You need a website. But where do you even start? Do you try to do it yourself? Do you hire a professional? Which one? There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to getting a website created. The good news is there are tons of options out there these days. The bad news is it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is best for you.

Here is a quick guide to set you on the right track.

Start by asking yourself 3 important questions:

What do I want my website to do?

We don’t just mean what a website does for visitors, but also how you as the business owner interact with the website on the back end. The answer will tell you a lot. For example, if you only want to provide static information to the public and don’t need visitors to perform any actions, your website build will look a lot different than if you need to incorporate interactive elements or more complex functionality.  The more complex your website, the higher the cost. Depending on your needs, you may be looking at anything from paid add-ons or plugins to complex APIs or custom-developed code.

What is my budget?

Sometimes, we allow ourselves to dream much bigger than our bank accounts. We imagine all the bells and whistles until we see the cost estimate, and then we get a lot less picky. A good rule of thumb when budgeting for your website build is to start with the absolute necessary functions. What can you not live without? That’s your starting point. Everything else is gravy.

How much am I willing or able to do myself?

All other things being equal, we all have two resources to spend: time and money. The question is, which one is preferable? If you have the time, knowledge, skills, and willingness, you can build a simple site yourself. It will be much cheaper than hiring a professional, but everything from coding to compliance and maintenance will be up to you. If you can’t do those things, or you need something that’s beyond your expertise, then you’ll want to hire a professional web builder.

I want to build a site myself. Which platform do I choose?

This is where you’ll have to do a bit of research and evaluation. There are a lot of options out there, and all of them come with a set of pros and cons. Only you can decide what works best for you. A few things to consider:

• DIY template web builder services are easy to set up but will severely limit your options as far as design and functionality. They may be a good option for static websites or small e-Shops, because platforms specifically built for eCommerce (like Square) have a lot of the accounting and processing aspects already built in for you. Your website won’t be unique, but it will do what it’s supposed to.
• Self-hosted websites carry an additional hosting cost but allow for more flexibility. This can be good or bad, depending on your skill level and experience. WordPress is an industry champion because it’s easy to use and adaptable. There are a lot of plugins and add-ons available, many of them free, but some come with serious security risks, or might stop getting updates in the future. This would be a good option for those who want more control over the design of their website or need to incorporate a blog or other regularly updated content. However, it requires at least basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.
• AI is also an option (but not recommended). We include this here only because it exists. Nerd Crossing does not endorse using AI to build websites for a very practical reason: If you don’t understand how something is built, you can’t fix it if something goes wrong. AI can spit out a webpage based on a prompt. But the created page is not easily editable, requiring you to prompt again every time you want to make a minor change, and each additional prompt can complicate or break the code in unforeseen ways. The code may also come with security vulnerabilities that can put your website, your account, and your (or your visitors’) personal information at risk.

Sounds like I’m better off hiring a professional… How do I know which one is right for me?

This again comes down to research. You have a lot of options, and you need to evaluate what is most important to you. Do you care what platform your website is built on? Does it matter whether your web builder is in your area or overseas? Is cost a major factor? When choosing a vendor, always follow these common-sense steps:

1. Look up multiple options to evaluate, including small businesses, individuals, and large corporations
2. Check the services offered, and whether they include hosting and on-going support and maintenance
3. Confirm whether they provide template sites or custom builds and narrow down the results based on which you prefer
4. Look at samples of their work to see if they align with your needs
5. If possible, get references and talk to them (this may be important in industries and spaces with very specific technical or regulatory requirements, such as Special Districts)
6. Interview each vendor to see if they’re a good fit
7. Get a formal proposal or price estimate from each candidate
8. Do a side-by-side comparison

Generally speaking, you hire an individual for small projects with little-to-no support needed, and a large corporation when you need something standard and reliable but not custom. Small businesses lie somewhere in between. Because they aren’t held to corporate rules, they can offer a lot of flexibility and customization, and because they have a solid client base in a variety of industries, they have the knowledge and ability to work with you to customize your website to your needs and provide more in-depth, personalized support.