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Should I hire a professional web designer or do it myself?

Fay Roe

Thinking before putting your hands in your pockets is important. It needs careful thought, considering different things, and being honest like talking to a therapist.

It is important to consider both the pros and cons before making a decision. Easy-to-use tools for creating websites are often advertised. Take the time to research these before committing.

Does the website need to be all singing and dancing?

How complex are the requirements of the website? For a simple website with contact info or hours, a pre-made builder and template will do.

To fully use digital marketing and advanced features, hire a professional website designer. A website can be beneficial for businesses. It can help them make more money by scheduling appointments, managing email lists, controlling stock, and selling more products.

A professionally designed site delivers these additional features, yet remains a fast-loading responsive website design. Avoid search engine penalties by having a user-friendly website that visitors enjoy using.

How good are you at learning?

This is usually the crunch question. Be honest now. What is your aptitude and interest in learning new skills?

It's hard to make a website by yourself. You need to learn how to fix problems and deal with downtime.

Do you know your taupe from your teal? Did you know white space can be any colour? Knowing what works and what doesn’t in the digital space is key.

The best web designs combine creativity with technical know-how. Basic knowledge of coding can help to customise templates and explore new options. If you know SEO basics, you can help the website rank on search engines. If you don't like coding or know about SEO, hire a web designer.

SEO changes constantly, so it's important to always learn and stay aware. It's a lifelong commitment.

Example of local Christchurch web design

How much time do you have to devote to a website?

DIY website works if you need a simple info site and are in a hurry. If you want a fancy website and need it fast, hire a website designer. They can make it happen quickly.

We won't talk about the time needed to keep the site's SEO, upload and edit content regularly.

How much budget do you have for a website design?

While building a website yourself can be a cost-effective way to create a digital presence for your business. It’s important to assess the price of the website design and weigh the trade-offs between cost and quality.

But you need to stop thinking about the cost of a website design. Think of the return on investment. How critical is a website to your business? It’s integral.

Digital Presence is a Christchurch digital marketing and web design company creating high-performance websites for small and medium-sized businesses. There are no up-front costs and no contracts. We have website packages with design, SEO, hosting, editing time, and security certification to prevent problems.

So, should you hire a professional Christchurch website designer? Yes, we think you should.

Sounds too good to be true? Not at all. Contact us today for a free no-obligation chat by clicking here or calling 0274 278047.

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Pixel perfect: don't let outdated web design byte your business

by Fay Roe • 20 February 2025

Looks don’t matter, right? Don’t judge a book by its cover, there’s more than meets the eye, beauty is in the eye of the beholder – there are many commonly used phrases that bestow the virtue of looking beyond the aesthetics. And in many other scenarios we agree, but when it comes to a business website design, none of the above apply. Is it shallow? Possibly. Does it negatively impact your business? Hugely. The world is image and technology obsessed, so how your website looks and functions is a big deal. A dated, clunky, or poorly designed website runs the risk of presenting your business as outdated and behind the times, at worse untrustworthy. If your competitors have sleek, modern, and user-friendly websites while yours feels stuck in the early 2000s, who do you think your audience will choose? The hidden costs of an outdated website An outdated website isn’t just a cosmetic issue. If you are missing the mark on the aesthetics, there are likely functional issues too. This negatively impacts your business in ways you may not even realise. Here’s what a poorly designed website tells your customers: You’re not keeping up with industry trends . If your website looks like it hasn’t been touched in years, visitors may assume your business isn’t evolving either or likely to offer the most up-to-date products or services. You don’t prioritise user experience . A slow, difficult-to-navigate website frustrates users and compels them to click away – life is too short to wait! You lack credibility . A poorly maintained website makes your business appear unreliable, reducing trust in your products or services. You’re missing out on sales . A confusing, slow, or non-mobile-friendly site prevents potential customers from taking action, leading to lost revenue and reputation. Signs and symptoms you need a new website design If you have a website, especially if you designed it yourself, you may be blind to areas where it can be improved – the attachment to an underperforming DIY website design is both relatable (we’ve all done it) and damaging to your business. However diverse website designs are, they share common signs and symptoms when overdue a website upgrade: