DIY Your Website vs. Hiring a Pro
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In today’s video, I want to help you out with a BIG decision when it comes to your website - should you DIY your website or hire a pro? There are pros and cons to both!
Watch the video or read the summary below.
Should you DIY your website or hire a pro?
DIY - The cost in $ and Time
So first, let's talk about the DIY route. The biggest benefit and deciding factor for many is cost. Obviously it's a lot less expensive to DIY, which is great for brand new entrepreneurs. However, since it's something that is SO new to you, you risk spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to do it, only to be left with a result you're not happy with. Not to mention the enormous "tech stress" along the way.
Do you need to know coding?
Website builders like Squarespace and Wix have made it 10 times easier than it used to be. You don't have to know any coding - and you can customize the look and content of your site. There are limitations, of course, and it's possible that you might not be able to do everything that you want, but if you're pretty tech savvy, these options can be an easy and quick way to get your site up and running.
But will it look and perform like a Pro website?
The other issue with the DIY route is that if you're not a designer, you will likely not have a "designer's eye" yet. That's OK, but it's possible that because of this, your site will look DIY, which is not what you're going for - you want your site to look professional! Another pitfall is you're probably going to miss out on a huge piece of the puzzle, which is the strategy behind what should actually be included on your website, and how to best optimize your site for your desired results.
site type
Another consideration is the type of site you want to build. If you just need a simple website with a way to share the content you're creating, then I would say you can absolutely DIY.
If your website needs are complicated, you may need a Pro
If your site is really complex and you're implementing brand new ideas, then you should probably hire a pro. Working with a pro can be amazing if you find the right fit, and it's possible that they will create something better than you even could have imagined. You will have more design possibilities and you'll benefit from their years of expertise.
So how much does it cost to hire a designer?
The biggest factor that holds people back when working with a designer is the price. I've seen anywhere from $1200 to $10,000 for a custom website and, of course, as with any service provider, it's possible that you're going to have to wait a long time, or that they don't get your vision.
What if you need frequent updates?
One major drawback of going the hire-a-designer route is not knowing how to update your website yourself. This means you'd need to hire a pro every time you want to make any changes, no matter how small, and this can really add up cost-wise. If you do hire a pro, I recommend asking for a tutorial so that you can at least blog yourself and make updates to the content if needed.
how about an option that combines the best of both worlds?
Now, I have to shamelessly plug myself here! I believe that new entrepreneurs need something in between these two options. The designer route is too expensive for many. The DIY route can be prohibitive because of the tech stuff and a huge cost time-wise (you could spend the next few months on Google trying to figure it all out!)
I have the solution! I've created an online course where I walk you through step-by-step how to DIY your website. Plus you get personal feedback AND tech support from me in the students' only Facebook group whenever you need. This way you can DIY it, but do it right - from professional design to strategy and optimization.
That's it for this video. I'd love to hear in the comments which route will you be taking. Let me know and I'll see you guys soon with another video.
