Maybe you should build your own website. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? If you’re just looking to build an online brochure so when people say “Do you have a website?” you can say “Yep, I sure do.” and send them to it to read about your company and what it does, then a DIY website will probably work for you. There are Do It Yourself (DIY) platforms out there that can help you knock it out in a few hours. If that’s what you’re looking to do, then that may be an inexpensive solution for you.
When should I hire a professional?
If you want your website to “do anything” then maybe you should look to hire someone that’s done this before. Forms get a little tricky sometimes, depending on what you want them to do. You may want to embed a map with driving directions. You may want to sell stuff online and you don’t really understand the e-commerce tax laws that are coming into play. Maybe you’re a healthcare provider and you have to be aware of HIPAA regulations so that you don’t end up with a big fat fine for breaking a rule you didn’t even know was a rule.
We do this stuff every day and we are constantly reading about the things in our business that may have an effect on your business. Technology is changing constantly. Google changes the algorithm and the next day Facebook changes the rules of engagement and then WordPress releases a vulnerability that has hackers going crazy. We try to stay on top of it.
A DIY website will probably be fine
If you do decide to Do it yourself – and it will probably turn out fine – remember that if you and that provider have a falling out, they have all of your stuff and if you ever decide you want to move to a more professional site then you do have to start over. If you do it the first time… in your own hosting environment, it’s yours.
