Can I Build My Own Website?

The age of technology, AI and DIY have enabled content creators and business owners to take on much of the heavy lifting in building their brands and creating content. Rather than hiring out specialists, it has become increasingly easier to create a logo or build a website on your own. We love to see local, small businesses thrive, and if it means helping them grow their brand and build websites faster and easier than ever before, then so be it. 

Building your own website is one aspect of running a business that has become extremely popular. With user-friendly engines such as WordPress, Wix and GoDaddy, it seems like anyone can create a website in no time. While technically the answer to this blog is “yes,” here are some things to consider before going off and building your own website. 

How Much Time Do You Have? 

The eternal struggle, whether you are the CEO of a global company or are running a small business, is needing more time. Building your own website from scratch is extremely time-consuming. Dedicating even more time to your business than you already have can be a daunting feeling. 

Building a site requires a lot of time in various aspects. First, you need to design the look and feel of the website. Then, you need to write the copy that will walk visitors through your site. Finally, you’ll need to actually put together these pieces into a coherent website that acts as a guide to visitors coming to learn more. Each of these steps can take hours, days and even weeks to complete. In addition to creating these pieces, reviewing and testing your site for usability, user experience and accessibility requires even more time and attention. This isn’t always the easiest thing to balance when you are focused on running your business. 

What Will Your Site Include?

Many websites are complex, living organisms. They are representations of a business and, as such, need to include accurate reflections of products, services and the personality your business offers. Before diving into building your own website, you need to consider the goal of the site. A website may have many potential goals, including ecommerce, lead generation and information gathering. 

Each of these goals come with their own unique challenges, objectives and strategies. Achieving those goals requires an in-depth understanding of UX/UI, design, copywriting and coding. While many web builders and content management systems can provide assistance with some of these aspects, successful sites will often have teams of specialists in each of these areas working together to achieve the site’s goals. 

Consider what your site needs to include, and how you could go about including it. Building your own website usually is more than just piecing together some words on a page next to a picture. There are a multitude of effective website strategies to utilize that will generate leads and conversions, and will help your business thrive online. 

Will You Need Regular Updates and Maintenance? 

In addition to the content and makeup of your site, you may need to update it regularly. Sales, service offerings and other timely content will need to be consistently updated to stay relevant to your visitors. If you are planning to include a blog on your site, you will need to develop a website strategy to ensure you have new posts going live at regular intervals. Your content strategy greatly determines if you can build your own website, or if you need some assistance.

Website maintenance is another significant task that a partner can help with. If your site experiences errors such as 404s or is hosted on slow servers, your user experience can plummet, and your site will lose effectiveness and reputation in the market. Experienced web developers can work to keep your website up-to-date and working properly. This can also help boost your SEO and make your site more visible to potential visitors. 

Updating and maintaining a website is a job of its own. Having a trusted website developer team who can build and maintain your website can help improve your business and your customers’ experience. 

Is Building Your Own Site Right For You?

Many business owners enjoy the idea of having total control over their website, and even saving a buck by building their own website. And they should feel that way; after all, this business means a lot, and you want to make sure it’s done right. While saving money is an important factor to consider, building a website is not always the best way to cut costs.

Unless you have design and coding experience, it can be tricky to create a website that works for you. Partnering with a trusted agency with proven website development experience can be the best use of time and money. You can have a say in your website strategy while letting experts implement said strategy. Your site should be an accurate representation of you and your business. Stay in control while letting others help build and maintain your website. With a website developer partner like Bullseye Media, you can give your time and attention to what matters most: your business.