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Pro Web Design & “Build Your Own” Sites: The Difference

Recently, I came across an article that listed 11 of the best “build your own website” companies in the US.

After spending some time browsing the different companies, I was really impressed with the visual aesthetics that many of these websites offered! And frankly, looking from the outside in, these sites seem like the best of both worlds – beautiful, modern and CHEAP!

So why would anyone purchase a site from a professional web design company such as Mavidea? As I began thinking about the reasons, it became pretty clear what is missing from these “build your own website” companies that you can only get from a professional web design company.

Why Professional Web Design

The Difference

You own your website

The biggest and most important difference is that when you purchase a website from a pro web design company, you own the rights to your website. This means that if you decide not to do business with us anymore then you can have your site moved to a different company and work with whoever you want.

When you pay monthly for a “build your own” website, in most cases you are leasing your website.  If you decide you no longer want to work with that company, they keep your site and possibly your domain name and you have to start over….not good.

Optimized for SEO

Each website Mavidea builds has been optimized for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), meaning that when you’re ready to grow your business and scale the search rankings, you will be able to very easily optimize the content on your site for SEO. You want a beautiful website AND you want your prospects to be able to find it…

Many “build your own” sites are like a template and they don’t have the behind the scenes capabilities that a professionally built website has.  You need a site that is search engine friendly!

Support & Expertise

Many DIY projects seem like a great idea…until something goes wrong and you need a professional to fix it.  The same is true for a website! “Build your own” sites have limited support and can provide a friendly voice on the phone if you need them, but in most cases that is not enough! At least for me, I only know a handful of html…do you know html?

A professional web design company can step in and make the changes for you if it’s something that is complicated or not working properly.

Unique to You Design

The last thing you want is a website that looks just like your competitors (how embarrassing). Instead of picking from a handful of template designs, a professional web design company builds a custom website specifically for your business! And even more importantly, they have the skills and experience to build a site that is also optimized for conversions (more sales!).

Mobile Version

Studies show that 44% of traffic to google comes from mobile devices (Bank of America research). Almost half of all search engine traffic is from a mobile device – does your website have a mobile version? Is it easy to navigate? It’s important for businesses to have a mobile version of their website for mobile viewers to easily navigate. Most professional web design companies include a mobile version of your site in their packages.

Your Decision

After spending time putting my list together, it was clear to me that although a “build your own website” seems like the best, most cost-effective solution in the short-term, in many cases it’s better for your business to take the time and added expense to have your site professionally built. The good news is that many professional web design companies offer reasonable monthly pricing for web design that include support hours, making it easier and more affordable than ever to have a beautiful well performing website for your business!

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