Why Should I Pay For a Website? DIY Site Drawbacks Exposed

“Why should I pay for a website when there are so many do-it-yourself (DIY) programs out there?”

All web design companies have heard it. All web design clients have thought it.
DIY website platforms are out there; we’re not going to deny that for a second. In fact, many of them are very intuitive and can achieve your desired results.

However, there are some significant drawbacks to these programs that can cause a bigger headache than anticipated.

Here are some drawbacks to DIY sites:

It seems so simple at the start…

DIY website companies market to those wanting to quickly and easily set up their own site. Their templates and tutorials make the process appear painless. The truth is, if you lack experience in website design and creation, the process may still be confusing. Have you ever tried telling your great-grandmother how to start a Facebook page? “But it’s so easy!” you tell her. Easy is a relative term, especially if you don’t understand the tools.

The add-ons are overwhelming

When you log into a DIY website account, the dashboard includes tons of customizable options to make it your own. Each of these add-ons will somehow enhance the website, but how do you choose which ones to use? Which add-ons will actually provide the most benefit to your business? Without someone to help strategize or explain these add-ons, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the options.

Once it’s done, it just sits there

Have you ever thoroughly cleaned out your garage or basement and then let it sit for a year without being touched? It’s all too easy to check off “make website” from your to-do list and then let it sit, especially when you do the work yourself. The problem is that your website needs continuous upkeep to be most effective. Think of your website as a living creature that needs nourishment as it continues to work for you.

You’re your own tech support

Once you’re on a roll, you may run into some issues with the site such as:

• Broken links
• Broken image icons
• Inconsistent formatting
• Weird symbols or code
• Loading time issues

What do you do now? Most DIY platforms don’t have tech support that you can call. Instead, they only provide support documents, videos, or FAQs. You’re mostly on your own. If you are able to reach a real person via email or phone, they are not familiar with or invested in your site. Dealing with a support system like this can be draining.

Updates get pushed back

When you have updates for a website, it gets added to your to-do list. If it’s been awhile since you last worked on the site, you may procrastinate on these updates because of the time it takes to re-learn it. Or, if you just finished building the site, you might delay updates because the original process was so daunting. Either way, updates are often placed on the back burner.

A DIY looks exactly that

You may have a great eye for design, and an even better understanding of marketing, but many DIY sites look just that—like you did it yourself. It doesn’t mean you’re bad at it. It means that you’re not a web developer, which isn’t a crime. Most of the templates you see on the DIY platform portfolio were built by professionals.

Making your own website might work for some people, especially start-up companies who are still finding out who they are and where they want to go as a business. It can work well for “testing the Web waters.” But as your business grows, a website you make yourself might leave your audience with an undesirable impression of your product or services. If you’re looking to elevate your business to a higher level of professionalism, you will benefit most from paying the experts.