A company's website is often the storefront and the primary point of contact with potential clientele. However, when a business is starting out, they often start by DIY-ing using templates and tools like Wix or Square Space. If the outcome is subpar, it can be at a colossal cost to the business.
Poor Design Is Expensive
We're told not to 'judge a book by its cover', yet we do. A Standford University study revealed 75% of people will assess your business's credibility based purely on your website design. Is it clunky? Dated? The assumption is that your service or product is, too.
A Template can Impact Campaign Costs
You might then assume you just need your business website to 'look good'. Brand managers and small business owners often 'fall in love' with the most stunning website design portfolios or templates, but these fancy designs don't always deploy sales (aka conversion) principles.
- If your website is too fancy, it can actually be detrimental to your sale outcomes.
- Flashy effects impact load times for example or distract from the actual Call-To-Action.
- Relevance matters: templated pages that don't match ads drive up your ad costs
- Irrelevant imagery or effects like horizontal scrolling can confuse users leading to high 'bounce rates'.
Bottom line is you can have a pretty website, but it doesn't mean it will sell, well.
You can have a pretty website, but it doesn't mean it will sell, well
Strategic design matters. Function matters. People matter. A website that generates a high return considers each.
Strategic Design matters
A report published by Forrester Research estimates that for every $1 invested in user experience (UX), can yield a return of $100 bucks. UX utilises strategic design principles and a deep understanding of user psychology. Integrating this know-how impacts conversion rates, engagement and, those end-of-year sales reports, right?
Your website is not Like a Static business card - It's an evolving product.
Your website is not like a static business card - it's an evolving product. Slow load times, unnecessary content or steps, poor mobile experience, all impact sales. In the online environment, every detail and micro-second, matters.
In the book, Software engineering, UX expert Robert Pressman explained, "For every dollar spent to resolve a problem during product design, $10 would be spent on the same problem during development, and multiply to $100 or more if the problem had to be solved after the product's release."
The pathway to website perfection doesn't assume strategic knowhow, it maximizes it.
Getting it 100% right the first time isn't realistic, but the pathway to website perfection doesn't assume strategic knowhow, it maximizes it.
Templates Can Impact Your Search Engine Visibility
One of the biggest risks a DIY website set-up is falling flat on organic search. DIY designs often lack the knowledge to optimise site structure or schema markup for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Think a SEO check-list or YouTube tutorials will cut-it? Let me save you years of frustration - it won't. SEO can be complex, and getting wrong can hinder your website's online visibility, impacting website traffic and potential customer acquisition, long term.
Limited Template Support
DIY website options often offer limited support - if at all. This support tends be limited to technical difficulties rather than conversion needs. Without access to professional guidance, the learning curve is steep, while your growth curve is flattened.
Time as a resource
Every business owner knows, time is money, right?
Are you ok with becoming a website designer? Learning to use the chosen platform, experimenting with AI design and troubleshooting your website issues?
While DIY website design can be cost-effective for start-ups or small business owners with limited resources, it's important to consider what the resource cost could actually end up being.
Sometimes the best way to get back to business, or get business, is to hire a pro.
Security Risks
Most websites do require regular updates and security checks. You might think 'you'll be right' managing these, but if vulnerabilities aren't handled properly, you'll find yourself also handling reputation damage, data breaches, financial loss and cybercrime.
Recommendation
Consult with a professional to help ensure your business is represented by a high-quality, tailored website design that brings your business vision to life.
