Custom website development or DIY

Should I hire a professional custom website developer or do it myself?

Custom website development is essential for a successful online presence. Most of the top DIY web platforms offer template design themes that are mobile responsive. You can then plug in your images and text, adjust a few settings and press the button to launch.

However, that’s where their support for website planning stops. If you can find a theme that directly fits your navigation needs, then great and a DIY platform may be right for you. Carry on.

That said, if you’ve mapped out your customer profiles, content needs, and user journey, you’ll likely discover that an optimal user experience can’t be found in these pre-set themes. You will need to modify them meaning you’ll soon need a developer who knows what they are doing.

Website development considerations

You may be somewhat technically inclined, and if the modifications are minor, you may be able to do them yourself. However, you’ll need to understand that as you add on and modify features, there is a good chance you’ll eventually need professional help. When that time comes, they will spend time (i.e. cost to you) to deconstruct what you’ve built, in order to put it back together and add to it.

Bottom line, any modification to a standard structure or theme means you are now in the custom-build territory and you will need a web professional to step in. Once that happens, it may or may not be a simple update.

Up to now I have only been talking about the look, feel and content of the site, and not about any customized integration you may need. This includes the thousands of plug-ins and custom solutions you can use to add functionality. In addition, you may need to integrate your website with other systems. All of this needs to be thought out to ensure it fits technically and logically.

How will you measure performance? – Custom website

Understanding who uses your site, where they come from and what content they enjoy is crucial to building your online presence. Without this information, you have no way of knowing if what you are creating is helping you achieve your goals.

Many DIY web platforms can easily integrate Google Analytics, or even have their own measurement systems in place (e.g. Shopify). Google Analytics integration is not difficult to integrate with a website. However, it is yet another step outside the website set-up process. Besides, DIY web platforms don’t always provide as part of their turnkey offer.

The cheap website probably won’t suit your needs – Custom website

So when contemplating a new website for your business, be it to support a marketing campaign, launch a new product or develop awareness for your products or services don’t just think about the cost. Because it’s just as important (even more so) to think about what you will say. The unique experience you are trying to create should take center stage.

This way of thinking will ensure you can maximize your ROI. This means that you’ll be converting potential customers into leads or sales. It is not just building a website for the cheapest possible price.

You may have heard someone say: “I can build you a website in a matter of days, for as little as $150.”

You certainly can go that route. But I hope you can see there are a few things to think about before making a final decision on what will work for you and your business.

Potential pitfalls of developing a cheap website or designing a website on your own – Custom website

Developing an effective and successful website requires a meticulous planning. In addition, the understanding of web technologies is very crucial.  It is not merely limited to having some web pages published or hosted on a web server.

You might end up with a technically badly developed website. It may not meet the website development standard as well as your business goal. Contact Musato Technologies to learn more about our innovative custom website services. Our web solutions guarantee a successful and effective online presence.

Author: Gideon E. M

Gideon Ebonde M. is the CEO and Chief Software Architect at Musato Technologies. He is experienced Software developer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. He has a strong engineering professional skilled in Mobile Application Development, Enterprise Software, AI, Robotics, IoT, Servers, Cloud and business application. He is an accomplished DevOps software engineer and a visionary computer scientist and engineer.