Your probably asking yourself, “Why should I hire a web designer?” or “What’s the point of a web designer when I can DIY it with one of those free web site builders?” Whether you’re a small business or just starting a blog, let me ensure you that hiring a professional web designer is worth it. There are several reasons you need a web designer to help you design a custom site. These are my top 5 reasons that hiring a web designer is necessary.

Custom Design

When given 15 minutes to consume content, more than 66 percent of people would prefer to see something beautifully designed versus something plain and simple. When you hire a professional designer there are several ins and outs of web development that they know to help you make the best site and to make it totally custom and beautiful for you. This can include helping to discovering weather you want to generate online sales? Will your site be for informational purposes only? Or are you looking to make a blog? Once these few questions are answered a site can be created to fit your specific needs. This way your site can truly match what you want your online presents to be. Another good point is to look at the DIY site builders since they often limit your capabilities and are usually only one page. A professional web designer is not captive to these restrictions.

Also, not only can a professional help you to match the need of your site they can customize the look and feel of your site. This includes the way the site is laid out, color scheme, navigation and mobile compatibility.  All of which are so important to the usability of a site. Users don’t want to be bombarded with crazy colors, small hard to read text or have trouble finding information. A designer can give you a beautiful, user-friendly, easy to navigate, and mobile friendly design.

New Technologies

Can we not say that enough? The internet and technology as a whole change on a daily basis. There is literally always something new. Whether it be new code, different more modern lay outs and navigation, to new marketing strategies to bring more customers to your web site. When using a web designer, you can rest assured that the site is being created with the latest technologies and according to the latest trends. This is way you are set up for success with your site. Looking again at many of the DIY site builders they will not allow video, RSS feeds, or links in your website, which can adversely affect your site. This can have a huge impact on how well your site can do.

SEO (Search Engine Optimizaton)

What is SEO? SEO is Search Engine Optimization or is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine. This is so important for websites to have and to really understand since it can literally make the difference in being found on the internet. When using a professional designer they understand how best to optimize your site and drive traffic to it through the use of SEO.

Saves Time and Money

This cannot be stressed enough. I know so many people that sit down with good intentions to make a web site on their own and get overwhelmed once they get started. With a designer this can totally be avoided saving you time, money and headache. Since designers are experienced in make websites they can truly help you design and build a user-friendly site much faster than that of a DIY builder or just trying to make a site on your own. A designer can also cut costs in the long run again since they understand and can find the best price for your site. This does not include design fees but in the end I would say design fees are worth it than the headache of stumbling through a site and not really understanding or getting a design you want.

Website Maintenance

Lastly is website maintenance. Much like the new technologies, there is a lot to keeping a website up to date. Technology is continually changing, and for websites to remain popular and successful, they must keep up with these trends. When you use a web designer they take care of this part for you that way you can really focus on what is important to your site like making the products or writing the blogs.

I can definitely say from experience that hiring a designer is so necessary. These are my top 5 reasons but there are so many more like experience, resources, and knowledge. As a designer myself I know that working with clients to create their online present is a huge burden off their shoulders since many times building a site from scratch is confusing and difficult. It also helps set your site apart from others when you can truly have something customized to your specific needs for your site.