Website builder or Website developer?

Websites are now the window for customers to see who businesses are. To find local businesses, the internet plays a major component. About 90% of customers say that when looking for local businesses the internet plays a huge role. Besides social media, a great way for customers to get all the information they need about a business is a website, but according to GoDaddy, 51% of Canadian small businesses do not have one. With Alberta being in lockdown, websites are more important than ever. Though, the ultimate dilemma when deciding on building your website is whether you should do it yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.

Advertisements from Wix, Squarespace, and other website builder platforms claim that to use their template website builder for your business, whether that may be an e-commerce store, freelancing, or a restaurant. On the other hand, website developers are equipped with the knowledge to develop an online website and save business owners time. With this in mind, what really is the best choice for business owners?

Here is the secret, it is all dependent on a business’ needs whether they choose to go with website developers or a website builder. To break this down further, you should consider 3 aspects when making your decision.

Are you ready for Time Commitment?

When running a business there are a lot of moving parts. So it’s important to ask yourself how much time you will be able to commit. Although advertisements for website builders say that it is super easy to create a website with them, in reality, nothing is really easy. You would still have to familiarize yourself with your platform. If building websites is something you are not too familiar with or you are not too tech-savvy, then you have to factor in the time to learn.

If the time commitment to learn and do it yourself might not be something you think fits for you, then a website developer may be the way to go. By hiring a website developer you are able to use your time to further grow your business. You would just have to meet with the website developer and work with them to develop your website how you want it.

Your Product Offering

If you need a website just so that your business is more searchable for your customers online, it may be to see what your business is about, how to contact you, or your portfolio. A website builder may be a good option. A website builder works really well if you just need something to start you off. It is best for simple solutions. Though, if your website is an important component to your business product offering, hiring a website developer is the best option. It would allow you to build a more complex website that better fits your brand than a cookie-cutter website builder template. A website developer can add specific functions to fit your needs like a chatbot to help visitors on-site or a more complex eCommerce store.

Budget For Website Design

When making these decisions, it all comes down to money and how much you can spend on a website as a small business owner in North America. Typically, website builders are cheaper than hiring a website developer in countries like Canada or the USA, but there are instances where it is the opposite. Website builders typically have a monthly subscription for their services. While website developers are typically a one-off service, some offer continuous support after the initial design on a subscription basis as well. Some people start out on these website builder platforms and as they grow they need more features and complexity to their website to better suit their business.
Overall, the rule of thumb is the more complex the solution, the more you need a website developer to help you. At Let’s Nurture, we design websites specifically made for small businesses and small-medium enterprises. Our team of passionate website developers will be able to work with you step by step to help deliver you the website that suits your business’s brand and needs.

Currently, we have an affordable starter website package. Learn more about our website design package and contact us!