Why “try” to design your own website?

Back in the early days of the internet (ok the last 10-20 years) the resources to learn how to design your own website were paperback dummy guides. Since then various sites like HTMLDog, w3schools, and html.com have been created to fill this purpose. Recently there have been other ways to learn web design, e.g. Youtube, Lynda, and CodeAcademy that allow you to learn code while coding in the browser.

These are great resources that helps to get started building a website. But the gag is… time has to be invested before putting up the “coming soon” page.

Coming Soon Page

Let’s talk new resources that are taking over for those with limited budgets.

SquareSpace and Wix

Both of these tools are great WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) website builders. They both make it “easy” (a relative term) to build your website “quick” (another relative term) and make it look great (yet another relative term).

These tools have appeal and can do the job of contributing to a website; however, our take here at ONSIGHT and at DynamikWorks is building websites is our business! Meaning there is a lot that goes into getting professional results with a website and creating one that is creative, interactive, and unique isn’t easy.

Lets go through what it takes with using one of the tools yourself.

First and probably most important of all is design knowledge and experience. One must be able to do graphic design, layout, copywriting, page flow, just to name a few, which means that one must CODE (at least a little). Websites can be a headache when trying to do something new and innovative or even when trying to do something basic and not knowing how to code. If coding is not known, then that would have to be learned before creation can even begin. Biting pencil looking at computer screen

For all the time that it will take to learn how to code or learn how to use the tools mentioned above one may waste time that could be used for making more money doing what you do, which is the main reason you are trying to build a website in the first place.

This post is being said not because we are website developers but because we have had the same thought for the things that we need done.

Let’s take landscaping for instance.

A couple of years ago I was cutting my grass at my house and realized that it took 2-hours for me to cut the grass, edge the yard and trim the bushes.  Not to mention the time it took to clean up everything and get gas for the mower, etc, etc. The next time the grass needed cutting I found a landscaping company to cut it for me and they charged me $40.

I thought $40 dag on. I can cut my own for the cost of the gas, which was like $3 (mower and weed-eater).

The young guy pulled up in his pick-up truck with a trailer, jumped out and I promise you 20 mins later he knocked on my door for payment.

So I looked at the guy and said, “Are you finished already?”

He replied, “Yes Sir.”

I thought to myself, this job must be shabby.

It’s no way it took him like 15 mins because he was packed up and all.

We walked the yard and sho ’nuff, he was done and it looked professional.

The golf course lines were running down the yard the hedges where trimmed and the edges around the property where clean.

I gladly gave him my money and said see you in 2 weeks.

I said all that to say in that 2-hours it would have taken me, I could make money doing what I do which is design, shoot, edit, repeat. I can make a logo for a client in 2-hours, design a flyer or something like that which means I can make 3 times that $40 in the same 2-hour period and I would have a better looking yard than I could do myself.

AND I didn’t have to sweat to do it.

So should you try to design your own site, sure you can try. But before you get frustrated and ready to throw in the towel, find a competent web developer or designer and let them do the heavy lifting.

Until next time, remember it’s ONSIGHT!

 

Let us know your thoughts down in the comments if you have had to deal with this same question.

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