Hiring a Web Developer vs. Using a Website Builder Tool

A business without a website will lack an online presence that social media and mobile apps can’t provide. A website is the virtual backbone of your entire brand and will act as the face of your online efforts. 

Owning a website in 2020 is one of the easiest decisions you’ll make for your business, but the decisions won’t end there. The next step in the process is figuring out how your website will be developed. 

Since not having a website is out of the question, you will essentially have two options to choose from — hiring a web developer or building a website yourself. Each will come with their own set of pros and cons to consider. 

The good news is there’s no general right or wrong answer here. While your decision will largely boil down to your budget, there will be plenty of factors playing a role in which route is best for you. In the end, you need to ensure you receive a return on your investment to make it worth your time and money.

To help you make the right decision, we’ll analyze the various benefits and downfalls to each option. By the time you’re finished reading this, you’ll have a clear idea of whether your business would benefit more from hiring a website developer or building a website yourself.

What are the benefits to using a website builder tool?

When it comes to building a website, many people are under the impression that you need a college degree and years of experience to do it properly. Of course, these would certainly help your cause, but this is 2020 and times have changed. 

What used to be an impossible task is now as easy as dragging-and-dropping elements to your liking — all thanks to the various website builder tools available today. Whether you’re using WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Shopify, or GoDaddy, you can easily put together a website in just a few simple steps. 

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits associated with website builder tools:

1. Affordable – many website builder tools offer free services, meaning you can put together a website with zero investment. If you’re on a limited budget, website builder tools are your best option.
2. Time to Market – when using a free service, they will offer a drag-and-drop option that will allow you to easily change images, text, logos, and functions of the website. Before you know it, you’ll have a website with all of your information on it.
3. Versatility – technology allows for inexperienced users to bypass a lot of the code required when building a website. This means features and functions will continue to become easier to implement without needing to know code.
4. Online Tutorials – if you get stuck when building your website, it’s extremely easy to find online tutorials explaining what your next steps are. 

A website builder tool can give you a functioning website in no time at all. It’s a preferred method of website development for hobbyists, bloggers, startups, solopreneurs, non-profits, and ideas that haven’t proven themselves yet. 

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What are the downfalls to using a website builder tool?

Website builder tools come with many benefits, but they could very well be outweighed by the downfalls they provide. It’s important to remember you won’t have professional help when dealing with website builder tools, so you’ll primarily be on your own. 

Let’s take a look at what you’ll be sacrificing when you decide to go with a website builder tool:

1. Generic Look – website builder tools will make it easy to put together a website, but you will be compromising quality design. In other words, your website will look more like a template than its own unique website.
2. Poor SEO – search engine optimization is one of the most important factors to how well your website is perceived by Google and other search engines. Without quality SEO, your website will lack an organic audience.
3. Frustration & Effort – while online tutorials give you some relief when you get stuck, it won’t hinder the fact that frustration will set in when you’re spending more time and effort than originally intended. 
4. Lack of Features – technology allows website builder tools to do a lot, but it’s nothing compared to what a web developer can provide. With the former, you’ll only get the basic features and functions.

Website builder tools will continue to see enhancements as technology improves, but they still lack that quality that most businesses are looking for. After all, you want your website to be perceived well by your customers and prospects, don’t you?

What are the advantages of hiring a web developer?

Let’s shift our focus to hiring a web developer, which will allow you to bypass many of the disadvantages experienced with website builder tools. A web developer is a professional website builder that will create your website from scratch. 

They are also masters of code, which will give your business the freedom it needs when putting together a website your customers and clients will benefit from. Let’s take a look at the many advantages associated with choosing a web developer over a website builder tool:

1. Design – when you look at a professionally-built website and compare it to one made yourself, there’s a clear difference in how elegant the website will look to your customers.
2. Conversion Optimization – the whole point of having a website is to explore an increase in conversion rates. Whether you want more sales, follows, reads, or exposure in general, a professional website will deliver. 
3. Effective SEO – developers will take SEO into consideration from the very beginning. This will give your website the best chance of being seen by Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
4. Support – having a professional developer by your side through the entirety of your project will give you the confidence and peace of mind when going through the process of building a website. 

When hiring a web designer, you don’t have to do any of the work — which might be the biggest benefit of all. You’ll be updated frequently on the progress of your website and will be able to easily make adjustments throughout the process. 

What are the pitfalls to hiring a web developer?

Of course, all great things come at a cost. Hiring a web developer to build your website won’t be the best decision for every business. Sometimes, you might be better off deciding to go with a website builder tool — at least for now. 

Let’s investigate the various pitfalls with hiring a professional web developer:

1. More Expensive – if you’re working on a budget, a professional developer will likely cause you to increase that budget if you’d like to move forward. While it’ll be worth it, not all businesses can account for this increase. 
2. Patience – developers will take much longer to complete your website, unlike the website that can be built in nearly a day through a website builder tool. If you struggle with patience or don’t have time to spare, a developer might cause some issues. 
3. Ownership Rights – some developers will restrain ownership rights from the business when it comes to the website. Make sure you read the fine print when hiring a developer so you can ensure your website is yours when it’s finished.

For some businesses, their budget won’t be big enough to allow for a web developer. Other businesses won’t have the time to go through the process of hiring a web developer and having them professionally create your website. 

These are the things you’ll have to consider when taking on a larger project, such as this.

Are you ready for a professional design?

If you’re ready to give your brand the makeover it needs, a professionally-built website will be the safest way to do so. You’ll get the freedom of personalizing it to your customer’s liking, while maximizing conversion rates and increasing revenue. 

Better yet, we’ll be with you every step of the way to ensure your project runs smoothly. If you’re interested in receiving a quote, don’t hesitate to contact us today!

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