As a web designer myself, I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here for a minute. I truly believe that a custom website design is not for everyone. There is a time and place for both DIY website design and professional web design. I'm here to support your decisions and help you along the way and will never pressure you to make a decision that's completely yours to make! I genuinely want to work with creatives and female entrepreneurs. However, I do want to help make that decision easier! In this article, you'll find tips and my advice on when you should and should not choose to spend thousands of dollars on professional website design. 

What is DIY Web Design?

"Do it Yourself" designing a website means that you build it all from the ground up. You're choosing the web builder platform, images, copy, and making sure it all works well. It means you take the time out of your schedule to do it all - and go you for all that effort! 

There are pros and cons to both options - whether you choose to DIY it all or go with a professional. Here are some instances in which DIY Design would be a good option for you! 

1 | You're a New Business Owner

First off, congrats to you sister! Starting a biz can be hard! I run my own business as a Squarespace website designer for female entrepreneurs and have over ten years of experience as a designer. When you are first starting out, you may not have the same budget as an established business. In the beginning, it's more important to start building at least a small website for your business, rather than something expensive and elaborate. In the beginning, it's hard to predict where your business will be even in a few months! It may not be the best idea to spend all your money on a website that will need to be changed and updated regularly.

Remember, done is better than perfect!

Focus on getting something out there, because as you gain experience and learn what business tasks and projects excite you the most, you can change your website and invest in professional web design when you have a strong foundation to build on. 

2 | You Want to Learn the Skill

If you're interested in learning how to design and maintain your own site, then your own site is a great place to practice! When you build your own website, you have no choice but to learn how to edit, update, and manage all parts of your website. You have complete design freedom and can make all the updates you want as your business changes and grows! This way, your website can act as a portfolio of the work you do, and it will be easier to make all the updates you need without going through another person. 

3 | You Want to Save Money

It's no secret that custom web design is a hefty investment! While it is an investment you'll most likely make back, it's not always practical for new business owners. You don't have to hire a professional designer, developer, or other kinds of help like copywriting and graphic design. For new businesses with a tighter budget, hiring a pro web designer isn't a necessity. With DIY website builders, this can be a simpler process than you may think! With all the options out there, you can build a beautiful website even if you don't consider yourself to be tech-savvy. And as I’m sure you know…I would recommend checking out Squarespace for DIYing your website as it’s intuitive, easy to use and is an amazing choice for service based business owners.

Things to Remember about DIY Web Design

Even though it is easier to build your site by yourself today than it has ever been, don't be fooled by all the DIY website builders out there saying you can make a beautiful website at the click of a button. It can take a lot of work and effort, there will be a learning curve no matter how easy a platform will make it seem! 

Deciding whether to outsource or take the time to build your site all on your own shouldn't be an impulsive decision, if you are facing this decision, try asking yourself some of these questions to decide which option is best for you! 

• Can I afford to outsource?

• How long will it really take me to build my own website?

• Do I need a fancy, multi-page website or will something simple do the trick for now?

• Do I have the time to spend on this?

• Am I familiar with web design or would I have to spend time learning how to build my site?

• Will my website need to be updated often?

• Do I have a clear vision for my business?

• Do I want to build my own website and learn how to manage it myself or would I rather just hand it over to a professional?

What is custom website design?

Custom web design is where you hire a professional to do everything for you. They’ll create you a custom site that’s tailored to your unique business, content and brand. My custom website package offers a hands-on, 1:1 brand & web design experience to totally transform your brand and business as you know it. We’ll cover brand discovery, strategy, copywriting and web design to create you a truly unique website that’s built to connect and convert your dream customers.

Although there is still effort and input from you involved when working with a designer on a custom website project (mostly for the prep work, strategy questionnaires and being available for check-in calls and feedback) - on the whole you get to sit back, relax, and wait for your dream website to be created. Woop woop!

To learn more about my custom design services - click here.

When to go down the custom design road

There are a lot of opinions out there as to whether or not you really even need a website, so beware that some people just want to get you to give them your money. Make sure to do all your research if you find yourself in one of the situations below and are ready to outsource website design! 

1. You've been in business for a year or longer - chances are that you have built a foundation and have a solid plan for the future. This would mean that it’s a good time to invest in a site that will make your dreams come true and serve the desired purpose for years to come! 

2. You have a clear idea of your messaging and who your ideal clients are - if you know who you are speaking to and want to attract, a professional web designer will be able to take the clarity you have and transform it into a completely functional and beautiful website that brings that message to life and attracts your dream clients. 

3. DIYing your website is or will take up wayyy too much of your time - maybe you've started building your website and it’s just taking too much time and not turning out how you would like. Or on the other hand, you know that you don't have all the time needed to DIY your website and want to take that weight off your shoulders so you can focus on the tasks that need your attention right now while someone else can build your website for you in the background. 

4. You can afford it - if you have the budget to invest, then why hold back? You will likely launch a website you love that may look even better than if you did it yourself! Plus, chances are you’ll be able to share your website with the world much faster than if you were doing it yourself too - bonus! 

What if I don't have clear messaging?

But maybe you aren't even at the point of building a website yet. Maybe you're lost and unclear on who you want to serve, what makes your business special, and how to even start attracting the people you really want to work with. I offer branding packages alongside web design that is designed to help business owners gain the clarity they need to confidently market their business and share your passions and skills with others before you start the process of designing anything for your business.  If you’re looking to get some free help on clarifying your messaging - then my free brand discovery workbook will help you out.

What about templates?

I think templates are a genius idea if you haven't been in business that long but want to do your own thing! I sell templates over on Etsy and Creative Market - my products include Squarespace website templates along with Canva brand kits and social media templates for creative business owners who aren't ready to invest in fully custom design but still want to stand out from their competitors. It's a great choice and falls right in the middle of custom design and DIY! I've decided to create custom templates for your Squarespace site because...

• You're a new business owner and don't want to break the bank, but don't want to settle for the same website all other new businesses are using. 

• You are creative and run a bold business and want a site that stands out and shows people how talented and unique you really are. I built these templates with you in mind so that your website can be effective, connect with dream clients, and convert viewers. 

• My templates will include strategically placed content and copy prompts designed to guide your audience through your website to eventually make a sale or book a call!

• The template can install all on its own so that all you have to do is update graphics, fill in the copy, and add your brand elements to make it all your own!

• You also get a library full of video tutorials showing you how to edit and make your site your own, so you'll never be alone on the journey!

psst…did you know i’m working on a new + improved collection of squarespace templates?

These templates are built using the new drag and drop Squarespace editor - Fluid Engine and have all the latest and greatest Squarespace features, plus some additional pages and loads of extra goodies! Sign up to the waitlist so you can be the first to hear when they launch plus get access to exclusive waitlist discounts and bonuses! 👇

So now you know about the three options you have for your website. Which will you choose? If you’re interested in working together, check out my services page for more info, or if you're super keen - you can inquire by completing the contact form or if you’re more of a DIY kinda gal - be sure to join my new + improved Squarespace templates waitlist, or head on over to check out my current templates over on Etsy and Creative Market.

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