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Are you sure you really want DIY when it comes to web design?

In today’s tough economy and strict budgets, many independent owners choose the path of building their own site. The DIY approach works great for many, so long as they don’t want to venture too deeply. A knowledgeable web designer knows much more than how to make your website look great & operate properly. They also know how to properly setup the site to connect and interact with the search engines to bring customers.  Anyone who doesn’t know the intricate details of SEO & management of their marketing efforts will miss out on potential business.

A few factors to consider before deciding a to make a DIY project out of your Web Presence:

(The questions below assume you aren’t going out to purchase Dreamweaver at $450 just to build one site and will choose a CMS platform.)

  • How much time do you have to dedicate to the project – and what is that cost?
    Everyone says if they do it themselves, its free. But that just isn’t really honest accounting. Time is money & your time counts, you just don’t bill yourself. So, do the math and figure out which is really a better investment: 40+ hours of your time or 10 hours from a pro of your choosing?
  •  What software do you have to create your site’s graphics?Even if you utilize an awesome, open-source, online CMS like WordPress, Joomla or Dupral, image and graphics are not included. These systems allow you to upload and resize, but you have to have them to begin with. Free software is available – be sure to include acquiring & learning curves of new software in your overall time as well.
  • Which Content Management System do I choose?
    Most individuals do not know which system is really best for them. WordPress, Joomla, Dupral, Blogger, etc. all have great features and beautiful sites have been built by DIY’ers. Each as it’s strengths & drawbacks. But if you’re not sure which one is best for your circumstances, best to consult a pro who knows each platform you are considering.
  •  Free or self-host?
    1. Free is great, but be sure to read the fine print. WordPress allows free WordPress sites, but they have 2 major drawbacks: Limited functionality & no using that domain name you already have! Blogger & WordPress have compatibility issues of importing/exporting from their free sites to each other as well as when migrating to self hosting.  Also, unless you are very knowledgeable, moving your domain can be very trick not to mention pricey. For example: a domain Purchased at Blogger (owned by Google), registered through GoDaddy via a partnership not only nets the registrant a yearly domain fee, You also get hit with a $5.00/year Domains By Proxy fee for 2 years with no opt-out.  This is just one of many examples.
    2. Self-hosting can be less expensive, but to do it yourself, you must know how to set things up properly or rely on a webmaster who can do it for you. Generally speaking, you will still be on your own for updates, backups of your database, as well as add-on installation for any plugins, themes, widgets etc. you want to make your site really shine.
  •  Do you really want to do it all yourself or just be able to edit your content without having to pay someone?
    If you are really a do-it-yourself-er, have a wonderful journey learning all there is to know about building a great site & getting found.  For anyone who has a career other than Web Designer & Webmaster, contact us today & we’ll help you create a web presence that is manageable, efficient & health for your bottom line!

 

As you might have noticed, I didn’t even talk about designing your site to illustrate how much thought we put in to providing the best solutions possible for our customers.

 

 

photo by: toolstop