3 Reasons You Should Avoid Using a Free DIY Website Builder
When designing your own website, it can be tempting to just copy off the elements from a pre-existing template using DIY website builders like Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace. While many web design companies are handing out custom themes by the dozen, their premium features will always be out of reach unless you buy a monthly plan.
Although free website builders claim to have an all-inclusive platform to simplify the content management process, you are given a rather limited number of custom themes to choose from. The same applies to everything else in the trial version, from their menu layout options to slideshow animations.
1. A Free Website Does Not Belong to You
At some point, you’ve probably noticed the dreaded “Powered by ____” phrase in the footer, stating that the site is owned by a third-party provider. The only way around this is to buy a domain name and migrate your website to a different hosting platform. You also cannot access your backend PHP files and custom CSS stylesheets, so you will eventually run into problems like being unable to expand the functionalities of your site.
2. Lack of Options for Theme Customization
You might think it’s easier to design a functional webpage using their free drag and drop editor, but your finalized version will look no different than the thousands of small business websites that are already in place, generating a consistent amount of traffic by ranking on the SERPs. You could be locked out of advanced editing tools, widgets, and plugins necessary for creating interactive slideshows or landing pages.
3. Limited to No Customer Support
Free website builders are seldom equipped with live-chat services to address any ongoing issues you might have with your site. If the server went down one day, the security of your website could be compromised, resulting in a loss of important data such as your saved blog posts or customized forms. Forget about the lack of SEO tools to track your visitor analytics, when your website leads to an error page.
As a beginner, you’ll have to steer clear of these common mistakes when designing a DIY website:
- Improper formatting of text either from choosing a hard-to-read font or displaying walls of text
- Combining image galleries on the same page from multiple projects which creates inconsistent aesthetics
- Having a homepage with too many background images but no statements explaining what the business does
- Making overly complicated shopping cart and subscription features that intimidate potential customers
Hiring a Professional Web Designer will Pay Off in the End
For creating a new business site, you must stick to the essentials, such as figuring out how to promote your brand, how to pick a good theme for your niche, how to find your client base, and of course, how to build a web interface that would best present the value your business delivers through its high-quality products and services.
That’s why you should leave it to the professionals instead of attempting to follow a DIY website guide. Instead, you can find a reputable web design company with a full selection of web projects optimized for desktop and mobile devices. If you want to launch an online business, a paid plan is still a better and safer option.