Having been in the web design business for a little over 10 years, we’ve had occasion to look at hundreds and hundreds of web sites when doing research for our clients in order to “scope out the competition”, and try to do something just a little bit better and a little bit different. While doing this research, a couple of things quickly become apparent. Sites that appear high in search engine ranking show a lot of forethought, planning and effort in presenting a site that is truly representative of the business. It’s also apparent that a lot of money has been invested in a professionally created site. We’ve also seen the other end of the spectrum where businesses in a effort to “doing things on the cheap” have cobbled together a do-it-yourself site just for the sake of having a presence in the Internet. I won’t ruin anybody’s breakfast with details, but we’ve all seen them, haven’t we?
At first glance, developing a web site and publishing it to the Internet may appear to be fairly easy. So easy in fact, that many download a template offered by any number of ISP’s and others, slap together some words on a page, add a few images (usually poor quality), and put the creation on the Internet for the world to see. Unfortunately, many do-it-yourself authors have taken this approach by constructing documents that show very little consideration for the reader as well as poorly showcasing their products and services. When visitors come to a site, it’s important to have a look and feel that will carry throughout the pages to make the visitor interested and comfortable. We don’t want our senses assaulted.
Don’t get me wrong here, there are any number of well laid out, well planned, highly functional templates available on the web that can be used when budget is a factor. There’s a big difference between fiscally responsible and flat out cheap. If the template option is to be used, then as with every other aspect of creating a web presence, research the many templates that are available and choose the one that best allows you to incorporate the look and feel of your business and the message you want to convey to new and returning clients. Quite often, due to requirements involving advanced functionality, interactivity and complex visuals, your only option is to employ the services of a professional designer. Here again, research is key in choosing the right designer.
Your ultimate decision whether to do it yourself or to hire a professional designer rests in how honest you can be with yourself about your abilities and talents. Economic factors aside, there are literally thousands of small business web sites on the Internet that are actually losing business because of a poorly planned and designed site. By the same token, there are also a large number of do-it-yourself sites that demonstrate a high degree of planning, creativity, and marketing sense. To develop a truly effective web site, this last point is key. A commitment to do whatever it takes to properly develop an effective site must be made from the start, and that commitment must be carried to the end.
Regardless of whether you choose a template drive site or hire a professional designer, the old adage of “you get what you pay for” couldn’t be more fitting.
