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I recently had a conversation with a friend, who asked me if custom website design is still a good idea for businesses to invest in. With a number of DIY websites out there and the level of exposure social media provides – is traditional web design still relevant?
I thought this was a very good question – when do you want to build a custom website and when it’s actually a good idea to opt out for a do-it-yourself web design.
Can social media replace your website?
There’s no doubt, social media provides a tremendous amount of exposure and is an excellent tool to build brand reach and brand awareness, however, it’s not an owned marketing medium, as in (literally) you do not own the platform, so you don’t have full control over it. As for your website – you control it completely. If you have visitors coming to the website – you are in charge of what kind of user experience they have when they interact with your brand online, on your website.
Fresh Tip: Use social media to reach new customers (brand awareness) and to interact with your existing customers (brand loyalty), but always drive traffic to your website, to fine-tune brand experience.
Can DIY websites be better than custom website design?
Depends on what we mean by “better.” It’s definitely a quicker option to get your business up and running online, but it’s not the best long-term solution. While this option is usually SEO-friendly (search engine optimization), these websites do not provide a robust edge against your competition, if they have a custom, optimized website. So, if you are hoping to get new traffic and get your brand found online, a DIY website would not be your best option. On the other hand, if your industry is niche and your sales process is direct to the customer (involving a lot of nurturing and educating) then a templated, simple website design could be a good option as you grow your business.
Fresh Tip: Decide on your goals and your expectations from your website. Are you hoping to get lots of traffic from Google, or is the purpose of your website to be a “business card” option for people to learn more about the business after you reach out to them?
There you have it – social media and crowdsourced marketing are amazing tools that lower barriers to entry for small businesses, as long as you are clear on your expectations from these platforms.
Happy marketing!
P.S. Are you wondering if your website provides the level of support you hope for? Give our marketing agency in Vancouver a call, or stop by – we always have chocolate! 🙂