Is DIY Website Development Really Worth It? – 6 Things You’re Missing Out

Is DIY Website Development Really Worth It? - 6 Things You're Missing Out

 

Building a website is not a simple task. Anyone can learn a thing or two about website development. But for a business owner, paying a thousand pesos worth of web development service for a complete website package, with all that fancy and frills, seems like a distant marathon run if you have thin resources. This is often the case for startups and small businesses. 

 

Website development in the Philippines can be costly, making the “do-it-yourself” (DIY) avenue seem more of a go-to for starters. It may be as appealing and cost-minimal as it sounds, but it only serves as a short stopgap, especially if you need a functioning and competitive website for the long term. It makes sense to hire a specialist or a web dev agency to do the job for a cost-effective solution. But what else are you missing out on? 

 

Below are six crucial aspects you may miss out on when you choose to go the DIY route:

 

1. Unmatched Professional Design & Customization

 

The key elements of a well-designed website:
  • User-Centric Layout:
    The design should prioritize ease of navigation and functionality for users to find information quickly and engage with the content effortlessly.
  • Visual Harmony:
    A balanced combination of colors, fonts, and imagery creates visual harmony and a cohesive look.
  • Responsiveness:
    A good website adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices for a pleasant experience.
  • Optimized Performance:
    Fast-loading pages, smooth transitions, and optimized media ensure the site performs efficiently.
  • Content Balance:
    A well-designed website strikes a balance between visuals and content, ensuring that design elements support and enhance the messaging rather than distract from it.
  • Accessibility:
    A good website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
  • Modern Aesthetics:
    A visually appealing site embraces modern design trends while maintaining timeless elements.

 

The myriad of websites popping up on the internet means that new websites would not easily stand out and remain lost in the sea of options, and we all know that design is a critical factor. 

 

Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace can offer templates that are quick and easy to implement but fall short due to their limitations and restrictions at the end of the day. The number of customization and options to make your site truly shine can only be so limited and can be used by thousands of other websites.

 

Websites with a generic and subpar design tend to lose credibility and authority, mostly when based on simple templates that any site can implement. However, it goes beyond the aesthetic aspect. Your website should have a functional, fluid, and responsive design at its core to be considered “high-quality” and be able to reach more audiences. Websites with built-in tools to help you build websites can only get you so far without the help of professional web developers or agencies.

 

2. Better Security & Support

 

Common Types of Cybersecurity Threats to Websites:
  • Malware Attacks
    Malicious software that can corrupt data, steal information, or take control of the website.
  • DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service)
    Overwhelms a site with traffic, causing it to crash or become inaccessible.
  • Injections
    Attackers insert malicious code into a website's database to access or manipulate sensitive data.
  • Scripting (XSS)
    Hackers inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, often to steal data.
  • Phishing
    Websites are manipulated to steal sensitive information like passwords and credit card details through deceptive methods.
  • Force Attacks
    Automated attempts to guess login credentials through repeated trial and error, exploiting weak passwords.

 

While designing and launching a website may seem simple for some, maintaining and instilling potent security and support is a primary obstacle that often requires specialists. With the increasing rate of cybercrime threats, businesses are at enormous risk and worse—at the mercy of cybercrime groups. Hackers can easily penetrate and access sensitive data or inject malware that can be spread easily from one visitor to another. 

 

Many DIY platforms offer the most basic security measures and features to fend off, but not enough to counter more sophisticated cyberattacks and data breaches. Google can shut down your website if you fail to comply with their regulations. Professionally developed websites come with robust security protocols, including SSL certificates, firewalls, and regular updates to patch vulnerabilities, knocking off the backdoors where cybercriminals can go through that basic security measures from DIY websites cannot do. 

 

Additionally, most web dev agencies in the Philippines can offer proactive monitoring and data backup to ensure that your website remains operational and its sensitive data is secured round-the-clock, reducing the risk of breaches. Neglecting website security could lead to enormous financial damage and loss of customer trust—consequences that far outweigh the initial cost savings of a DIY site.

 

3. Advanced SEO Capabilities

 

Search engine optimization (SEO) offers the advantage of expanding your reach by boosting your online visibility on search engines like Google, which is what websites do to increase their leads. Most DIY websites tend to fall short in this aspect, lacking any capable strategies to tackle advanced SEO issues that can hinder a site’s performance and ability to rank higher on search engine results. 

 

When you build and launch your website, it’s likely and easy to overlook the SEO aspect before going live, explaining why plenty of DIY websites often suffer from poor visibility and ranking. A minuscule mistake can have a significant impact that can drive visitors away from your website and stunning organic traffic growth. Specialists can optimize site speed, user experience, mobile responsiveness, and structured data for a better search engine ranking. Alternatively, you can also engage an SEO agency in the Philippines for SEO services.

 

ALSO READ: Can SEO Really Help Your Business?

 

4. Performance & Speed

 

Speed is king. Optimizing your website’s performance is one way to reduce delay in loading information. Much research has shown from time to time that slow-loading websites or a few seconds of delays can negatively affect a visitor’s experience of your website, which can increase the bounce rate. Most DIY websites also lack access to tools to optimize loading speed since they rely on shared resources and limited bandwidth. 

 

Additionally, a fast and optimized website speed on other device platforms, such as smartphones, promotes a better positive user experience and allows your site to reach more users. Professional developers have broader access to tools and expertise in hand to enable them to build lean and optimally coded sites that ensure a faster, scalable, and overall better-performing website that can handle large volumes of traffic with well-integrated third-party applications while seamlessly accessible on multiple devices. 

 

5. Upscaled Scalability 

 

Many businesses can start a small website off the ground, but when it’s time to grow and expand, they tend to face troubles and limitations holding them back.

 

Most professionally made websites are built from the ground up with scalability in mind for long-term goals. Whether you are adding new products, expanding your business to new markets, launching a blog, etc., a custom-built website should have smooth integration and uninterrupted updates and upgrades. As your business evolves, you can add advanced features to cater to a wide range of visitors so your website can be more stable as you grow your online presence.

 

6. Ongoing Maintenance

 

Once your website is live, it doesn’t stop there. Websites require regular updates, maintenance, and troubleshooting to ensure they run smoothly and avoid downtime. When you are relying on DIY methods, you are on your own. 

 

With a professional web development agency or specialist, you are not paying for the initial build and setup of your website. You are investing in its ongoing support and avoiding future problems. After all, you don’t want to deal with a crashing website. Neglect can lead to poor site security and slow performance, causing lower visitor engagement and abysmal user experience. 

 

ALSO READ: Best Practices & Trends for Enhancing Web Maintenance (For WordPress Website)

 

Is DIY Website Development Worth It?

 

At first glance, DIY may seem an attractive option, but based on what we discussed, there are several critical aspects that you will miss, which can help you boost your site’s potential. Saving money upfront doesn’t guarantee certainty and secured long-term implications. 

 

With the competitive landscape of the business world, your competitor might be investing in a trusted website development company or expert, and you should do as well; not only does this give you a future-proof website that can compete but also bolsters your brand’s presence in the digital channel. 

 

Take your website to the next level. Contact our team of expert developers today to discuss how we can create a professional, custom website tailored to your needs.