Hello there!
For a business to really succeed in today’s world, what they need is a website. Many business owners starting out for the first time are tempted to use a DIY website builder in order to get there business up and running online quickly. Whilst this is a viable option, there are many reasons why using one of these generic builders may have the inverse effect that they were hoping for. In this post I’d like to highlight some of the worst DIY website builder problems.
DIY Website Builder Problem #1: Bad First Impressions
I’ve mentioned it in previous posts but your website is like a business card (albeit much more important), and as such is a reflection of what you wish to present. Many of the templates these DIY Website builders offer are incredibly generic and therefore makes your site forgettable as it doesn’t stand out among similar websites. Can you really reflect your bakery’s brand if the hair salon next door is using the same template? Absolutely not.
DIY Website Builder Problem #2: Poor SEO
By using generic templates, you are not optimising your website correctly for search engine results. Search Engine Optimisation is a skill that many web designers/developers specialise in, due to its complex nature. Therefore, it’s a great idea to hire one of these specialists in order to reach Page One on Google.
DIY Website Builder Problem #3: Non-Responsive Design
When using one of these drag-and-drop builders it’s easy to forget about responsive design. That is when you’re designing on a desktop, it’s easy to forget about what this website will look like when viewing it on a different device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet. This is a HUGE mistake. Many people use their phones to look at websites, even if it’s a casual browse on social media, or even to check out a local cafe’s menu. By forgetting these details you run the risk of losing many potential customers.
DIY Website Builder Problem #4: Slow Loading Time
Most DIY Website builder sits often host many, many other sites on their servers given how popular they are which can slow down the speed in which your website is accessed. Also, uploading un-optimised images can increase page load times. Not only will this negatively impact a site's SEO, but website visitors these days expect a fast-loading website as studies show that they are more likely to navigate away from a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. A skilled web designer can ensure that not only will the site be correctly hosted on an optimised server, but that other factors, such as optimised images, will ensure that you have a lightning-fast load time.
DIY Website Builder Problem #5: Sub-Standard Website Security
Even a CMS powerhouse like WordPress is vulnerable to security breaches and once an exploit is known it doesn’t take someone with malicious intent to get access to your website. By choosing to use a professional web designer, they can set you up with the appropriate security measures from regularly scheduled backups and updates to providing an SSL Certificate, ensuring the website’s safety.
So those are just a few of the reasons why it might not be a good idea to go with a flashy “drag-and-drop” website builder. Although it might be a tempting option to choose one because your budget is tight, in the long run a poorly-designed cookie-cutter website could end up losing you potential sales. By increasing your marketing budget by just a little extra could net you the dream clients you’ve been hoping for. If a well-designed website is something that interests you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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