Pros And Cons Of Building Your Own Website As A Small Business Owner

Most small business owners are not operating with substantial budgets. They are focused on the essentials only. The real question for them is determining what is essential and what can wait until later. Near the top of the list of essentials should be a website. It is safe to say that a website is entirely necessary for a modern business to succeed.
Business owners might understand the need for a website, but what comes next? Do they build the website themselves or do they hire a professional website designer? Building their own website will have its own pros and cons that must be considered carefully. Only then can they make an informed decision.

Pro: It Saves Money

The first advantage that is considered by the majority of business owners is the cost efficiency. Remember, small business owners have limited funds and want to invest in only what is necessary for the growth of their business. Investing in professionals likely won't seem necessary when it is possible they could perform the job themselves.

There are plenty of business owners who save money by coding their own small business websites. True, it is going to save them money at the moment but what about in the future? And what about the time it will take create and maintain the website? These factors are often overlooked in the initial decision-making process.

Con: It Takes Time

Websites are extremely important tools. They can be compared to a physical storefront in a digital sense. A poorly built or designed website is not going to attract a lot of customers. Just as an unsightly storefront would not encourage people passing by to enter the store. The point is that the website must be designed carefully, look professional and be appealing to customers. This will take some time.

The time it takes to design such a website is shortened considerably for those who have experience in HTML, CSS and website design. A business owner with experience in this field will definitely find it easier to create a professional looking website, but what about those who do not? For them, the time it takes to learn and create a quality website can be too much.

One solution for the avid DIY'er is the use of WYSIWYG(What You See Is What You Get) web builders or other pre-made site builders. The business owner enters the text, uses the tools, and is given a real-time representation of their web page. They have some limitations, but it is not unheard of for them to be used in the small business world.

Pro: Improving A Valuable Skill

This will only seem beneficial to some, but learning to design a professional website can be viewed as a valuable skill. It is worth considering if they have the time to learn such a skill while still managing a small business. Learning how to build their own website means they could also create additional websites or pages in the future without relying on a website designer.

It could even improve their own business depending on its nature. For example, if their business is focused on online marketing, having an in-depth understanding of web design, tags, and HTML will help them better understand how to utilize on-page SEO more efficiently.

Con: Future Growth

Using a site builder or learning some very basic HTML may be enough to get a homepage, a landing page, or even a blog started, but what about the future? As a business grows so does their website. How will the business owner handle troubleshooting problems, creating new pages, and reaching new marketing goals in the future?

By working with a website design company, a digital marketing firm, or even a single experienced professional, the business owner can lay out clear goals for the future. They also have a source to return to time-and-time again as their company continues to grow.

Making The Right Decision

These four factors should have a big influence on whether a small business owner decides to build their own website. If they already have the expertise in web design and the time available, then building a website may actually be the right idea. On the other hand, working with a professional web design company helps ensure a quality website that is more easily scalable in the future.