The Real cost of using DIY and Industry Specific done-for-you sites.
A website is one of the best marketing tools available as it is always reaching customers when the business can’t. A website helps a business separate itself from the competition and showcases its authority.
A custom website can pay for itself with one or two jobs in many cases.
In order to know what a site costs, opportunity costs over time should be factored in. A DIY web builder might be less than $100 the first year, but someone had to commit time to set it up, and if any site loses business because if fails to convert to sales, then the lost revenue must be considered as well.
An industry specific web design firm (ISWD) – like a company that sells websites to just CPAs for instance – typically charges a small set-up fee plus a higher monthly fee. If the ongoing cost is $100 per month then in 3 yrs this kind of site can cost at least $3600 and many do cost more.
While a custom information only (brochure type) website can start as low as $4000 with a WordPress design professional and a dedicated copywriter. (Check out Fresh Eggs’ packages.)
DESIGN
DIY web builder templates are generic and designed for the masses. Unless the DIYer understands best practices for converting viewers into sales, it will be hard to create a site that is effective.
(ISWD) Industry specific web design firms are not creating their content and design for each individual website from scratch. They are re-using designs and canned content for their specific industry. These may look better than DIY but do nothing to help the business stand out and be memorable.
A professionally custom designed site takes the business, and it’s customers, into account in order to convert viewers into sales by establishing credibility and authority. The home page will clearly show the visitor exactly who the company is, what they do and why while speaking to the viewer in their everyday language (not over their heads).
FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY
DIY web builder and ISWD sites typically have limited options for features.
A professionally designed custom site has an unlimited amount of feature possibilities. Like the fun little calculator showing how many diapers saved to date from landfills that we used on our cloth diaper service client’s site.
SEO
DIY sites have limited Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools and tend to rank low in searches.
ISWD sites don’t fair much better in SEO rankings because they re-use canned content. – search engines like Google (SEO) penalize for duplicate or canned content.
A professional web designer uses best practices for SEO while also setting the business up to monitor their traffic in Google Analytics and Search console.
Ways to create a website:
Do it yourself (DIY) web builders – Services like on Go Daddy, WIX, or SquareSpace. These services are a DIY tool that takes the place of the design and coding knowledge needed to make a website. It uses templates that the business customizes themselves.
Industry specific web services (ISWD) – Service firms which focus on one industry, like chiropractic, CPAs, restaurants or you-name-it (it’s probably out there) and promise to do everything from building a site to marketing and reuses the same basic design, coding and marketing formula for their large volume of customers.
Working with a professional, who will custom design and build the site, with client input. This person(s) should work to understand their client’s business and its customers in order to incorporate them into the design and structure of the site.
I use WordPress to take the client’s vision and bring it into reality.
Ground up development which usually involves a team of people doing specific tasks like coding the site from scratch, design and content creation. This is the most costly option and is usually used for big business like Amazon, banks or large corporations.
The first 3 are all viable options for the small business owner, but not all of them easily make a business memorable or more profitable.
WHO OWNS A WEBSITE? Most people think the business does…
This is not the case with DIY or most industry specific web design (ISWD) services. If the business owner wants to move their site, or if the service goes out of business, a new site would have to be built.
Most professional web designers do not own their clients sites – but it’s a good idea to check. When I design a site, the client owns it and is free to take it anywhere. They are not tied to Fresh Eggs for hosting or support – although I offer those services.
SUPPORT
Another thing to factor in is the quality of support.
Everyone has had that nightmare experience of using call centers, waiting on hold only to continuously repeat their problem to a new support person.
DIY and ISWD typically use call centers, or worse – chat and email only, and have no specific person to answer ongoing questions.
While a professional web designer should be there to help along the way with consistent communication and individualized guidance.
I’m easy to get a hold of and very responsive to my clients. Truthfully I have more skin in the game than the impersonal services do.
SUMMARY
The two cookie cutter options for creating websites do nothing to make a business stand out and can actually cost a business more over time – both in loss of sales opportunities and some in high monthly costs.
Professional custom designed sites are unique and set a business apart from the competition while having more search engine ranking power.
Depending on what business you are in, 1 or 2 jobs could pay for a professional custom site.
Get in touch with me if you are want to stand out from the masses and establish your authority in your field. When you invest in a custom built website your profits will outweigh the initial investment.
