Deciding to Design Youir Own Web Site or to Hire Someone

So you have a web site in need of being developed and are considering designing it yourself? Let us take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with designing it yourself versus having it designed by someone else.

Designing It Yourself

Depending on your knowledge of developing web site and computers in general, this might seem like a good way to get a web site out on the Internet without spending a ton of money. There are even free or low cost hosting companies out there that offer an easy to use system to design your web site without even knowing much. If your intended site is meant to serve as a personal site or simply informational in nature, this might not be such a bad idea. If you are planning to develop a business web site using this method, there are some items to keep in mind:

- How easy will it be to update your web site?
- Will you need advanced services which may or may not be offered?
- What if you end up changing hosting companies in the future, is your site movable?
- Do you have the free time to invest in developing and maintaining your own web site?
- What resources are available to assist me? What help is there if I get stuck?

Getting Someone Else to Design

For some this might seem the better solution. Possibly due to some of the answers to questions above or perhaps just to have someone with more abilities to do all the work. There are several things to keep in mind using this approach as well:

- How much will the web site cost me?
- How much time can the firm dedicate to assuring the site is designed with my customers in mind?
- How familiar is the firm with my industry? With my company?
- How easy would it be to maintain the web site myself? Or do I have to pay for continuing maintenance?
- Can this design firm handle all my needs and desires for my web site?

One additional questions to keep in mind if you are a registered not-for-profit is whether or not the design firm offers discounts for being not-for-profit. Some design firms might be able to assist you while other will not.

I personally have had clients both interested in me designing and providing long term maintenance on their web site as well as those who wish to maintain the web site themselves, after the initial design. I have even had a few clients provide me with all the making for a web site, where I simply assembled the site using their provided items.

If you have the free time and are interested in developing your own web site, there are plenty of sources around the Internet which can assist you with doing this yourself. If you would rather not go it yourself, there are plenty of design firms around willing to assist, for a fee.