Diy Website Design- Should You Design Your Own Site?

When contemplating the design of a web site

, people often get surprised when they discover how much a professional web site designer charges to create a site. When that occurs, the question becomes whether or not the web site can be made with a DIY approach. Here are some factors to consider when making the decision to design a web site yourself, hire a professional , or choose a compromise between the two.

Do It Yourself Considerations

Realize that there may be some costs involved even if you design it yourself. You'll likely need to acquire numerous pieces of software. Some cost nothing, some cost a lot . As is typical , it's sometimes a matter of "you get what you pay for" ( though not always). You'll at least need 3 essential software applications:

* An image editor like Photoshop (around $700) or one of the no-cost alternatives like Gimp

* Some type of HTML and CSS editor like Dreamweaver (approximately $400) or one of the low-cost or no-cost alternatives such as CoffeeCup or Notepad++

* An FTP program like Filezilla ($0 )

Even if you select only zero-cost software applications, there are other cost-related issues . As the saying goes, "time is money", and if you aren't already a professional web site designer, then you'll need to invest plenty of time to acquire the skills necessary to design your site. Factor in anywhere from many weeks to many months to acquire the expertise you need. How much will that time cost you? If you have more time than money, then this might be the way to go, but if all that time spent is stopping you from making money, then it may not make sense at all.

Hiring A Professional

Obviously, it's going to cost money to hire a professional web site designer, but you'll end up with a web site that is live within a much shorter period of time, and it probably won't look like something that a 12 year old created in 1999 . The issues to consider here are simple. If you've got more cash than time, and want a web site made well and quickly, hiring a professional is the wise choice.

The Other Choice: Customizing A Template

There is a possibility that lies somewhere in the middle between Do It Yourself and Hiring a Professional . The key to this choice is to start with a pre-designed template and then change the colors, images, and logos to make it uniquely yours. Basically , you're using the best of both worlds; no-cost or low-cost templates from experienced designers, plus your own Do It Yourself elbow grease to change it so that it is exclusive to you (and not exactly the same as everyone else who chose that same template). Template customization is often the right choice since it lessens both the hard costs as well as the softer time costs. You end up with a good design, at a very low cost, and it's complete in a short period of time, which is not a serious compromise!

by: Gen Wright

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