You’ve probably heard it before. . .

“Sign up today and you will have a professional website up and running in hours!”

“Anybody can build a website.”

“Web hosting ONLY $3.95 – Free setup with our easy to use web builder.”

“Get the Do-it-yourself website.”

As a web development company we are often asked, “How much does a website cost?” I suppose this is a legitimate question, but today it is much like asking a realtor, “How much does a house cost?” There is no clear cut answer. Like buying a home, building a website is a complex process of evaluating the needs of a business, the image of the business, and the appropriate web-based tools that will leverage their web presence and grow their business.

Don’t get me wrong – you can build your own website. A Google search of “build your own website” brings up over 6.7 million different websites. There are a lot of resources available. The bigger question is should you build your own website. It can be a stressful and time-consuming process to learn a new technology, new software, or the entire philosophy of web design and development. There’s nothing wrong with learning, but it may not be the best expenditure of your resources.

Many people spend hours trying to solve issues with their website or with their computer. Rather than enjoying the process of learning many people get frustrated and ultimately distracted from their primary task – running their business. Calling in the professional may be a better solution. It is more likely that your website will have an eye-catching attractive design, work more efficiently, and leave your customers with a positive impression of your business. Best of all it will reduce your stress.

The trend today is towards outsourcing. Find people that are experts in areas that you are not. You could probably learn HTML code and use some program to create your site, but is it the best use of your time? Focus on the things you do best … and let others fill in the gaps.

-Doug DeVries
www.Equine-Design.com  
doug@equine-design.com