Should You ‘Do it Yourself’ or ‘Go Professional’?

Starting out online is a big step and can be daunting if you haven’t done your research. It can also be expensive, in light of the current costs to hire professional web development. And depending on who you hire, you may or may not get what you pay for. As a result, some people opt to build their own websites themselves. (In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of doing it yourself.) So, should you ‘do it yourself’ or ‘go professional’?

The answer to this question depends on the complexity of the site that you’d like to build, as well as how much you already know about web development and/or how much time you have to learn. You must realize that, in order to make a well designed and highly optimized site, you’ll probably need to invest quite a bit of time, as well as some resources for books and software.

Of course, there are a variety of cheap alternatives to books and web development software. If you don’t mind using a template, you can buy a professional-looking template and simply modify the text and images using the instructions made available with the template. You can also use a site builder which your web host might provide.

But if you are looking to build a custom site yourself, here are some things that you should consider.

For The Beginner

If you’re brand new to the world of web design and development, there is a lot that you’ll need to learn. Start your research by surfing the internet and finding websites that you’d like yours to emulate. Once you get a good idea of what you want and what features you’d like your site to have, you can start planning your own site. Remember that the more complicated the website, the more time you will need to invest in its creation.

 To help you implement you website, we suggest that you visit your local bookstore and search through their web design section. The ‘Dummies Books’, such as Web Design For Dummies, are highly recommended. And it will walk you through the basics of design and implementation. (The average book will cost about $35.)

You’ll also need to find an editor which will enable you to edit HTML pages. Two of the most popular editors are Adobe Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage. However, these can be quite expensive, almost as expensive as professional web development. So if you’re not willing to spring for these, there are a variety of free alternatives such as First Page, NVU, and Kompozer. Unfortunately, these free editors produce poor code which is often not very good for search engines. So try them at your own risk.

Finally, if you plan on creating a site with advanced features, such as a blog or a forum, you’re in luck. There are many free open source applications. And most hosting companies, such as HostGator or GoDaddy, will enable you to install this software on your website with just a few clicks of your mouse. You can also find free themes for these packages by searching online. However, if you plan on cIf you are creating a custom theme, you should probably consider using a professional web developer, as dynamic coding is a bit beyond the scope of any introductory tutorial.

For The Intermediate

If you’ve already created websites, then it might be in your best interests to do it yourself. You know the basics, so you can spend your time learning and implementing more advanced topics. Be sure to pay attention to topics such as ‘cross-browser compatibility’, ‘web-safe colors’, ‘image optimization’, and ‘on-page SEO’. Also, avoid reinventing the wheel and use open source packages such as WordPress, Drupal, or phpBB for your advanced functionality.

As you know from experience, creating a website is often done through trial and error. And if you have the time, and you’re willing to put in the effort, you can make a website that costs less to launch and achieves your goals just as well as it would have had you used a professional web developer.

Yes, deciding to ‘Do it Yourself’ can save you a lot of money. However, it can also result in an unprofessional website that doesn’t achieve your goals, isn’t search engine friendly, or doesn’t provide value to visitors. So when thinking about your next website, consider whether it is realistic to build it yourself or whether you should enlist the services of a professional.