Should I DIY my website or hire it out?
Having a strategic, high converting website is SO important to your business. Not only can your website make you look legit and credible as a business owner, it also can be a huge marketing asset that can help you get out of those annoying feast and famine cycles that leave you totally stressed out and overwhelmed.
But is your website currently doing this?
We hear about how our website needs to be working FOR us and making us money and yada-yada-yada... but what role is your website taking in your business right now?
Maybe you're thinking 'gosh, my website needs a little (or a lotta) help.
Or maybe your like 'yeah, my website looks pretty good but it's not really doing anything for me.’
Maybe you feel like your website is just holding space but not doing anything to significantly help your business.
Girl, I get it! There actually was a time that I fit into this category as well. My website looked amazing (hello, designer here!) and checked all the boxes visually... but even with all of that in place, it was still falling short…
No one was filling out my contract forms...
No one was booking calls...
No one was opting in to my email list...
No one was taking action on my blog posts...
Ugh.
The biggest website myth: Have a pretty site and the traffic will follow.
WRONG.
You can have the prettiest site in the world, but if you don't work on the strategy behind your site, it can still just be a online place holder that drains your time and money.
It wasn't until I decided to really dive into things like analytics, SEO, and conversion strategy that I began noticing the difference a highly functioning website can have on your business!
And if you can resonate with this then it's time for some serious website TLC (thats TRAFFIC, LEADS and CONVERSIONS!)
Ok, so that sounds great… but where do you even begin?
Well, one of the very first things is admitting that your website needs some work. (The first step is always admitting there's a problem, right? haha) But in order to know what kind of support you need, you first have to determine if it's best for you to DIY your site or hire it out.
That's what we're talking about today... So if you're curious, keep reading! The next 5 questions will help you decide the next best step for your site.
Question 1. How busy are you really?
What I mean by this is... do you have a full pipeline of client work? Do you have money coming into your business and people ready to work with you? If so, THIS is what you need to be focusing on, not tinkering with your site.
If you know that having an extra 30-40 hours of time in the next few weeks would launch your business forward and bring in a LOT of profit, then don't push that aside to DIY your own website! It sounds kind of obvious when we read it out in black and white like this, but we often wait to invest and outsource until AFTER we're ready, when we really need to be doing it before (so we CAN grow!).
Instead, focus on hiring that support you need so you have time to spend on making money. Especially if you know that a new website developed by someone who really knows conversion strategy will help your bottom line WAY more than you doing the DIY hustle ever could.
Are you sitting there thinking... "uh, yeah, but there's no way it'll take 30-40 hours for me to build a website."
GIRL, stop your dreaming. I talk with SO MANY LADIES who started a DIY website MONTHS (or even years. yes… years) ago thinking it would take a few days or weeks, and they still aren't launched or satisfied with where they are.
Don't under estimate the time it'll take to knock out a well designed site all on your own. (I know what I’m doing and I still typically spend an average of 35 hours on every custom site I design).
Conclusion: if you don't have the time to DIY your site and you could be making money doing actual client work (meaning you actually have the work available to you and you won't be twiddling your thumbs while someone else designs your site), outsource it.
Question 2. How tech savvy are you?
Be honest with yourself. Maybe tech just isn't your thing and you know it'll take you two to three times the amount of time it would take someone else. That's ok! Be honest with yourself up front.
Or maybe you're a tech wiz and you can figure any program out in light speed. Well, then maybe the DIY route is right for you.
Conclusion: if you're not tech savvy, outsource it. (And make sure to find someone who will really train you to maintain your own site moving forward!).
Question 3. When do you need your site to be done by?
If you're on a tight deadline and missing that deadline puts your business at risk, then outsourcing might be your best bet. On the other hand, if you have tons of time and are more concerned with saving money while you get your business off the ground, then there's no reason why you can't DIY a great site (check out templates to help you launch your DIY site in no time)!
