should i DIY my website or hire a designer?
You know you need a website but you’re not sure if you could just DIY it or if you should hire a designer to do it for you. Sound familiar?
I don’t believe hiring a designer is right for everyone. I DIY-ed my websites for YEARS until I became a designer myself and never invested in a website designer.
I also don’t believe DIY-ing is for everyone! Technology, perfectionism, time - these can all be barriers that get in the way of completing your own website design.
So I’ve put some questions together to ask yourself if you’re considering what to do with your website: should you DIY or hire someone?
Question 1: Am I comfortable navigating technology?
If no: As friendly as Squarespace is as a platform, if navigating technology is frustrating for you or causes overwhelm - outsource it if you can!
If yes: DIY-ing your website might be the right call for you depending how the rest of your answers go! Especially if you don’t have a budget for design but really need a website ASAP.
Question 2: Do I have time to do this myself?
If no: Maybe you’re already busy with client work, other business tasks, and life and have no idea how to add ANOTHER thing to your plate. Then don’t! You don’t have to do it all yourself.
If yes: If you’re not in a rush to get a website up + it’s not pivotal to increasing sales - you could definitely take the time to do your own design! Ask yourself also: is there something MORE valuable you could do with your time? Maybe developing a marketing plan, serving clients, or making more product. Consider the income you may be sacrificing with the time spent on your website design - is it worth it?
Question 3: Do I have a clear vision for my business + brand?
If no: If you’re not completely sure about the direction your brand + business will be taking in the coming years, take some time to really dive into that and experiment before investing in a professionally made website!
If yes: Ok this could go either way! You’re definitely more ready to invest in working with someone else - but depending how you answer the other questions you might also be more equipped to do it yourself.
Question 4: Do I tend to get trapped in perfectionism?
If yes: Not gonna lie, putting a website together is hard! Especially for yourself. There are always more decisions and ideas and wonderings about if you’re getting it all right. We don’t want you getting trapped in perfectionism and taking ages (and many headaches) to launch your website. Hiring a designer will ease this burden for you!
If no: If you’re comfortable with “done is better than perfect”, for sure start with DIY-ing your site. Invest in a designer later on!
Question 5: Can i afford to hire someone?
If no: If you haven’t made much money from your business yet or finances are tight, definitely consider DIY-ing until you can afford investing in a designer! No need to force it.
If yes: Then relieve yourself of the many headaches of DIY-ing and just get someone to do it for you. You don’t have to do everything! It’s ok and good to outsource - especially if you don’t have the time or aren’t excited about the idea of doing it yourself.
Hope this helped you figure out if you will be able to DIY your website or if it would be best to hire someone! DIY-ing is a great place to start and upgrading to a professionally designed site CAN wait - but you also don’t have to do everything yourself! You have permission to outsource!
Got questions about this? Email me!
