A key feature of modern day life is the power that lies in the hands of a consumer. Gone are those days when we had to rely on an ‘expert’ for many key aspects of our lives. Thanks to the rise of user-friendly, yet highly sophisticated software we can get pretty much anything we want with the least amount of stress, and for a lot less money down.
We live in the age of DIY and will probably continue to do so for as long as one-size-fits-all model solutions hold valid for the majority of people. This trend can be seen even in the field of web design.
It would take you longer to exhaust the list of DIY website providers than it would take you to actually use one of their services to set up a website.
When a business is just starting out and running on a tight budget, these instant websites could provide a low cost, low threshold solution to quickly establishing a web presence.
But are they a long term solution to the digital needs of your business?
Here are a few pros and cons to consider if you are already decided on going down the do-it-yourself route:
Pros
Cost: The first and greatest reason why anybody goes for these DIY websites is the low cost. You get access to some great packages all for free.
Ease of Use: Their drag and drop editing features make these websites easy to build, use, and edit since they require absolutely no knowledge of HTML or other coding languages.
Large Number of Templates to choose From: There is an ever-increasing number of templates that is available with these web builders. Many off these templates are responsive, allowing for integration of mobile devices.
Cons
Poor SEO: Websites from these DIY web builders often come with SEO packages that are poor, out-of-date, or inflexible.
Limited Control: You can carry your creativity only as far as the website template allows you.
Standing Out Is Near Impossible: Others get the same access to templates that you do. Your business may end up looking exactly like that of a competitor.
Outdated Technology: Many of these DIY websites are based on outdated technology which limits your website on so many counts such as search crawlability, mobile friendliness, and speed.
Design: A lot of these templates tend to be graphic heavy which takes a toll on page load time.
Adverse to Digital Tools: It is sometimes very difficult to properly integrate webmaster and analytic tools provided by Google, Yahoo, and Bing, making it very hard to grow the web presence of your business.
Conclusion
It’s clear that while DIY websites offer a lot for minimum costs, however the cons far outweigh the supposed benefits in the long run.
It’s best to view your company website like a window offering the world a glimpse of the business you have worked so hard to build. It has to reflect the same customer experience that you have worked so hard to make synonymous with your business on the ground.
In other words it has to be unique; delivering all the features which you know offer the most value to people your business cares about the most. Compare this to the ready-made, off-the shelf templates that come with a DIY website.
DIY websites offer design and functionality that is generic enough to meet the needs of a wide user base. Often, you get some functionality but never enough choice as to create exactly what you want for your business. On the other hand, custom built websites empower you so that you no longer have to compromise.
Custom websites, such as those built with MODX Content Management System (CMS) provide websites that are easy to update, flexible, SEO friendly, and secure. Unlike sites provided by DIY web builders, these websites are 100% open source; meaning you are not confined to the limits of a particular template. Your design is fully yours, and you can have other developers work on your website down the line should the need arise.
By going down the path of custom-made websites, you get a site that is fully ready to scale and change with the changing demands of your business.
Take flight and start a discussion with our crew to build your custom website!
