Is Hiring a Web Designer a Waste of Money? Spoiler Alert: No.

What you see as valuable is truly subjective, isn’t it? 

Sorry to begin with such a philosophical statement, but it’s true, right?

I mean, I love a nice, cold beer, but I gravitate towards local breweries where a 16 oz pint can run you $7.00. To me, that $7 is completely worth it.

You, however, may think that’s ridiculous.

And there you have it. 

What we see as a VALUE differs from person to person.

When it comes to building websites, there are seemingly millions of options for DIYing. And you’ll certainly find one to fit your budget. But, hiring a website designer could come with a heftier price tag upfront and yet save you money in the long run.

Deciding whether to build one on your own or pay for someone to do it for you comes down to VALUE.

But – hey, it’s not just about money, is it?

(Or, is it?)

Let’s look at the pros and cons of partnering with a website designer (since that’s what we do). And then YOU can decide if that service is as much of a value to you as a nice cold craft beer from your local independent brewery.

Pros of Hiring a Website Designer

TIME

Hiring a professional website designer will save you time.

You are an expert in your field, just as we are in ours. And rather than devoting hours to researching, creating, and tweaking your website, we suggest “You do you” and “We’ll do us”. (LOL). We can match the proper solution to your website needs because we stay current on updates and changes in the industry.  Trust me, we’ve seen it all. You have to decide if the time it takes to build a site, as well as problem-solving the individual pieces that may not work seamlessly will fit into your schedule. Then, make sure you keep the site updated and performant once it’s launched. Google and other search engines will lose trust in your website if it’s slow or broken. And, trust us, you want Google to be your best friend, so don’t let the Google gods down.

FIRST IMPRESSION

You take pride in your business. 

Just as you want your customers to trust you upon walking through your doors, the same should be true for your website. Websites that are hard to navigate, overwhelm with too many colors and fonts, lack appealing photos, and generally resemble something that was quickly put together without a plan, can leave an impression on those who visit. A designer can make sure navigation works well on your site, pictures are crisp, clean, and load properly, and most importantly the site reflects your business and the brand you’re working so hard to build. You probably didn’t start your business haphazardly, so remember to take the same care with your website.

CUSTOMIZATION 

Ready to update your website design?

Before choosing a design that simply looks appealing, an inventory of what is already working well and what isn’t should be a priority. A Web Designer knows how to customize a design while keeping your forms, plug-ins, add-ons, and all that is working well intact. Or, they can clear the way to add these important items – making for a much more effective site, both for you and your customers. It all has to work together, and one of the biggest issues with developing a site without a designer is making sure everything “backstage” is working well to make everything “on stage” go off without a hitch. And often, that takes another set of eyes. 

CONS of HIRING A WEBSITE DEVELOPER

COST

We hate to beat the beer analogy into the ground, but this is where you need to decide if cost is the most important reason to forgo a Website Designer and DIY your website. Because Website Designers, like ours, are very good at what they do, their price reflects their degree of expertise. It takes years to get to an expert level and we take our jobs very seriously, learning every day and step of the way.

LIMITATIONS

Since Web Designers know how all pieces work together, it could be that not everything you want on your site actually works FOR your site. When not designing the site yourself, you may find that giving up some creative control goes with that in order to get a site that works quickly, has flawless navigation and presents your business in the cleanest and clearest way. Business owners often want to add everything to a site, when doing so may not be necessary. More isn’t always better.

TIME (See the irony of “Time” being on both lists?)

There are plenty of DIY website-building sites that can enable you to have a site up and running tomorrow. Whereas, when working with a Website Designer, all of the above PROS are taken into consideration before building a site. Here’s where you decide. Need it tomorrow? Or want something temporary? Use a web-building site. Want something that will work next year? Or that can be updated for years to come? Go with a Website Designer and take some time developing exactly what you need. 

Maybe, at this point, you’ve decided that a craft beer, which is now code for Web Designer, is completely worth it and you’re ready to invest in having your website done right – the first time.

This is all great – but how do you know you can TRUST the Web Designer you choose to hire?

We hear you on that one! While we can only speak to how much of a priority it is for Brkich Design Group to partner with you on this website development journey, we do think there are some specific markers to look for when hiring. Trust is a big deal – especially when it pertains to the online look, feel, and accessibility to your business. So as you venture out into hiring a Web Designer, you may want to look for the following:

• Do you feel rushed during the initial consultation?
• Do examples of websites look like carbon copies of each other? 
• How user-friendly are the examples you’re shown? And speaking of that, do they have an understanding of ADA laws to ensure your business website is compliant? 
• Does the Web Designer or firm participate in continuing education to stay current in the industry?
• Will the Web Designer or firm offer you advice or recommendations even if you choose to DIY or go with someone else? 

These may not seem as important as price and expertise, but in the end, we’ve found that everything eventually comes down to relationships. And having a professional relationship built on trust will not only produce a great final product – your website – but will ensure that the process of getting to that point is a smooth one. 

In case you were wondering . . . we say, order that beer!