Websites are an integral part of helping your business reach a wider audience, gain more traction and grow. According to Forbes Advisor over 26% of business is conducted online, meaning that if your business doesn’t have a website you are losing out on potential sales and engagement.
So what is the best way to build a website? While DIY website builders may be tempting, they can also come with several drawbacks that could end up holding you back. In this article, we’ll explain what to expect from DIY website builders and what you should do instead.
For personalised advice, contact our team at practiceedge today.
What are DIY Website Builders?
DIY website builders are platforms that let people without technical expertise build their own sites. It often simplifies structures and technical elements while offering a range of templates to quickly build and launch a site. Some DIY website builders that might be familiar are WordPress and Squarespace.
DIY website builders are often a less expensive option and faster to set up than professionally designed and built websites. However, they also come with several different limitations that could affect your business.
Related Link: 8 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Build Your Own Website
DIY Website Builder Limitations
While DIY website builders might sound like a good idea, looking below the surface shows several issues you are likely to contend with. Here, we’ll detail the different limitations a DIY website builder has and how it can negatively impact your business.
Customisation and Flexibility
Due to their user-friendly interface, DIY website builders are often more controlled and less flexible than professional builders. With set templates and features it can be difficult to make your business stand out. Likewise, you can only add functions that they supply. So if you want to implement unique features you won’t be able to.
These standard templates and features can also make your site seem less professional. It can make it difficult to showcase unique and memorable branding, making less of an impression on potential customers and users. Since 57% of users won’t engage with a website that is poorly designed and unattractive, this becomes more important than ever.
Ownership
Because you’re using a DIY website builder and its templates, you don’t technically own any of the features or imaging on your website. This means that if you ever want to update your website or move it to another platform, you will not be able to.
This can quickly drive up costs, forcing you to restart your website from scratch. Not only does this set your business back, but it can affect your brand as well. If people become used to your DIY website branding and you choose to update it in the future, you will lose a lot of brand recognition. This can turn loyal customers away and reduce your credibility as a business.
Scalability and Performance
DIY website builders often struggle with scalability due to their inherent limitations. With limited customisation and restrictive templates, it can be difficult or sometimes impossible to adjust your website as it grows. In turn, this can affect your websites performance.
As DIY website builders are often hosted on shared servers, there can be anywhere from a handful to hundreds of other websites operating from it. This can severely affect your loading times and overall functionality. 47% of users won’t wait longer than 2 seconds for a page to load, so ensuring your site operates optimally is the highest priority.
Additionally, DIY website builders offer limited integration capabilities. This means that external tools and SEO options are all relatively restricted and limited. Overall, this will impact your website’s visibility and hinder your ability to grow your platform.
Cost
The affordability of DIY website builders can be misleading when considering the long-term costs. While the initial setup is often cheap or even free, the expenses can add up as your website grows.
Monthly subscription fees can increase significantly for advanced features or custom domain integration. In some instances, DIY website builders may even come with ads, making building and launching your site more difficult. Additionally, some crucial functions, like better storage or premium plugins require separate purchases.
Due to their subscription model, these expenses often surpass the initial savings, especially for growing businesses. While a professional website designer may be more expensive initially, you are more likely to save on future costs with their help.
Build a Great Website From the Start
Your website is the face of your online business. It can often be the difference between customers staying and engaging with your service or leaving it. This is why starting on the right foot is so important. A professionally designed and built website can help make you stand out.
Likewise, it’s far more cost-effective, ensuring you get great results immediately as well as optimising and future-proofing your business. If you want to build a great website tailored to your unique brand, contact our team today.
At practiceedge, we have years of experience and expert knowledge to help make your online business the best it can be.
