When To Hire a Professional for your Web Design

Websites, you can’t really function without them in today’s society. Every business, no matter how big or how small, needs an accessible, easy to maneuver website. There are several options to have a great website, make one yourself, use a hosting service where you all you do is customize, or hire a professional. Creating your own website is not always an option, some people do not have the knowledge or know how to accomplish such a task and that is ok. For those times, you are still left with two possibilities, hiring someone or using a premade website hosting service. In this article, you will find information to help you determine when you need to hire a website designer and when another option would be best.

First, let’s consider when it is appropriate to build your own website. Regardless of your business size, there is only one way that it would be a feasible idea to build your own website. The fact of the matter is, if you do not have at least a bachelor’s degree in web design, you should not try to build your own website. Without the proper training and knowledge, you will more than likely end up with a site that is sub par and that is if you manage to build one at all. There is no shame in not being able to handle this on your own. That is why web design sites and professional web designers exist. If you are still unclear as to whether or not you should build a website yourself, here is a final tip. If you decide to give it a try and you have to Google any aspect of how to accomplish what you are trying to do, stop right there and try a different method.

Now, let’s talk about some of the website providers that are currently available and how to determine if this is the choice for you. The first service on the chopping block is web.com. You do not need have web design knowledge to use this service. With web.com you receive a free domain name, a professional email, marketing tools, and unlimited support via chat and/or telephone. There are literally thousands of premade designs for you to choose from when you set up your site. The free domain name lasts for one year, you then have the option of renewing your domain for $38 per year. If you do not choose to renew, you will lose your site. Next up is Squarespace. With Squarespace, you can try it out for free with their 30 day free trial; you will not be required to put a credit card in to use the free trial. There are a great many features and designs to choose from, you can also pick your own domain name. Finally, we have GoDaddy which, at the time of writing, is on sale for $1 per month and a free domain name. There are two other plans to choose from as well. One for $4.99 per month and one for $7.99 per month. Keep in mind that after the first year when your subscription renews, the price per month will go up a bit, but don’t worry, it is only by a few dollars.

So, when is it a good idea to use one of these web hosting services? The answer here is a bit more complicated than the last option of building your own site. With these services, you will still have a sense of doing it yourself without having to worry about the technicalities of it. However, on the down side, there are only so many page designs to choose from and there are a great many sites hosted by each service. This means that it is incredibly possible that there are other sites out there that are incredibly similar to yours. There are, however, plenty of times when these services are the best option to choose. These hosting services are fantastic for small businesses that are just getting started. They are generally on the cheap side, which is an important aspect for startups and many small businesses. They are also an excellent option for bloggers, reviewers, and many others. If you can not build your own site and you are not able to hire a professional due to finances or any other reason, this is your best option. If you choose to use a hosting service, don’t be afraid to customize all settings to your specifications.

Finally, it is time to discuss when it is best to hire a professional who can help with the design of your web & landing pages. There are actually many times when it is recommended that you call a professional web designer. If your business is growing and you want to work on solidifying branding, you should definitely hire someone. If you are part of a large business, hire someone. If you are heading up a new company under the umbrella of a larger one, hire someone. If you are starting a business and have the funds to safely invest in a professional, well you know what to do. Basically, if money is not an option and you do not have the skillset to build the site yourself, hire a professional web designer. When in doubt, you guessed it, hire someone.

Now that you have determined whether or not you need to hire a professional, you may be asking, where do I look for a professional web designer to hire? Well, the best thing to do is type a quick search for the “best web designer in my area” you will be shown all of your options and you can take a look at references, previous work, and compare rates. It is important to hire someone with great talent, but that does not not necessarily equate to the most expensive. Shop around and find the professional that is right for you, you business, and your budget. If you happen to be in the Bay area, I can tell you that for the best Bay area web design, be sure to check out Devine Solutions Group!