Do I Need a Website?

Heck no! ...well... only if you're selling a product... service... or have a noble cause or need a blog or online portfolio - you know what? I'll change my answer, you likely do need one and I'm sure you can think of other reasons for having an online presence.

"What about social media though? Can't I just use Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to get my views, product or service out there?" Well, you can but that comes with certain caveats. The biggest reason being that content uploaded on these platforms don't really belong to you. Everything is subject to the terms and condition of that particular social media site... and if they don't agree with your content, they can take it down at will. That could mean removal of a post which was a source or revenue to you. Social media can (and should) be part of your online strategy, but you should always be in control of the content you create. Hence the need for your very own site.

Okay, so you've realized the value of a website...where do you start though? Well first you need to figure out what type of platform you need to get up an running. It's entirely possible to code a website from scratch, but unless you need some serious custom work done, you are likely better off with an open source, Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress. Without getting technical... WordPress gives you the building blocks needed to create your website. Now your site can be built on top of that platform by a capable W.P. Developer.

What about D.I.Y. Website Builders? Sure, they allow you to create a website with ease but they will charge you a subscription fee. Also, to a lesser extent you are still bound by their rules as they are hosting your content. Not to mention their free starter plans usually come with their large, intrusive logo on your website. Thus you still end up 'paying' by advertising for them. Ultimately, that approach looks unprofessional.

Another issue with D.I.Y. website builders is functionality. You just don't have the flexibility to create the exact website you want. Conversely, WordPress has a large ecosystem of plugins that can extent the functionality of your website.

When you're now starting out with a website you may have 1 or 2 ideas to implement like a blog or image gallery that a D.I.Y. website builder can achieve... but what tends to happen is, in a few months to a year, you will eventually think of some must-have feature to improve visibility and profits. However, the restrictions of your D.I.Y. 'solution' just won't allow those tweaks. This is the part of the journey where you would usually come across WordPress powered websites. Sadly, in order to switch you would have to rebuild your entire website! So why not just use a more flexible platform right from the start? If you already took the D.I.Y. route, don't worry, I can help rebuild your site.

Having your very own website for e-commerce (or otherwise) was always prudent. Now with the restriction of movement due to the global pandemic, owning a website makes all the more sense. If you see the need to create or improve your online presence get in touch! I'll be happy to help.