Everywhere you turn, you’ll find tools to help you build a website yourself. Everywhere. Even the Super Bowl has ads for website hosting and building. Almost every podcast I hear has commercials for ecommerce platforms. I’ll scroll social media and see an ad promising that the user can whip a site together faster than instant pudding. I may (or may not) roll my eyes. Almost everyone I know who doesn’t have experience with websites ends up frustrated with these tools, spending twice as much time as they expected. Should you forge ahead with the DIY tools, or is hiring a web designer worth the money? Let’s discuss.

While I originally wrote this post in 2017, I’ve seen a resurgence in discussion on the topic. It seemed time to refresh and revisit the subject.

Why is hiring a web designer a better plan?

A web consultant gets to know you and your goals.

When I hear the ads mentioned above, the announcer usually touts that this service will build you a “professional” site for a flat, low price. Ok, that sounds good. What are you getting for that “low price”? You’ll probably end up with a generic site that looks just like thousands of other sites out there. It will also not be tailored to your individual goals.

Hiring a web designer should be a personalized process. I take the time to get to know my clients and their goals. In fact, I’ve had more than one person fill out my questionnaire and think that talking about their short and long term goals was not relevant. On the contrary, your website should directly advance your goals and make your life easier. I meet personally (in person or via video) with each client and listen to what they really want for their business or organization. Then I recommend site features based on those goals and specifically tailor them to that project. In the end, your site is your most valuable employee.

Besides, nearly 50% of users think that website design is the #1 indicator of credibility for a business.

Hiring a web designer saves you time.

You need your time to run your business and do what you do best. In many cases, build-your-own website services can be confusing and take time to master. This is both frustrating and time consuming. Instead, spend your time making money and advancing your goals. You likely don’t have time to sit and figure out a new interface, particularly if technology is not your strong suit.

Outsourcing your website actually saves you money.

What? Aren’t websites expensive? I almost didn’t include this one because it seemed silly, but then I read this article. Web builders like Wix or Weebly brag about being cheap or even free, but you’ll find lots of hidden charges. Between hosting fees, paying for the service of a shopping cart, and getting all the features you really need they don’t include in the “free” site, you’ll rack up costs pretty quickly. When you add everything together, you could have hired a web designer and ended up with a much more professional end product.

If money is tight, start with a basic site and build as you can. You should also consider the amount you may be losing by spending time creating that site rather than running your business as only you know how. You’ll see a much greater return on investment with a custom site tailored to your needs.

After all, time is money.

Hiring a web designer buys you expertise.

You’re not just buying a site from a web designer… you’re also purchasing his or her knowledge. We know how to get you noticed by search engines, what needs to happen for your site to succeed, and much more. We also know what colors work well and what helps your site have just the right effect on visitors. Instead of you fumbling through best practices, hire someone who already knows that stuff. A web designer can advise you much better than the web builders can, and my guess is that you’re not going to deal with a “real person” very much with one of those services.

Working with a designer gets you versatility and longevity.

Don’t you hope your website will succeed? Of course you do! If you succeed half as much as you want, you eventually outgrow the web building program. Those programs can usually only take you so far. Once you decide you need to leave it, changing will be a pain. They don’t let you just download your site and take it someplace else, so you’re basically back to the beginning of needing to create a new one. With a web designer, you can easily grow as the need arises. As I said before, you can start with a basic site, and that designer should be able to add features as needed without disruption of the current site.

As you go forward, you can consult with your website designer about your site and how well it serves your current stage of business. Constantly reviewing your website and its effectiveness will only help it align with your business goals.

Hiring a web designer helps your organization grow.

If you already had frustration figuring out how to navigate a DIY website platform, how motivated will you be to update and make changes? Having someone in your pocket who understands how to incorporate marketing tools for list building and lead generation ensures that you don’t stunt your growth with lack of knowledge. Web designers stay on top of trends and can advise you which ones you can leverage and where you shouldn’t waste your time.

Additionally, web designers have at least a basic understanding of SEO. Seriously, what’s the point of having a website if it doesn’t come up in Google searches? Spending hours and hours getting your site the way you want only to have it not get visitors is like decorating a party venue to the nines and having nobody show up to celebrate. That’s just money out the window.

The old adage “you get what you pay for” really comes into play here. You could pay a service a flat fee to create a website, but you’d lose far more than you’d gain. Hiring a web designer gives you much more flexibility and frees you to run your business. So weigh your options, and keep swimming along!