Your website is one of the most important tools in your business. It’s where first impressions are made, relationships begin, and sales happen. So when it’s time to build or refresh your site, one big question always comes up and it’s the debate of DIY vs professional custom websites. Let’s dive into how to know which one is right for you and your business!

DIY vs Professional Custom Website

The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The DIY vs professional debate depends on your goals, your budget, your timeline, and your experience. As a branding photographer and brand coach, I’ve worked with business owners at every stage. I can confidently say, there’s a solution for everyone!

And spoiler alert: If you haven’t met Showit yet, it’s about to become your new best friend. Whether you’re going full DIY, purchasing a template, or working with a designer, Showit makes it easy to build a beautiful, functional site. The best part is that there is no coding required! It’s my trusted website partner (and I’ve got an affiliate link for you if you’re ready to check it out!).

Why I Recommend Showit for Every Level of Business

No matter where you land on the DIY vs professional spectrum, Showit is my go-to platform! It’s what I use for my own site, and what I confidently recommend to clients. Whether you’re building your first website or upgrading to a custom design, you will love Showit!

Here’s why I love it:

• It’s completely drag-and-drop (zero coding required)
• You can design mobile and desktop views separately
• It integrates with WordPress for blogging (hello, SEO!)
• The support team is amazing, and the design freedom is unmatched!
• There are also a ton of Showit templates to get your started

If you want to try out Showit FREE for 2 weeks, click here.

What To Ask Before You Decide

Since your website has such a heavy impact on your online presence, it’s important to take inventory before diving into design. This can be daunting, especially if you have never built a website before. Ask yourself questions like: Have you built a site before? Do you know what needs to be included to convert viewers to paying clients? Do you know your keywords and SEO?

Building a website, whether from the ground up or with a template, is a large project to take on. Being aware of your expertise and knowledge will help you set realistic expectations for yourself. In addition, these types of questions will help you decide if you want to go the DIY route, use a template or hire a professional.

DIY: Saving Time Or Saving Money

DIYing your website can be empowering! You’re in control of your brand visuals, your voice, and your layout. It’s budget-friendly, and for newer businesses, it can be a great way to launch without a big upfront investment. But here’s the truth: DIY takes time…a lot of it. What you save in money, you pay for in time.

Additionally, unless you’re already experienced in web design or marketing, it’s easy to overlook important elements. I’m talking about strategic calls-to-action, SEO best practices, and mobile optimization. So even if you do design your own website, you may still want a professional to audit your site as a second pair of eyes to catch what you missed.

Professional Custom Design: Done For You

Hiring a professional designer can feel like a dream, because it kind of is! They handle the design, structure, and strategy, so you can focus on your zone of genius. A custom website is tailored to your brand’s personality, speaks directly to your ideal clients, and is built with SEO, conversions, and mobile responsiveness in mind.

Of course, this comes with a higher investment. If you’re in a place where you’re scaling your business, launching something new, or need your site to match the next level of your brand. Then this option is worth every penny! You’re paying for expertise, strategy, and time saved.

The In-between: Templates

If full DIY feels overwhelming and a custom site isn’t in your budget right now, then I recommend website templates as a middle ground. Templates give you a professionally designed foundation that you can easily customize to match your brand. Especially when using a platform as intuitive as Showit!

You don’t have to start from scratch, but you still have the flexibility to tweak fonts, colors, layouts, and images. And the best part? You can launch much faster. This option is ideal for business owners who want a beautiful, effective site without the full cost or timeline of a custom build. It’s also great if you know your brand visuals and messaging, but just need help putting it all together.

There is no “right” way to build you website. When considering a DIY vs professional custom website, think more about your priorities. Time or Money? Or maybe something in between!

I can create a custom website or you can purchase a website template. Click here to book a free call to talk about your website.