Pros & Cons of Hiring a Web Designer: Should You or Shouldn't You?

Designing websites tends to be one of the most underrated and underestimated skills. While many people assume that designing a website is all about simply arranging pictures, text, and buttons, the truth is that the visual aspect of the website is just the tip of the iceberg. Crafting a visually captivating, strategically planned, and SEO-friendly website requires a lot of prior expertise which makes hiring a web designer your best bet.

Why are so many firms entrusting the creation of their business website to professionals who are essentially complete strangers rather than taking advantage of DIY website-building platforms? And is it something you should do too? Let’s weigh the pros and cons together.

Why should you hire a website designer

1. You'll save a considerable amount of time

As a business owner, every minute of your time is worth money. Handing the task of creating your website to a professional is just another way of being more time-efficient.

Professional designers have a streamlined workflow which eliminates any guesswork and unnecessary delays. Not only can they build a decent website much faster than it would take a complete beginner to figure it all out, but they’re here to handle the whole task for you so that you can invest your time where it’s needed most - into growing your business.

2. Professionals deliver professional results

When you land on a professionally designed website, you always know. And the clients do too!

Thanks to years of experience, professional web designers know what works, what looks good together, what converts and what your clients want to see on your website. This isn’t always the case with DIY websites which tend to suffer from inconsistent branding elements, not-so-user-friendly navigation and other client-repelling DIY mistakes.

You only get one chance to create a good first impression. And your web designer is here to help you do it right.

3. They’re not just web designers

Web design is a comprehensive industry going far beyond graphic design. Crafting a converting website requires a perfect understanding of SEO, user experience, proefficiency in a chosen website-building platform and, at the very least, a basic knowledge of HTML & CSS.

It goes without saying that mastering all these skills takes time. But the good news is that you don’t have to devote months of your time to become an SEO expert because your web designer already has.

4. They know what your website needs

Whenever we take on a new project, we put immense effort into understanding our client’s business and their vision for the future. We then conduct competitor research and plan a website strategy that will help our clients stand out from the crowd.

Throughout this process, we identify which pages are important for their website and may come up with something unique (such as a calculator or a quote-building tool) that we think may improve the user experience or their search engine ranking.

So rather than just coming up with a standard 5-page cookie-cutter website, we’re here to deliver bespoke results tailored to your business needs.

5. They can help you with coding

Every ambitious website idea requires at least a simple code. And being someone who doesn’t plan on becoming a web developer in the future, browsing through StackOverflow or similar coding forums is probably the last thing you want to do.

Although truth to be told, not every web designer is necessarily a web developer, they’re much more likely to bring your idea to life as they either collaborate with a developer or know where to outsource a reliable one.

6. They're familiar with recent web design trends

Being genuinely interested in our field, as web designers we spend hours researching the latest design trends on Pinterest or getting inspiration for our next projects from other creative designers.

Although web design trends don’t change as frequently as fashion, it’s important to keep your website up to date as failing to do so might be a red flag for potential clients. Just think about how likely are you to trust a business with an old-fashioned website that doesn’t even have a mobile layout. (By the way, websites like this still exist!)

7. They'll help you avoid potentially costly mistakes

Taking the DIY approach might result in a website you’ll never truly be confident in. Not to mention potential strategic mistakes that might harm your SEO score and thus lower your visitor count. These mistakes will eventually cost more than investing in a professional design would have in the first place.

8. They can provide backlinks

In the world of SEO, quality backlinks are worth diamonds. The more authoritative websites link to yours, the more your trustworthiness increases.

Having worked with clients who operate in an industry similar to yours, your web designer might be able to help you secure some backlinks. This may not only shorten the time required to start ranking on Google but also save you from having to reach out to other industry experts or write free guest posts.

9. They're here to answer your questions

Working with a web designer means having someone you can always turn to should you have any questions about your website. In fact, this is where the real value that we bring to your business lies.

Here at Distinctive Website, our bespoke website design package includes a round of consultations to make sure our clients are always on board. As a client, you can ask just about anything to make sure you get the most value - as this is ultimately what we’re here for.

10. They’re experts in fixing things

Whether you decide to take a complete DIY website approach or just decide to tweak something on your professionally designed website, you may sooner or later stumble upon an issue you won’t be able to wrap your head around. And when that happens, there is no better person to reach out to than a website designer who understands your preferred website-building platform perfectly.

Some designers offer consulting and troubleshooting as a separate service to serve clients who want to have more control over the creation of their website but still need help fixing a few things.

11. They will set you up for a future

Upon handing your new website into your hands, most designers will provide comprehensive training to explain how your website works, how to maintain it and how to get traffic. Some designers might go as far as to create a content strategy for your blog.

And should you need their help in the future, they will be here to help you maintain your website or give it a redesign as your business grows bigger. Because who knows the house better than the builder who has built it?

Looking for help with your Wix website? Distinctive Website is where you'll find it! I specialize in designing statement Wix websites that will take your brand to a whole new level.

WORK WITH ME

Are there any disadvantages to employing a web designer?

Having read all the above, the question of whether you should consider employing a web designer may sound like a no-brainer. But this post wouldn’t be completely transparent without flipping the coin. Let’s talk about 5 main reasons that keep people from reaching out to web designer.

1. It's a considerable investment

Employing a website designer is a significant investment for most startups. And the more experienced designer you choose, the higher will their fees be. But consider it as borrowing money from the future to get your business off the ground.

The thing is, you need a website to secure your first clients. And once you do, your investment will quickly pay off. But here’s a little secret;

The more professional your website looks, the sooner you reap your ROI. That’s because 94% of your site visitors form an opinion about your business based on the looks of your website. That said, investing more money into a professional designer who might be charging a little more than their competitors might in fact pay off much quicker.

2. You may have to wait until they're available

Established web designers and agencies tend to be busy and they might be booked for months ahead. We work in an organised way by giving each project a dedicated time slot and working exclusively for one client at a time. When the next project comes up, we have to respect the order in which our clients found us and schedule new projects for later.

That, however, might be a good thing, as it gives you some extra time between our discovery call and your website content delivery so that you can, for example, book your brand photoshoot or get a professional to write your website copy in the meantime.

3. There will be less control on your end

While always doing our best to interpret your vision, your brief may sometimes be too specific which means there will be more revisions and consultations required. As a client, you may sometimes be frustrated by the lack of control.

Collaboration with a web designer requires having an open mind and trusting that your chosen web designer is capable of delivering your vision. If that’s something you struggle with, it might be worth designing a rough concept of your website by yourself and booking a consultation with an expert designer who will guide you with the technical aspects of your website (such as user experience or SEO).

4. It may be hard to find a designer whose style you like

Regardless of our ability to understand the client’s brief, as designers, we all have our signature which makes us compose website layouts in a certain way. A designer who specialises in designing feminine websites may not always be the best person for a client who dreams about a strictly technical website and vice versa.

It’s important to take your time and find a designer whose style speaks to you and aligns with what you envision for your website. But to be completely honest - you may not always find what you’re looking for.

5. You prefer the DIY approach

If you’re a creative individual, you may find working with someone else rather restrictive. You have this specific idea as to what you want your site to look like and you’re confident, you can do it on your own. And if you’re prepared to take the risks, go for it!

But even if you set your mind on building your website from scratch, there are still many ways in which a web designer can help you. You can, for example, take advantage of the free resources on their blog or speed the process up by designing your new website from their templates.

Good luck! 🍀💚

Would you rather work with a web designer or design your own website?

Change Image

• I'd definitely prefer a web designer
• I prefer the DIY approach