Why you should NEVER, EVER design your own website
We have been building websites since 1998, and we’ve seen it all. Here we will share what we have learned, and give examples of what happens when people take shortcuts in their website designs:
“I have a friend (relative, etc.) who can build my website for me!”
Let’s think about this one…Would you let a house painter work on your plumbing? Would you let the guy at Best Buy give you a medical checkup? Then why let someone unqualified build a website for your business?
If you want to attract new customers, you need to be on search engines like Google. Search Engine Optimization is key, if you want your new site to be visited!
A website built by an amateur might look great but it’s like getting all dressed up, then staying at home. Nobody will see you. Experts can optimize your website so it can be picked up by those search engines.
And how will your new website look on a mobile phone? Mobile devices now represent most of all internet traffic.
“I only need a Facebook page”
While Facebook pages may work for SOME small businesses, it is not ideal for growing your business. Here are some reasons:
- You do not own your Facebook page. If Facebook goes down, your business page goes. If Facebook cancels your account, or changes the rules, you suffer.
- Facebook isn’t an effective way to be found in search engines.
- Facebook “business” pages offer fewer features than personal pages. And if you try to use your personal page for your business, Facebook can delete your account.
- The most important reason; it’s not professional. If you don’t have a “real” website, you will not be seen as committed to your business’ online presence.
“My old website looks great!”
If your website is out of date, it’s likely not being seen by those all-important search engines like Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and other browsers out there, not to mention Macs, smart phones and tablets.
“What do you mean, my website looks terrible on a mobile phone?”
Older websites, (and yes, websites designed by amateurs) generally perform very badly on mobile phones. Older websites often use Flash for graphics, and sometimes their navigation buttons are done with Flash. Many of these older designs can’t be seen on a tablet or smart phone. Your web developer should be able to make your website pop on every browser!
“What about those FREE websites from GoDaddy and web.com?”
Many of the same problems exist here. If you end up with a do it yourself site from one of those “free” offers, you will have many of the same problems listed above: Without professional knowledge about search engine optimization, experience writing concise, compelling copy, and no resources for professional graphics, your website cannot compete.
In all of the years we have been designing websites, we cannot remember EVER seeing a Wix or a GoDaddy do-it-yourself site showing up in a Google search.
