DIY Website Design? 3 Things to Consider as an Entrepreneur

Sarah Brumley

Sarah Brumley

One of the most important assets you can have as an online business owner is your website. It’s your home base, the place everyone can find you, and you own it – which means no fighting the algorithm or worrying about getting locked out of your account. But, when you have little to no start up cash, it might be something you’re tempted to do yourself. Today we’re chatting about 3 things to consider if you’re considering a DIY website design project. Sound like something you need? Well then, let’s get started.

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DIY Website Design? 3 Things to Consider as an Entrepreneur

Well hey there and welcome back to another episode of the Mama Business Podcast. I’m really glad you’ve chosen to spend this time with me today as we chat about some things to consider if you’re contemplating creating your own website.

But before we do that:

Can I just be completely honest and say that there’s nothing worse than stomach flu season? I’m not exactly sure what bug hit our family, but it’s been a few days of nothing but unhappy systems and way too much laundry and disinfecting and all of the stuff.

…I’m hopeful we are all on the mend now, but these unexpected situations are part of having a family, but when you are running a business it might seem like they come at the most inconvenient times. You know, those times when you have client projects needing attention, or a podcast episode that needs to be recorded, or whatever else it might be. That when the kids are going to get sick. The babysitter is going to get sick. And you’re left wondering how to make it all work.

That’s exactly how I felt early on in my business. But I learned that it was less about how much time I had and more about HOW I used that time.

And that’s exactly why I’ve created the Mama Business Blueprint where I’m teaching how to lay a solid foundation for your Mama Business – without the guesswork or adding more time to your schedule.

You’ll have step-by-step, click-by-click tutorials to help you manage the tech you need, to set up your systems, and to ensure that your business framework is ready to attract your ideal clients, all without neglecting your family.

Ultimately, you’ll walk away with the knowledge you need to grow a successful online business AND you’ll have the systems in place to actually make it happen.

So if you’re ready for… a business growth strategy tailored to your needs as a busy mama, without the confusion, overwhelm or guesswork…

Now is the time.

Head to sarahbrumley.com/blueprint to sign up today. Doors open May 1, and I can’t wait to see you in there. Once again that’s sarahbrumley.com/blueprint to sign up.

Without further ado, though, let’s jump into the merits of DIY website design and a few things to consider if it’s something on your list. And let me just say as a website designer myself that I don’t believe there’s any one right answer in this. Sometimes the best choice for you might be to work with a professional. But in other cases it might be that you choose the opportunity to do it yourself.

DIY Website Design isn’t Just About the Budget

When you know you need to get a website up and going for your business, but you don’t have the money to pay a professional, then you might be looking at a DIY project. And I believe that cost is a consideration.

The cost of hiring a professional could range anywhere from $1,000 to upward of $10,000, in addition to the cost of your domain and hosting packages.

The cost of DIY website design will also range greatly, but will be on the lower end, including the cost of your domain and hosting packages, as well as any design elements or programs you might need in order to construct the site itself.

But I don’t believe that you can make this decision based on price alone, however if you were – you’d probably choose the DIY option. You have to consider the following things in addition to the cost. Because, if you don’t, it’s likely you’ll end up with an end product that you aren’t pleased with or that doesn’t actually help you achieve your business goals.

Consideration #1: Do You Have the Experience?

So, as we move past the cost of the project, the next thing to consider is, “do you have the experience?” You don’t have to have an advanced degree in order to design your own website, but you do need to have at least a baseline of knowledge.

Websites are a piece of tech so if you aren’t tech savvy to begin with, you’ll want to steer clear of the DIY option.

A few other questions you might ask yourself about your experience or your general approach to new projects or systems could include:

  • Do you already understand or are you willing and able to do the research and find the resources to help you with the visual appeal – what your prospective clients see on your website?
  • Do you understand how to make the connections between your website and the other pieces of tech you use, like your email marketing platform or your cart pages?
  • What about responsiveness? Will you be able to create a site that looks good not only on your desktop computer, but from your phone as well? That’s super important, not only for client experience, but if you want your website to show up in search engines – it has to have this element to it.

