DIY vs. Professional Web Design: Which Is Right for Your Business?
Holly Hinton
29 November 2024
WEB DESIGN
You’ve started a business and you need a website – or do you? It’s easy to listen to well-meaning friends and family about whether you can do it yourself or invest in a professional web designer, but personal agendas can get in the way.
There is no right or wrong answer, and your decision will depend on several factors, including your business goals, budget, and the level of expertise you bring to the party.
In this post, Web Goddess takes a closer look at both options (and a hybrid), weigh their pros and cons, and help you decide which is the best route for your business.
The DIY Approach
Many small business owners opt for the DIY route because it feels like an affordable, straightforward solution. With website builders like Wix and Squarespace, anyone can get a website up and running with minimal effort.
Note: we’ve not included WordPress here because it’s not user-friendly for beginners & we spend more time rescuing WP sites than any other platform!
But is DIY the best choice for your business? Here are the advantages and disadvantages of going down the DIY route...
Advantages of DIY Web Design
Cost-Effective One of the most appealing aspects of building your own website is the cost. Professional web design can be expensive, especially if you're working with a skilled designer who is charging for their time and expertise. DIY website builders are often very affordable, with many offering affordable monthly subscriptions (and with Wix you only start paying once you need your site to connect to a domain so can get all of your design done while it’s free). This makes them an attractive choice for businesses on a tight budget.
Full Control When you design your website yourself, you have complete control over every aspect of it. You can make changes as you see fit, add new content, and experiment with different designs without waiting for someone else to implement your ideas. This level of control can be a big selling point if you're someone who likes to stay involved or just likes dabbling with the tech.
Quick Setup Website builders are designed to be user-friendly, and many come with drag-and-drop interfaces that make the design process fast and easy. In some cases, you can have a basic website up and running in just a few hours. This is particularly useful if you need a website quickly to launch your business or promote a new product.
Learning Opportunity Building your own website can be a great learning experience. You’ll get a crash course in web design, SEO, and content management. While this might seem daunting at first, many business owners find the process empowering.. Plus, knowing how to maintain your site can be a valuable skill in the long run.
Disadvantages of DIY Web Design
Limited Expertise While spending time learning a new skill is great, if design doesn’t come naturally then your site won’t stand out against the competition.
Time-Consuming Building a website from scratch can take a significant amount of time. Even with user-friendly platforms, you still need to invest time in choosing a template, customising the layout, writing content, and optimizing for search engines. For a business owner with multiple responsibilities, this time commitment can quickly become overwhelming.
Fun fact: our own website took around 50 hours and we had a professional copywriter write the words!
Potential for a Less-Professional Look While DIY websites can be functional, they often lack the polished, professional look that a custom-designed site offers. A less-than-professional website can hurt your credibility and drive potential customers away, so if your business relies on a strong online presence, this can be a real concern.
Technical Challenges Website builders make it easy to get started, but technical challenges can arise as you progress. From setting up hosting to ensuring your site is mobile-responsive, there's a lot to consider behind the scenes. If you run into issues that are outside your comfort zone, you might end up wasting time troubleshooting.
The Professional Web Design Approach
Now let’s consider the alternative: hiring a professional web designer like Web Goddess. While this option is bound to be more expensive, it comes with a range of benefits that may justify the investment.
But before you jump into hiring a designer, it’s important to know what you’re getting and how to evaluate whether this is the right route for your business.
Advantages of Professional Web Design
Custom, High-Quality Design One of the biggest advantages of hiring a professional web designer is the ability to have a website that is truly unique and tailored to your business. A professional can create a custom design that aligns with your brand identity and delivers a seamless user experience (UX). A designer will also ensure that your website looks polished and performs well on all devices.
Expertise and Experience Professional web designers bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table. They understand what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to web design, user experience, and conversion optimisation. They can create a website that not only looks great but also helps you achieve your business goals - whether that’s increasing sales, generating leads, or building brand awareness.
Time-Saving When you hire a professional, you’re outsourcing the technical and design work, which frees up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. A professional web designer can handle all the details, from design to development to launch, so you don’t have to worry about learning new skills or dedicating hours to the project. This can be especially valuable if you’re a small business owner juggling multiple responsibilities.
