(Don't) Build Your Own Website

As attention has become a commodity, many businesses have begun offering free website building tools. They make it possible for you to have a website up and running in less than an hour. While this seems like a terrific idea, it rarely is.

Though the tools that make it possible for you to build a website yourself seem simple enough to use, not all of them are as useful as they seem. Some tools leave out many of the most important aspects of site design such as a sense of aesthetics and an artistic approach. Many websites out there are like a pile of spaghetti. They have no focal point or clear message, and some resemble a preschooler's attempt at coloring.

Colors and fonts are crucial to website design. Their use conveys a pallet of subconscious messages that stimulate visitors to remain on the site and, more importantly, to return. Some color schemes used in coordination with particular fonts convey trust and reliability. Too often, the tools available to put up your own website are overly generic or based on cookie-cutter templates. To make matters worse, most businesses that offer free, do-it-yourself websites often place someone else's advertising on your site - an outward appearance that is like wearing a tattoo you never wanted.

The layout of a website is also particularly important. How elements are placed and work together evokes an emotional and mostly unconscious response from an individual. We've all seen websites that made us uneasy about doing business with the owner but couldn't quite put our finger on why. Maybe the website reminded you of a garage business that wasn't completely on the up and up. And it probably wasn't!

Web marketing and how people read information online differently are essential considerations made by professional web designers. Short, concise copy and elements expertly placed to capture a visitor's attention achieves the best results from each page. Being familiar with Search Engine Optimization has become increasingly important. It is a highly professional touch that separates your website from the rest in the eyes of search engines.

Leave it to professional web designers to build your website. The cost of hiring a web designer is generally quite reasonable and worth every cent in terms of what the finished website does to enhance your business. Visitors will stay longer and return as the first impression always lasts the longest. And the impression you leave with them may prompt them to tell a friend, or two.

If you are only looking for some personal pages, you'd be better off with a blog rather than a website. Blogs are free and allow you to customize them as much as you want, while keeping a balanced design based on simple templates. They also don't require the HTML formatting that goes into web design, which is another problem with do-it-yourself websites.

So when it comes to building your own website, you'd be wise to hire a professional designer to do it for you. After all, you would hire a contractor to build your house. So think twice before you do it yourself. Then don’t.

About

Barbara Carneiro is a web designer, specialized in minimalist designs. And that's simply it...

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