As a small business owner, it's understandable that you would want to handle everything by yourself. After all, you built your store or company from the ground up. You know every detail about it, so naturally you would just create your own website. There are ads on television all the time about free or very inexpensive do-it-yourself websites and you may have considered creating one of your own. 

It's really not the best idea, and here's why: 

  • It may negatively affect your brand – Many consumers judge businesses solely on the look of their websites. Unless you have professional-level skills in web design, it's unlikely that anything you create will look like a site done by a web design firm. When viewers don't like what they see, they'll move on to the next page. 
  • Maintenance is time-consuming – Making a basic website is not the end of your work. You'll need to update the pages with new information and if you are working on any search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, your content needs to be in line with current trends. You may want to consider outsourcing this work to an internet marketing service
  • Some sites can't be customized – DIY website companies tend to offer a limited selection of design elements and layouts. It's also possible that these sites aren't optimized for mobile devices. In the age of smartphones and tablets, responsive design is a must. 

Increasing your web presence and reaching an audience in a more effective way is not something that small business owners have to do alone. Partnering with a local online marketing firm like KeyMedia Solutions may be beneficial.