Ashley Kahn | Wardrobe Stylist | www.AshleyKahn.com
Every business needs a website; they're a core part of marketing and connecting with clients. But it can be difficult to decide between using sites like Wix vs a web developer. Below is a list of pros and cons for each method to help you decide which is the most appropriate for your needs.
DIY Site Pros:
Using a DIY website builder, or hiring a professional to build you a site through one of these platforms, will probably be less expensive than hiring a web developer to build your site from scratch, as all of them offer different monthly plans that you can choose from based on your needs and some have free plans as long as you're willing to have their branding as a part of your URL. Using a designer with one of these builders can keep development costs down since there's no additional charge for coding or maintenance.
DIY sites are generally more convenient since they handle the lion's share of maintenance of your website. You just have to supply your information and let them deal with the more complicated aspects of web hosting.
Most sites have a variety of templates that you can choose from, giving you a sense of customization even if the site isn't being hand designed to your specifications. If you hire an expert to build your site through one of these builders, they can help you to further customize these templates by choosing the most professional color combinations, typography, etc. to maintain your brand identity.
DIY Site Cons:
You lose a bit of control when you go with a hosting site like Wix. Because you're working within the confines of their templates and editing system, there is a limit to what you can do to make your website your own.
If your website idea is more on the complex side, these kinds of sites may not work for you. Some, like Webs.com, only have two sub-levels of navigation and you will be unable to moderate comments.
If you decide to use a free option, your website will likely have banner ads for the hosting site which can be distracting and annoying.
Web Developer Pros:
Hiring a web developer gives you access to greater customization and control. When you hire someone to build your site, you get to make all of the decisions since you're building it from the ground up instead of using a pre-built template and limited editing options.
With a web developer, you also get an actual person/team to provide support to you and your site, which is invaluable when you're just starting out.
If your website will have more complex elements, such as an online store or photo tagging capabilities, a web developer is probably the better choice. Being able to create the code you need and have multiple levels of sub-navigation will allow your website to be as complicated as necessary.
Cons of Web Developers:
The cost will probably be higher. Since web developers are professionals, their skills come at a cost, one that's likely to be more expensive than a DIY website builder. If you need a website on a smaller budget, this might not be the right option for you.
Building a website from scratch can take time. If you need a website fast, hiring someone to write code will likely be too time-consuming.
DIY website builders are probably more convenient. Hiring a web developer to create a site from the ground up requires finding the perfect person or team that fits your needs and going through the process of hiring them and explaining what you want from your site. With a DIY site, you can immediately get started and implement what you need without having to go through someone else first.
Either way you go, it will probably be in your best interest to bring on some professional help to make sure your site is styled correctly. If your budget is smaller, you can hire someone to use a DIY builder like Wix to keep coding and maintenance costs down. Both options will allow you to have the website your business needs and deserves.
About Ashley Kahn Project
Ashley Kahn hired Xandr Creatives to help refresh her brand and update her site. Due to budget she choose to have us design her site in Wix.com so she could maintenance it in the future as she works on building her business.