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Nobody wants to make a mess of trying to create their own website, but, on the other hand, nobody wants to be charged the earth for someone else to do it for them.
Nowadays, even the smallest of start-up companies needs some form of online presence. However, when you decide that you need your own company website, there are so many ways in which you can have it built that you may end up feeling swamped and confused by it all.
In this blog we will explore the process of creating your own website and the potential limitations that this brings and compare this to the benefits that hiring a specialist website design agency to do it for you can offer.
Making your own website
Currently on the market there are plenty of free website builder platforms that you can use. These will usually offer numerous pre-defined templates to choose from and various customization settings, such as changeable images, text, colour etc. These platforms are typically easy to use, with the benefits of drag-and-drop features and, of course, no coding.
However, whilst these platforms (such as WordPress) are free, you should consider that you may need to hire a website designer to utilise the full capabilities and functionality of the platform, and also some of the more technical aspects, such as advanced customisations and technical SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
Common issues with building your own website
It is true that creating your own website is less expensive than hiring a website design agency to do it for you. “Hey, it’s free isn’t it?” These are words that everyone wants to hear! Using a DIY website builder can also be quite a quick process too. Unfortunately, as tempting and convenient as this all may sound, that’s normally where the benefits will end.
‘Free’ will often sound too good to be true. Indeed, at the start, it may seem with these platforms that it is free, but most will then offer additional must-have features in order to generate themselves some profit.
Examples can include:
Premium versions / Paid for options – This can mean having the best functionality aspects locked down until you pay extra to use them.
Additional domain name or similar costs – Add-ons, such as domain and hosting, need to be sourced and paid for - so it’s no longer a free option.
The standard templates and limited customisation options on offer can result in a number of sites looking very similar to each other, meaning lack of individual online brand identity.
Design upgrades and new webpage features are usually costly add-ons. What was ‘free’ at the start quickly becomes quite the opposite.
Free platforms will often allow external adverts on your site.
It can be difficult to find a template that adequately displays the individuality of your business or the products and services that you have on offer.
It can be difficult to maximise search engine optimization .
Why use a Website Design Agency?
A good website reflects positively on your business and is key to a successful digital marketing strategy. An expertly made website should effectively convert visitors, increase sales and build lasting relationships with your customers. It is important that for every interaction a visitor has with you, you increase your sales and build lasting relationships.
If you think it is very costly to employ a website design agency, you may be surprised — they usually do not do development from scratch today.
Our team works with WordPress, Wix, Shopify and many more platforms to create enterprise solutions of any complexity. We don’t favour any particular software - we use the one that best suits our clients’ requirements. Customising the website with professional code, where needed, is often the optimal solution in terms of affordability and speed.
8. Unique Website design
Using an expert can ensure that you get a unique look and feel to your site that will help you stand out from competitors. By using an expert website designer, a collaborative approach can help to ensure that your brand identity is fully captured by your online presence. First impressions are everything, so the importance of a professional and well-structured website is paramount, in order to show your customers (and also your competitors) that you are serious about what you do.
9. User Experience and Website Navigation
An expert can help to maximise the user experience of your website to ensure an optimal customer journey, designed with call to actions from start to finish. Every button, every link, and every form will naturally lead your visitors to a conversion. To achieve this, extensive expertise is needed, and usability testing is required to help raise customer satisfaction.
10. Mobile compatibility – Responsive Designs for any device
Whether on a laptop, a tablet or a mobile device, you need to be certain that your website is designed to be compatible with a number of different size screens. Web
design specialists and front-end development teams will pay special attention to this aspect, so that your website is displayed correctly on whichever device your customers are using, making sure that you get the most from their browsing time. This is an absolute must in today’s world, and will help to increase your audience, traffic, and conversions.
11. Effective SEO – have your website found quicker on Google, and have visitors buy more
Professional designers will focus on the maximisation of SEO to ensure that your website is visible to your potential customers. Our web design agency has SEO experts on the team who closely cooperate with developers to consult them on the URL structure, meta tag creation, and much more.
How much could it cost you to use a website design agency?
The answer to this question largely depends on a few key factors. Here are the main aspects on which your website costs should be calculated:
• Type of website.
• Design complexity and intricacies.
• Website structure.
• How many pages the website contains.
• How quickly the site needs to be created.
• Search Engine Optimisation requirements
We can advise you on the most cost-effective solution that best suits your requirements.
By using contributed or core modules/plugins where possible, we can deliver a website to you within any particular budget. If you require aspects of customisation, this might be a little more costly, but we are confident that we can still make it affordable for you.
Whatever your budget is and whatever website you need, be sure to contact us and we would love to discuss your website in more detail. Want more information? Email us at: info@ellgeo.co.uk today for a no obligation quote or give us a call 01235 411507 to speak to our team!