3 ways to create a website

Let’s face it – there are a lot of options when you’re looking to create a website. You can:

• ask someone on Fiverr or Freelancer
• give it a go yourself
• ask an experienced local

Fiverr or Freelancer

If you know exactly what you are looking for, using an online freelancer could work for you.  However most small businesses, when they are starting out, aren’t sure what they need.  So here’s some questions to help you.

• Do you need a Wix, Shopify, WordPress or custom-built site?  Do you know enough about these platforms to know which one is best for you?
• Do you know how to write up the specifications for your website so that it is clear and unambiguous for the freelancer you are hiring?
• Websites require ongoing attention after they’ve been developed.  What training or hand-over plan is there for your site once the freelancer has finished his or her job?

If you have a clear understanding about what you want and how to manage the process during and after the build an online freelancer could be a good choice for you.  However if you have little knowledge about what you are asking for, you could very well end up getting what you don’t want or need.

Doing it Yourself

Giving it a go yourself is do-able.   It might not have been 5 or 10 years ago, but it is today.  To create a website requires three main skills –  a flair for design, some marketing savvy and a sense for IT.

• Quite a lot of do-it-yourself websites end up looking clunky as there’s a tendency to add things in an ad-hoc way so the site doesn’t quite flow.  It’s easy to create a badly designed website.  Stick with the template provided and don’t try to be too clever – keep it simple.
• Many website owners are unaware of the elements on a site that can increase (or decrease) website visitors and turn them into a genuine lead or a sale.  Most website owners do not understand how to develop a site with Search Engine Optimisation in mind.  Knowing how to use your site to market your business is important knowledge to have.
• Some people are great at IT and others struggle.  Which one are you?

If you’ve never edited a website before, you may find starting one from scratch is a steep learning curve. If you intend to give it a go yourself leave plenty of time to learn and discover.

There’s lots of different software choices when creating a website. Many make it sound easy to use their software and create a fantastic looking site. It is possible to make a website yourself, but very few of us would call it easy. It’s even harder to make a site that looks good, attracts and converts visitors to customers, and is technically solid.

Here at DIY Digital we build the site for you, taking care of all the tricky bits, and then hand-over the keys to you.  We give you 3 months support while you learn how to edit your site.  It’s much easier to edit a site that is already built than trying to develop one from the ground up.  So while you haven’t actually created the site, you will be able to manage it going forward. Contact us if you’d like to explore this option.

Ask a local

Having a local, professional website developer create a website for you has several advantages.  You’ll have a shared understanding of the people who are likely to be your customers.   The website developer will draw upon their experience and knowledge of the software being used.  You’ll have a sounding board for your business ideas and how they translate into the online environment.

• Your website is the window into your business – customers are looking in and checking up on you – are you happy with what they see?  It’s important your website looks professional and speaks to your customers.
• An experienced professional is your assurance of a technically solid site.
• Having a local website builder you can communicate with during the process of developing this key resource for your business will have surprising benefits. Not only will you get a great website, you’ll get ideas, inspiration, clarity and knowledge.

Take a look at our portfolio and pricing page to see a selection of Adelaide businesses that have already had their website developed by us.

The Fourth Option – Don’t have a Website

With the popularity of Facebook and Instagram many small business owners opt not to have a website.  This is a mistake.  Very few businesses will be suited to an online marketing strategy that is exclusively based on social media.  Linking people to your Facebook page can make your business appear as a hobby or make it seem like you are an amateur.

A website gives you a professional online presence.  This is especially true if you want your customers to understand your business is already, or heading towards, being a long-term success. People generally want to buy from, and negotiate with, businesses that are going to be in business in 2 or 5 years time.  A website gives an immediate professional presence that a social media page just doesn’t.

Some businesses, like bakeries and hobby crafts can get away with a Faceook presence alone – but most others will leave customers with the impression that you don’t take your business seriously.  If you don’t take your business seriously why should your potential customer?