It’s decision time as your business moves onto the next stage of growth and development. You have survived the “start-up” phase and are about to enter a new and exciting period that will define the direction your business or organization may take in the next few years. There are many important questions to explore during this evolution, one of which will likely be:
Should you keep your existing website created with an “out of the box” DIY website builder, or do you hire a professional web developer to design a new and expanded website more reflective of your current and future growth and development?
The following considerations are critical when making your decision:
- Do you need to increase website functionality?
- Do you need a better, more personalized business design?
- Do you need to improve SEO performance?
- Should you have enhanced security and dependable backup options?
- Do you require expert technical support and advice?
- Should you take this opportunity to upgrade and customize your branding?
If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, then the restrictions of your current platform will continue to seriously limit both your website and your business’ growth and flexibility. You have outgrown the capabilities of a website platform that was not designed to handle the needs of an expanding business
According to a recent research report, WordPress sites represent over 64% of all CMS programmed websites, while all of the other platforms combined comprise the difference. Converting from a DIY to a content management system (CMS) like WordPress can provide the flexibility and power needed to upgrade your website, grow your business and help you stand out from competitors.
Investing in Expertise in the Short Term Will Yield Increased Business in the Long Term
If your budget is the determining factor in choosing to DIY or hire a professional, think twice.
You’ve already decided that you need to upgrade and adopt a more professional online presence. Do you or your staff have the time, knowledge and technical experience to develop a website that looks professional and functions at the level of speed and efficiency that your users demand and your business deserves?
Time is money. The learning curve for a DIY upgrade can come at a very expensive cost.
Things can get complicated very quickly, leading to frustration, loss of critical information, security disasters, and valuable time spent away from the daily demands of the business.
Professionals provide project management skills that can help keep your website on time and on budget. A professional developer knows all of the tricks of the trade and can program a WordPress website efficiently and correctly. The expertise and talent a professional can lend to your website design encompasses all of the elements that can result in a custom theme well worth the investment.
Experience is a highly valuable commodity. A professional can accomplish everything you need in dramatically less time than if you attempt to DIY. Knowledge and skill save time and money.
Professional Support is Invaluable
One of the benefits of switching to the most popular CMS program with the largest percentage of users is the added perks of expansive and current training resources, regular updates to the core software, and plugins that reflect the most current technologies. When professional developers create your website they are committed and invested in staying apprised of all of the latest news and bulletins from WordPress. It is what they do on a daily basis and helps to keep their clients competitive and operational.
When you hire a professional you have entered into a supportive relationship that begins with your initial collaboration and can prove to be invaluable in the future. The developers that create your custom site can continue to offer expert advice and troubleshooting well beyond the early days of your exciting launch. Maintaining a working relationship with your website developers will ensure that your website – and your business – will keep pace with the constantly changing and advancing trends in the digital world.
Your Website Represents Your Business Online – Make It Shine!
Now that you’ve decided that it’s the right time to switch to a professionally developed website, a move that will provide your business with the professional look and feel you seek, it is important to remember that your website is your most valuable marketing tool.
Creating a unique and memorable brand is the key to marketing success. One of the most outstanding benefits of a professionally developed website is the limitless design options. A professional has the knowledge and skills to optimize WordPress, or whatever CMS you choose, so that it works for your business. An original and unique design reflective of your business can effectively establish your brand, dramatically define your online image and significantly impact your traffic, bounce rate and conversions.
Budgeting for an affordable, professional developer is a business and marketing investment worth consideration. Knowing the critical importance marketing plays in your continued success, a professional developer can create a fast and functional website that focuses on your goals, targets your audience, optimizes SEO and CTA’s and helps to ensure that your website and your business are functioning at optimum capability and security.
In Conclusion
As you prepare to enter the next stage of your business journey, an updated, upgraded, secure, correctly programmed, high-caliber website will pay for itself many times over in increased business and a polished online presence.
When you hire a professional website developer your website will look and perform professionally in a manner that accurately reflects the image and messaging that you worked so hard to achieve.
IMC is a full-service website and digital marketing firm located in Saratoga Springs, NY. Services include website design and programming (including eCommerce database and custom software integrations), branding, content creation, print collateral materials, and hosting. www.imediaconsult.com