Conclusion: If your business will suffer because your DIY site is taking too long, then outsourcing might be the best bet! (Just make sure to find someone who’s serious about meeting deadlines. Many right-brained designers struggle with this but should give you a firm launch date! Plus, always get references and actually contact those people to ask about the designer's process & if they met deadlines for their project.)
Question 4. Do you really know what you want?
Ok, this is another question to get super honest with yourself. If you have no clue what you want in a website, and maybe you're not even sure if you'll be doing the same business in a year or two, then maybe the DIY route is the best for you.
On the flip side, maybe you have been in business for a while but you're just not solid on what you want in a website. If you keep waffling back and forth about what you want your website to focus on and you're not ready to collaborate with someone else to make your vision come to life, then you should wait to outsource.
As much as you may want to just hand your project off to someone else for them to do 100% of the work, remember, there are ZERO designers/developers out there who can read minds. Gosh, I wish we could, but our job heavily relies on collaboration with you. So make sure you have the time and energy to put into this collaboration process (In my website building process, I typically need to send/receive one or two emails a week + one 20-minute check-in call with each client each week, so keep this in mind before scheduling a project during your busiest time of the year!)
Conclusion: If you know what you want and are really solid in your business direction, then outsourcing may be the best bet for you!
Question 5: Are you really ready to massively scale your business? Or are you just starting out?
This is something you should think about before deciding if you’re ready to outsource or if you want to give the DIY route a go. Are you just starting out in the business starting/launching phase? Are you in the growing phase? Or are you ready to massively scale your business 10x?
If you’re in the just starting phase, I usually recommend that you DIY your website (or do a DIY hybrid program similar to purchasing one of my templates or template redesign programs).
However, if you’re ready to massively grow and scale your business, then outsourcing the whole project and receiving a fully customized website may be the best option for you. Just make sure to find someone who knows websites in and out… who knows website copy best practices… and who knows about increasing traffic, conversions, goal setting, and list growth… Hiring THIS person might be your best bet as they will be able to help you make your website STRATEGIC in ways that you wouldn't even know to do yourself.
Conclusion: If you’re ready to massively grow your business to new levels, then outsourcing is for you!
Well, there you have it! Hopefully this list of questions has helped you assess where you currently are in your business.
But most importantly...
Remember that no matter where you are in business (even if you're just launching your business!), you can still have a website that works FOR you!
Whether you're new in business or have been in business 5+ years, you don't have to be stuck with a website that sucks your time and energy with little to no return ANY LONGER. There are so many options that will support you right where you are.
Here are 3 ways to get the website support you need:
1. ARE YOU THE DO-IT-YOURSELF-ER?
If you want to do your website 100% on your own, then check out my DIY Squarespace templates. My templates will walk you through building and customizing your perfect website for your business so you can be up and running in less than 7 days. They will give you the step-by-step instructions you need to have a strategic AND professional website without having to spend hours figuring it out on your own or thousands of dollars hiring a designer.
2. ARE YOU THE IN-BETWEEN-ER?
If you don’t have the time to spend tinkering on your site, but you’re not ready for a fully customized website (or you need a fast site done-for-you in a week), then check out my template re-design program. This fully done-for-you program is a great hybrid between buying a template to do it yourself and the fully customized website program. So, if you want to be online FAST and don't want to do it yourself... or if you're newer in business and don't have the budget for a fully customized website, then this is for you!
3. ARE YOU THE "I JUST WANT YOU TO BUILD A UNIQUE AND STRATEGIC SITE FOR ME"?
If you’re ready to massively scale your business and want a unique website that will set you apart from every other business owner... If you want a strategic website that we build together from top to bottom... If you want SEO, custom conversion strategy, lead generation strategy, and more, then check out my custom website design program.
So what camp are you in? Remember, I'm here to help you where you are! Just like they say in Paw Patrol... There's no job too big and no website too small! Err... Pup. (Can you tell I spend my days with a 3 year old??) If you need some support, just drop a comment below and I'd be happy to help you!
Always cheering you on!