WebsiteShould you build your own website or hire a pro?
2 min readBuilding it yourself is fine if you're just starting out, need only a few pages and have time to keep it up to date. Having it built pays off as soon as the site has to bring in customers: being found on Google, loading quickly on a phone and a contact form that actually reaches your inbox all take know-how that a website builder doesn't give you.
With a website builder you can put together a tidy site in a weekend. That isn't a bad choice. It depends on what you expect from the site.
Building it yourself suits you if
You're just starting out and mainly want to be found under your own name. You only need a few pages. And you enjoy working on it yourself, because a site needs looking after.
What's involved beyond what you'd expect
A site is more than a few pages. It comes with a domain and email, copy built around what customers actually search for, a page per service, speed on a phone, a contact form that actually reaches you, a privacy policy, tracking where inquiries come from, and maintenance. Wix or Squarespace take care of the first. The rest you have to know and do yourself.
Having it built suits you if
The site has to bring in work. Then you're not paying for the pages, but for everything you read above: getting found, getting visitors to take action, and making sure every lead lands in your inbox. That is the work we do.
Count your own hours
Building it yourself looks free, but your hours aren't. If the site takes you forty hours that you would otherwise spend on customers, having it built is often the cheapest option.
A middle way
Start on your own, and have someone look at it later. Do make sure the domain is in your own name, so you can switch without starting again.
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