Here's Why You Should Reconsider Using DIY Website Builders

23 Jun Here’s Why You Should Reconsider Using DIY Website Builders

With U.S. e-commerce hitting an impressive $349 billion — and 81 percent of customers doing online research prior to big purchases — you already know you need a website for your business. An online presence gives potential customers information about your business and can generate trust and brand awareness. Yet it’s not enough to simply have a presence on the internet — your website needs to be well-developed and presentable in order to be most effective. User experience and impressions are two reasons a quality website is critical.

It doesn’t take long for a visitor to decide to leave your website. Nearly half of your audience (47 percent) expects a website to load in just two seconds or less — any longer and they will leave your site to never return. Other factors contributing to a high bounce rate include lack of expected details such as contact information, confusing navigation, and an unattractive design. In a recent e-commerce study, reviewed sites had a 45 percent task failure rate, leaving a huge opportunity for a well-developed website to succeed

A slow-loading or poorly designed website not only affects your customers’ experience with your brand but also negatively impacts their trust in your business. A well-designed, informative website demonstrates your professionalism and reflects a level of quality that is hopefully carried over into your products or services. Quality design is important, as 94 percent of first impressions are based on design alone — and judgments of credibility are based 75 percent on a website’s aesthetics.

Given its value in attracting new potential customers and its significant influence on your brand’s ROI, your website is an important asset for your business. You may be able to create a functional website on your own, but investing in a professional designer or agency has many advantages over the DIY approach. These experts in website design can build a custom website for your brand that provides a positive user experience, taking care of the details that affect page load time, navigation and layout clarity, and even SEO factors. In addition, their digital artistry results in an attractive website that will keep potential leads coming to and staying on your website.
Your website is definitely not an area where you can afford to simply do enough to “get by” — it deserves the extra attention and effort. With the right design and strategy, this digital presence for your business will be an ongoing source for new leads and revenue — as well as a quality representation of your brand. So, unless you have the time to learn what it takes to ensure your website is developed in a way that works for you and not against you, you may want to lay off the DIY website builder train if you’re serious about being your own boss.