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Pros and Cons of Using WIX & Squarespace
You need a website, why not do it yourself?
If you are on the hunt for new website design and development or a website refresh, you have undoubtedly had the thought that you can create the website yourself. This is not a crazy thought! Do a Google search for “Build your own website” and you will notice a large number of ads appear prior to the actual search results. The do-it-yourself website concept has become a very competitive space. Many online services have sprung up over the years offering browser-based tools that allow anyone — from a young entrepreneur to a retired grandpa — to create a website.
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Surprise! We do not think it is a terrible idea
To be transparent in this article, we should admit that FirstPage Marketing is a digital marketing agency. We specialize in internet marketing and a part of that is creating high performing websites. But we have a surprising perspective on the do-it-yourself website concept: it is pretty cool! Online services like Wix.com and Squarespace.com or even niche offerings, like ChurchOS.com, do provide benefits in certain situations.
Give the user the tools and they will build something
Using an online do-it-yourself website builder offers many perks. You do not need to understand the code behind your website or ever write code. With drag and drop editors you can choose from many different templates and create your website in a matter of hours. Many of these online services even offer hosting and URL management. They really are fast, easy and accessible. The concept behind it is to give you (the user) all the tools necessary to build a website.
What is custom web development and do you need it?
Just because you have a hammer does not mean you can build a house
The online editing systems offered by do-it-yourself website builders, like Wix and Squarespace, are very user-friendly. While they offer great design options and cool layouts, they are not built to fine tune a website. Websites built with Wix or Squarespace cannot be deeply customized for performance. You are limited in how much SEO customization you can do. You are limited in speed enhancements. You are usually prevented from integrating any third-party conversion tracking software like CRMs or ERPs.
At FirstPage, we know that designing a performing website takes careful planning and strategy. There are marketing goals and business goals that shape our assumptions and guide our decisions. The websites we create are custom tailored to achieve specific goals. We depend on the expertise of our creative designers, SEO experts, front end web developers, and database experts to properly build the website. We can adjust and tweak everything on the website right down to the code. We take our strategic approach on every project, from a one-page website to a complex database driven eCommerce website. Our internet marketing initiatives are created to get results.
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You need a website, should you do it yourself?
The do-it-yourself website option is a good fit for those who need (1) an economical solution, (2) want it done fast, (3) enjoy tinkering with templates, (4) want to establish their first ever online presence. But as your company grows and your Internet marketing needs mature, it is time to invest in a custom designed website tailored to your business’ objectives. We love helping during this transition. Talk to us today about growing your business through a website and other Internet marketing channels.
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