These are just a few of the critical pieces that a website needs to have. So, if you aren’t sure that you have the knowledge, experience, or the ability to find the resources to make this happen, it’s probably a better bet to get the professional on board. But if you are a resourceful person and feel confident in your tech ability and resourcefulness, then the DIY option is probably in your wheelhouse.

Now, don’t get discouraged here. Because, if you are thinking you want a DIY option, but you’re worried about not having the right resources or not being super tech savvy, then the Website in a Weekend bonus I’m offering as part of the Mama Business Blueprint is absolutely for you. I’m giving you step by step instructions to help you build a website that works for you. You’ll receive my custom-designed template that’s already responsive, has the visual appeal incorporated, and together we will make all of the connections you need to run a scalable business. So, if that’s something that interests you, head over to sarahbrumley.com/blueprint to get enrolled.

Consideration #2: What Platform Will You Use?

The next thing to consider is which platform will you use. This is something that you’ll likely want to determine EVEN IF you hire a professional, but one of the things I notice with DIY website designers is that they tend to choose the cheapest or “easiest to use” option and they forget to think about things like long-term SEO growth and how the platform will integrate with their other tech as their business scales.

We want to make sure that the time and the effort and the investment that you put into your website at this time actually creates an impact long-term for your business. It’s not just a couple pages on the internet. This is your marketing tool. This is where your business lives. So, it’s important to really understand how that platform is going to help you long-term.

I’ve used the reference before as it being like your home, right? You don’t purchase a home without doing some research. You look at the surrounding neighborhood, you check out the inside of the home, you probably even have a professional that you trust over to do an inspection before you lay down the money, right? The same should be true when it comes to your website.

Personally, I only build WordPress websites. You can use any host and the actual installation is FREE, which means that, aside from my yearly domain and hosting package and possibly another design tool, I’m not making monthly payments to keep my website up and running.

Not to mention, WordPress by far outranks the competition when it comes to SEO. And because you are building a business online…you know that you need that search engine traffic in order to be successful long-term.

Are there other platforms out there that can do the job? Absolutely. But, it’s all about knowing what YOU need in order to be successful for YOUR business.

So, if you are choosing to DIY, once again it comes down to resourcefulness. Do your research. Ask questions of professionals. Know which platforms are the best for what you need.

And, in the same regard, if you’re choosing to work with a professional – know what platform they’re building your website on and have them be very clear upfront about the monthly and yearly costs it might take to keep it up and running.

Because no one likes to get stuck with a surprise bill.

Consideration #3: Can You Make the Time?

The final thing I want you to consider is, is it worth your time to DIY your website and do you even have the time to do so?

As a wife, mom, household manager and all the other things you are responsible for, is building a website something that you have the bandwidth for on top of running your business?

Be honest with yourself here. Because designing a website does take time. Of course, it’s a lot less time when you have those click-by-click instructions helping you do so, but it still requires your attention – uninterrupted attention, I might add.

Is DIY Website Design The Choice for You?

And that brings us to the action part of this episode. And we all know that action is where the dreams turn into the reality.

And I think today’s action step really comes down to answering one question: should you DIY your website design or hire a professional.

And…I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here. You just have to ask yourself the questions:

  1. Do you have the experience?
  2. Do you know what platform to use?
  3. Do you have the time?

But if you do have the time and desire to DIY, then it can be incredibly rewarding – plus it will most likely save you some money as well. And we all know that the budget sometimes doesn’t allow for much wiggle room.

And I’m making it super affordable for you to jump into the Mama Business Blueprint and get the my DIY Website in a Weekend Bonus. There’s just under two hours of video trainings to help you design a website that converts casual onlookers into paying clients. Plus, you’ll get all of the other trainings of the Mama Business Blueprint to go along with it. We’re talking content marketing strategy, email marketing and more. You’ll have complete clarity around your business systems and strategies so that you can move forward without the overwhelm or guessing what to do next. And you can get started with all of it for just $137. So, if that sounds like a dream come true for you – head over to sarahbrumley.com/blueprint to enroll.

No matter what you choose though mama, just know that I am cheering you on. Have an amazing day and I will chat with you next time.

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