We’ve all seen the ads ‘Free website’, ‘Build your own Website,’ ‘Easy Websites,’ ‘Websites from $99’. These ads infer two things: one, that the construction components of a website are cheap; and two, that the time of the person to build it has no cost.
FREE ALWAYS HAS A COST SOMEWHERE
What these sites don’t show you is the number of ‘DIY’ sites that never make it beyond the first sign-up. The would-be DIY’ers get hopelessly lost in the steps. Nor do we see the measure of the sites that fail to achieve a desirable finish. Failure of website DIY’ers can arise from a lack of understanding of the essentials of content, layout, and linking. Then there are those sites that end up in the abyss of ‘un-SEO-able’ sites buried within large web companies ‘free’ systems.
ANALOGIES I USE TO EXPLAIN WHY ‘FREE’ IS NOT A GOOD IDEA:
- Would you cut your own hair? If yes, search youtube for “haircut fail” and if that doesn’t put you off, then what kind of finished effect can you achieve? true, a buzz cut is a buzz cut, but if you don’t want to look like a convict, even that needs shape, trimmed neck hair, and edges.
- Would you landscape your own garden? Possibly, but how long will it take? Do you have the tools you need? Can you plan the layout and knowledgeably select the right plants? You will have to pay for plants, and mulch, and compost, and turf, and irrigation. Then there is paving, decking, edging, driveway sealing, planters, pots, BBQs, and furniture. Is that really free?
- Would you build your own home, from scratch? No, really? Take some months off work to be your own solo builder? There is a fascinating blog of one home builder, who even writes comparing the build to a web development project, but who goes through the selection process for all of the professionals needed for the job. You can see the timeframe involved. If yes, do you have the skills to select the right plan for your piece of land? Have you geo-tested your land to know that it will hold the structure you want to put up? Do you know how to pour foundations that are compliant? If using a pre-framed design are you prepared to live with what you get? Are you certified for electrical and plumbing work? Do you have a flair for the interior that will produce the finished effect?
If the answer to any of the above is ‘no’ (perhaps even ‘hell no’!), then you have hit upon why it is seldom a good idea to launch into a ‘free’ website development. A ‘free’ site for your business may end up looking like a plastic kit-set garden shed when you actually wanted a showroom for your products. And besides, the garden shed lasts a fraction of the time of a true property.
The majority of us rely on professionals to give us qualified, measured, and reliable advice or services
DIY DONE WELL
My brother put many hours into the construction of his first home. He did this after the architect had designed it to fit on the land in a way that maximized the sun and the living space, and after a certified builder agreed to be the primary builder. In this context, he was able to contribute manual labour that shortened the build time and did this during his evenings and weekends. My brother’s actions were similar to those who get involved in development of the content for their site, providing images and writing about their services – not taking on the more technical pieces, but adding the flesh to the bones of the website.
DIY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE
I’m sure we all know some people with the Midas touch, who can fly their own plane, machine their own engine parts, tango like there’s no tomorrow, grow giant vegetables and invent new devices in their spare time. The reality is that the majority of us rely on professionals to give us qualified, measured, and reliable advice or services. These professionals have done the time learning the techniques, requirements, tools, art, and science of the service they deliver. Professional web development is no different. There are simply more ads out there for ‘free’ web development that give the perception it is a simple process that your nephew can do.
SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT WILL BE THE DECIDING FACTOR
Construction of smaller projects, like the aforementioned garden shed is feasible to be done DIY. An experienced builder can build their own home, however, if an experienced home builder were to take on a commercial high-rise, even they would engage developers with experience in that type of building.
For website development, it depends on the extent of the finished result needed. A simple blog like this site can be achieved with templates and time. In contrast, a professional 24/7 marketing tool for your business needs the polish and professional edge that a qualified web development team can offer. Some site incorporate e-commerce, custom order management systems, integration to CRM, Finance and HR systems. The more connections required, the longer the development and the stronger the skill and experience needed in your development team.
The next time you hear someone tell you they are going to build their own website, make sure they read this first and go into it prepared to invest a LOT of time, engage the right tools, and ready to work with professionals for all the elements where they lack experience.