Whether you're a small start-up or a large corporation, finding the right website for your needs is crucial for success in the online world. So let's discover which type of website is best suited for your business.
When it comes to building a website, there are three main types to consider:
- do-it-yourself (DIY) websites
- WordPress websites
- bespoke websites
DIY websites are popular among small businesses and startups due to their affordability and ease of use. With platforms like Wix and Squarespace, you can design and customise your website using pre-built templates and drag-and-drop functionality. These DIY websites are user-friendly and affordable, making them a popular option for start-ups and small businesses.
WordPress websites offer more functionality. WordPress is a blogging tool although it’s often used as a content management system (CMS) and this allows you to create and manage your website with ease. You can pick from a range of themes to customise your site's design and add WordPress plug-ins to your site to enhance its functionality.
Bespoke websites, on the other hand, are tailor-made to suit your specific requirements. These websites are built from scratch by professional web developers, ensuring a unique and high-quality design. While bespoke websites may be more expensive and time-consuming to develop, they offer a level of customisation and quality that can set your business apart from the competition.
The pros and cons of each website type
Do-it-yourself (DIY) websites, such as Wix and Squarespace, offer affordability and ease of use. The templates and drag-and-drop functionality make it simple for small businesses to create and customise their websites. However, the downside is that these websites may lack advanced features and scalability.
WordPress websites provide more flexibility and customisation options. With a wide range of themes and plugins available, you can easily design and modify your site's functionality. However, WordPress can be overwhelming for beginners and may require technical knowledge to optimise its full potential.
Bespoke websites are tailor-made to suit your specific needs and offer a unique and high-quality design. Professional web designers and developers build them from scratch, ensuring a customised solution. However, they can be more expensive and time-consuming to develop.
Breaking down complexity: turning website creation into a manageable task
Creating a website for your business may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. By breaking down the process into manageable steps, you can easily create a website that meets your business needs.
First, start by determining your website's goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve with your website? Are you looking to increase online sales, generate leads, or simply provide information about your products or services? Defining your goals will help guide the rest of the website creation process.
Next, consider your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your website? Understanding your audience will help you tailor your website's design, content, and functionality to meet their needs and preferences.
Once you have a clear idea of your goals and target audience, it's time to start planning your website's structure and layout. Consider what pages and features your website will need to effectively communicate your message and engage visitors. This could include a home page, about us page, product or service pages, contact page, and more.
After planning, it's time to start building your website. Depending on the type of website you've chosen, this could involve using a website builder, a content management system (CMS), or hiring a professional web designer.
Broadly speaking, your level of practical involvement will be very different depending on the type of website you create:
| Costs | |||||||||||
| Do-it-yourself website | WordPress website | Bespoke website | |||||||||
| Website types | |||||||||||
Key for the diagram above:
| Your financial costs | ||
| Your time costs (design) | ||
| Your time costs (content) |
So while the DIY website might, at first glance, look like the cheapest option, when you factor in the amount (and value) of your own time you’ll need to commit to the project for working on its design and creating its content, that may not actually be the case at all!
No-one can declare that one type of website is simply better than the others as it’s a case of "horses for courses”. But understanding the benefits of each type - and the time costs that come with each option - will help you to make a more considered choice when you commission your business’ next website project.
