marketing Firm you’ll still need to make time for communication on progress, feedback, content, and expectations.

Design & Functionality

An alternate title for this section could simply be “You Get What You Pay For”. Now, it’s not always the case, but you really have to factor in how much knowledge and expertise the web designer has to get the most bang for your buck. Digital Marketing may not be an area of your business that you or your employees have expertise in. Therefore it’s always recommended to consult with experts who specialize in Web Design, Web Development, SEO, etc. to make your site as successful as possible in multiple areas.

Summing it all up; there’s always Pros and Cons in going with DIY Solutions vs Hiring a Digital Marketing team. It really boils down to how much time, money, and expertise you want to invest. Start by consulting with a dedicated Digital Marketing Firm, like us.