One of the first things a potential client asks me is “Why should I hire you for X amount when I can build my own website using Wix or Square Space”, and this is a good question!
Your website is a huge part of your business as this is usually the first impression a customer has of you or your business, kind of like your shop window, so it has never been more important to have a clean, fresh, modern and informative website that will turn website visitors into paying customers or clients!
It is very tempting to use a low budget solution ie: Wix or SquareSpace instead of hiring a professional web developer as you can quickly build yourself a good looking website with little cost and without so much of a “learning curve”, but ultimately this can come at a price!
But why?
When building a website for your business there are several questions you have to ask yourself:
- What is the ultimate goal of my website? eg, brand awareness, collect email addresses, book appointments, call my business, sell a product etc etc
- Who exactly is my target audience?
- What keywords should I be using on my website?
- What website designs & layouts are best suited for my business?
- And the list goes on…..
With a website you really do get what you pay for!
When you physically look at a website you are only seeing a small percentage of the actual work that has gone into this website, by this I mean things like design, site infrastructure, Search Engine Optimisation and everything else that ensures that your website is as easily found by Google as it possibly can be!
You see, Google pretty much owns the internet so it is important as web developers that we are optimising our websites for googles search results.
After all, what is the point of having a beautiful looking website if nobody is actually visiting your website!
Sure you can build a decent looking website with Wix or SquareSpace but what these services lack is the ability to apply a comprehensive SEO strategy that will bring visitors (and customers) to your site.
Here is where a pro web developer is worth his/her weight in gold!
A professional web developer will ask you a series of questions relating to your business and from there will draw out comprehensive plan which will involve the design, development and marketing of your site.
What if your site needs some advanced functionality?
Nowadays websites are becoming increasingly complex and therefore may require functionality that is beyond the capabilities of services such as Wix and SquareSpace.
What if you want a website that allows customers book a session with you or purchase your services directly from your website? What if you need an online store to sell your products?
Again this is where a web developer comes in handy to tailor a bespoke solution that ties in perfectly with your business.
Conclusion
I may seem slightly “anti” Wix and SquareSpace, but actually I’m not!
These services do serve a purpose and many people get along just fine using them.
What I am trying to say is if you really are serious about your business and growing your brand then you will most definitely require the assistance of a web developer.