Ongoing Support and Maintenance Many professional web design companies offer ongoing support and maintenance after your website is launched. This means that if something goes wrong or you need updates, you can rely on a professional to handle it quickly and efficiently. As your business changes, your website can then reflect that growth in the best way possible.
SEO and Performance Optimisation A professional web designer will not only make your website look great but also ensure it performs well in search engines. From optimising load times to implementing best practices for SEO, a designer can help your site rank higher in Google search results, improving your chances of attracting organic traffic. They can also help make sure your website is secure and accessible.
Disadvantages of Professional Web Design
Higher Cost The most obvious downside of professional web design is the cost. Hiring a designer will be more expensive and is a consideration for small businesses with limited budgets. The pricing varies greatly depending on the complexity of the project, the designer’s experience, and the features you need. However, this is often an investment that pays off in the long run, especially if your website becomes a key driver of sales or leads.
Longer Timeline While a professional website is often more polished and feature-rich than a DIY site, it can take longer to build – especially if your designer is experienced and busy working with other clients. From initial consultations to design revisions to development and testing, the process can take several weeks or even months. If you need a website up and running quickly, this timeline might not be ideal.
Limited Control When you hire a professional, you’re putting your website in their hands. While they’ll collaborate with you throughout the process, you may feel like you’re giving up some control. Many designers, like Web Goddess, offer training to allow you to update the site yourself after launch, but there is still that initial element of trust that you need to give to your chosen professional.
Which Option is Right for Your Business?
So, now that we’ve covered the pros and cons of both DIY and professional web design, the question remains: which option is best for your business?
Here are some key factors to consider:
Budget If you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford to hire a professional, DIY website builders are a viable option. However, if your business is growing and you can afford to invest in a higher-quality website, a professional designer is worth the cost.
Time and Resources If you’re short on time, hiring a designer might be the best choice. However, if you have the time to invest in learning how to use a website builder, a DIY site might be the way to go.
Long-Term Goals If you’re building a long-term brand and want a custom-designed, high-performance website that helps you scale, investing in a professional designer is likely the best option. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out and need a simple, functional site to get you online, DIY web design could be the perfect solution.
Skill Set If you have the skills to design your own website and are willing to learn, DIY web design can be a rewarding challenge. However, if you lack design or technical skills and want to avoid the frustration of troubleshooting, a professional web designer is a smart choice.
Another Option? Hybrid Design
Although not normal practice for larger website agencies, working with smaller web design companies like Web Goddess allows you to create a DIY website which can later be refreshed or updated by a professional.
We regularly receive requests from the Wix Marketplace from business owners who have created their own website and just need some professional advice to make their existing site work better for them, and stand out from the crowd.
This can be a cost-effective way of working as well as giving you the opportunity to ‘have a go’ and get a website up and running quickly, with the knowledge that a professional can step in to help when you need it.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between DIY and professional web design depends on your business’s unique needs, budget, and goals. For small businesses just starting out, DIY web design can be a great way to save money and get a website up and running quickly (in fact this is how our founder started her career). But as your business grows and your online presence becomes more important, investing in professional web design can pay off in terms of quality, performance, and long-term success.
No matter which route you choose, make sure your website represents your brand effectively, delivers a seamless user experience, and is designed with your target audience in mind. And, if you don’t love your website, you can’t expect your customers to either…
And remember: ALWAYS interview multiple designers/agencies before making a decision! You may get caught up in the moment with one company but realise later that they really aren’t a great fit for your business. Any honest web designer will let you think about your decision – trust your gut!
Need help figuring out which route is best for you and your business? Why not book a free Discovery Call where we can flesh out the details of your situation and make recommendations without any pressure...
About
Holly Hinton
Holly Hinton has been building websites for over 20 years – since way back in the days of Dreamweaver and FrontPage – and started Web Goddess in 2014 to combat all the bad advice small business owners received about web design and SEO. She loves sharing her knowledge and empowering those same business owners to take control of their online presence. Holly is a mum to teenage boys who love destroying the offence on an American Football field and loves crochet when she gets a chance.