If you have ever had any experience with web design before – perhaps you took a class at school, or you’ve spent some time playing around with the software in your free time – you may be tempted to take a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to the creation of your business website. But is this really the best route to take? Why can DIY web design be a bad thing?
Firstly, just because you have a basic HTML knowledge and a familiarity with some of the programs used in web design (like the Adobe suite, for example) does not mean that you know how to do everything under the sun. If you tried adding in a relatively complex element, such as a contact form or shopping cart, you would most likely get stuck and have no idea what to do. Following DIY design guidebooks for adding in outside applications, such as a Facebook ‘like’ button or a PayPal feature, aren’t always much help either.
A professional web designer, on the other hand, would know exactly how to integrate these things into your website, and would be able to do it in record time.Secondly, many people think they can get around their basic web design knowledge by downloading a free template for their website. While it is possible to find some very attractive and effective templates, chances are you will be stuck with a basic and unappealing one. There is also no guarantee that another company with a similar business to yours won’t have the same idea – you could end up with almost an identical website to one your competitors. The terms of service that come with these web templates may also restrict you in making drastic changes to the design of your site, such as generic images or background colours, making your control over your own website almost nonexistent.
Thirdly, those people who have an okay knowledge of HTML will run into problems when they realize that a website can look different depending on the device and even the version of the software that is used to view them. If not designed correctly, a website may appear fine when viewed with Firefox, but small when viewed with Google Chrome or off-centre when viewed with an iPhone. A web designer is aware of these problems and knows how to deal with them, meaning your website will look the same no matter how it is viewed.
If you are not a confident web designer or you have absolutely no experience, don’t make the same mistakes other aspiring DIY-er’s have and hire a professional to put together a unique and attractive website for you.
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