Building a website is like constructing a house, in that there is an entire gamut of options for how involved you want to be in its construction. On one end, you’ve got the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) [Tool] approach, where you take design, development and management into your own hands. On the other end, there is the Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) [Solution] approach, where you can buy full-service and get it all done from an agency/provider.
The reality is that most SMB owners don’t have the technical expertise or resources to build a website from scratch on their own. In the end, the “right” approach depends on available skill sets and resources, budget and your ability to maintain the site post-launch. Establishing a strong Web presence has never been more important in today’s business world.
Lets take a look at the different approaches out there:
The Complete-DIY Approach
For small businesses with a restricted budget, the Complete-DIY option can be a tempting one, as it involves the lowest upfront costs and gives you complete control over how much they want to invest and where. These type of providers mostly charge a flat-monthly fee for creating and hosting a website.
Content Management System (CMS)
Another option commonly used is to install an open-source Content Management System (CMS).These solutions come along with an expansive selection of templates and plugins that allow you to customize your own website. These options have minimal recurring costs, but the drawback of opting for them is that they can be expensive in terms of how much time is required to get over the learning curve and become proficient.
DIFM (Do-It-For-Me) Approach
This approach includes hiring a professional team to create, manage and maintain your website, be that a team of you own or that of an agency. It is definitely the most expensive approach, not only for the creation expenses but also for the maintenance charges, but it gives you a solution that performs immediately. This approach gives you a little more assurance that the web presence is functional and along the line of delivering the expected results.
