Web Design – Hire a Pro or Do it Yourself

When it comes to web design a great debate still rages about whether you should hire a pro or do it yourself. There are a number of important factors that can help you make your decision about which is right, because both have their pros and cons.

The days of a simple HTML website being sufficient are pretty much gone. Working in checkouts and taking payments can be complex, sights that look professional and compete against other sites is necessary, and understanding the technology that is involved in web hosting security, creating a quality site and a mobile load are essential. Some of you may have the necessary skills, others may not. This should help. Below are a few of the skills which Internet business consultants agree are necessary for modern web design and to build a site that works.

  • HTML Knowledge – It is nice to have some basic HTML skills, but most web design software reduces the need for you to work directly in HTML. It does help you to keep your code nice and clean.
  • Programming – You may need JavaScript (used very little), CGI, or database programming in order to link interactive web pages with your online database.
  • Graphic Software Expertise – You need to produce photos that are clean and attractive for your website graphics. You will have to optimize your pictures so that they are the smallest possible files. That way they will load quickly.
  • Artistic Ability – Having a great eye for colour and a good skill in creating layouts that look good and work well.
  • Navigation Expertise – Understand website navigation design and functionality.
  • Marketing Experience – When you build a business website, you should have strong marketing skills in order to market your site so that you get the results you desire.

Deciding whether you should hire a pro or build your own website isn’t that difficult. If you have the necessary skill set, give it a try. You can always hire a pro to tweak it. If you don’t have the skills, hire a professional right from the start. Most offer specialised services such as graphics design and professional website marketing; and can deliver exactly what you need.