Can I build my own website?

At one time the only options for website construction were to use very technical tools that you would have needed extensive training to master.  Finding a server on which to host a site was also a daunting process.  Things are much easier now, but they are not completely straightforward, and, as with most things, you get what you pay for.  The answer is yes, you can build your own site, but you need to be aware of the pitfalls and the alternatives.

There are companies that offer a complete package of a domain and tools that allow you to create your own site using standard templates.  You can enter headings and text, drag and drop images and set up simple menu structures.  This is relatively easy if you are used to computers and can get you a simple site very quickly.  It has a number of disadvantages though.   Templates are by definition formulaic and give you limited choices as to the look and feel of your site.  The domain is often a generic one rather than a name that reflects your business, and this lis not good for your image.  Although the initial setup may be cheap, the ongoing costs can be more than with other options.  If you want to make your site more sophisticated later, there may be no way to do it.  A site like this is unlikely to get high rankings in Google or the other search engines.

At the other end of the scale are well established and professional companies that will develop an almost entirely custom-built solution for you.  If the company is good, this can result in a stunning site that uses all the latest techniques.  These companies will often be expert in Search Engine Optimaisation and will get you a good ranking in Google.  The downside is the cost.  A company that works in this way will inevitably be at the top end of the pricing scale and anything but a very simple static site will be very expensive.

Fortunately these two extremes are not the only options.  A trend has developed over the last few years towards software packages, some commercial and some open source (i.e. free), which provide ways to develop websites without the need for complex programming or in-depth technical knowledge.  That is not to say they are simplistic or that anyone can use them without some training, but they provide a short-cut to high quality websites, and like all short-cuts they save time and money.  Even professional web developers of the type mentioned above are increasingly using packages such as these to speed up their work.

Perhaps surprisingly it is the open source packages that are the most successful.  A lot of peple still believe in the original free and collaborative nature of the Internet and will join informal groups of developers to build software that is then provided for all to use without charge. To those brought up on a commercial model of software development this can seem risky and unprofessional.  In practice though, the dedication of the people involved and the large numbers who collaborate, as well as the accessibility of the source code, means that the software is often more stable than that of commercial rivals and far less likely to become obsolete.  It also attracts additions and extensions which add to its functionality.

The result of this is that many smaller companies - including us - can produce high quality websites very cheaply.

Could you master this type of software and produce your own website?  If you have better than average computer literacy you could.  Packages like Wordpress and Joomla give you that option, and there are books and online training videos to help.  However - and this is the crucial point for you to consider - it will take a lot of effort and the acquisition a diverse set of skill before you can produce a professional looking site, and it may be much simpler and more cost effective to employ a web design company like ours to to do it for you.