If you’ve been on the fence about whether your business needs a website, it’s time to jump off. In today’s digital age, having a company website is no longer an option – it’s a must. Every business, regardless of size or industry, needs to have an online presence to help them reach consumers, build brand awareness, and, ultimately, drive sales. And not just any website, your business needs a great one.

In 2022 over 70% of small businesses reported having a website. That’s a pretty significant jump considering that in 2018 only 50% of small businesses had websites.

When it comes to building a website- especially e-commerce-focused sites, few platforms can stand up to the price, performance, and practicality of Shopify. Marketed as the ultimate SaaS solution, Shopify has made it so that just about anyone can create a functional, high-performance website without coding skills or technical aptitude. But even with Shopify’s impressive list of intuitive drag-and-drop tools, is DIY the best way to build a website?

Building a Shopify Website

When building a Shopify store, business owners face the dilemma to hire someone or do it themselves. The DIY approach appeals to many small-shop owners as it’s the least expensive way to get a website up and running, and being hands-on with the creation provides unparalleled control over the final product.

Even when using tools as intuitive as the Shopify platform, building a website can be challenging and time-consuming. And after all the time and effort, without a little professional background in web development, UX, SEO, and content creation, there’s no guarantee the product you end up with will match your vision or perform to consumer expectations.

Performance, capability, and time are just a few reasons why, even though any can build a Shopify website, many business owners still choose to hire professional Shopify developers. Coming up, we’ll dive a little deeper into the pros and cons of DIY Shopify vs a professionally built website.

When it Makes Sense to Build Your Own Shopify Website

Let’s start by exploring cases where it may be beneficial to build your own Shopify website.

Without a doubt, dollar for dollar, building your own Shopify website is the most cost-effective option (however, the actual value of your DIY Shopify site can be tricky to measure). With plans available from just $29 a month and plenty of free themes and add-ons, the only thing you need to invest in your DIY Shopify website is your time.

Although the learning curve can be pretty steep, building your own Shopify site presents an excellent opportunity to learn a little about web development, optimizing a website for user experience, and e-commerce best practices, all of which can help you in other areas of your business. Once you’ve mastered the technical aspects of building a Shopify website, you can make changes and updates as needed without depending on a third party.

However, there are also some downsides to building your own Shopify store.

Time might be the most limiting factor when it comes to building your own Shopify website. If you are unfamiliar with the platform, be prepared to invest a significant amount of time learning how to use Shopify and building your site. Technical issues like difficulty with apps or themes, trouble loading products, or duplicate content, can be time-consuming and frustrating to deal with especially when you need to start digging into the code to repair it. Lack of skill and knowledge in web design, UX (user experience), SEO (search engine optimization), and e-commerce best practices are other major hurdles for DIY website builders. Without a background in web development, it can be extremely challenging to build a functional, professional-looking website, even with Shopify’s impressive list of tools. The only thing worse than not having a website for your business is having one that’s buggy, difficult to navigate, or not optimized for conversions.

The Benefits of Hiring Someone to Build Your Shopify Store

When it comes to building a Shopify website, the easiest, most foolproof way to do it is with the help of a professional Shopify developer. Yes, you’ll pay for the service but you’re also guaranteed to get a well-designed product complete with all the bells and whistles you’ll need to compete in a crowded online marketplace without taking time and focus away from your core efforts to build the website yourself.

Working with a Shopify developer ensures your store looks professional and is built from the ground up to attract, engage, and convert users. Shopify developers have extensive web design, UX, and SEO expertise and understand how to use these elements within the Shopify platform to maximize your shop’s exposure. What’s more, professional developers also can enhance the look and performance of your Shopify store with custom themes, integrations, and functionality that align with your brand and support your business needs.

The advantages of a professional design Shopify store are hard to dispute, especially if you do not come from a technical or marketing background. Still, there are also a few drawbacks to consider.

The cost of hiring a professional Shopify developer can be high, and these can add up quickly depending on the complexity of your website and the level of customization you require. However, it’s important to consider how an investment in a professional website will pay off in terms of improved UX, performance, features, and conversions, compared to a DIY website.

Then there’s the issue of dependence. Hiring a developer means giving up some control over the design and functionality of your store. You’ll need to trust the developer to make the right decisions and implement your vision. After the website has been completed, working with a Shopify developer can render you reliant on that provider for ongoing maintenance and updates. This is an added cost worth considering but can also be a benefit; if you ever have an issue with your website, you have professionals available to help fix it.

So, Is It Better to Work with A Shopify Developer or Build Your Site?

Building your own Shopify website undoubtedly provides a financial advantage if you have the time and some basic computer know-how. But as mentioned earlier, the cost-benefit of DIY Shopify development can be misleading.

Poorly performing websites can turn away potential customers before they’ve even had the chance to interact with your brand, and some of these shoppers may never return. A professionally designed website gives your business the tools it needs to attract, engage, and convert visitors into buyers with the peace of mind that comes with expert advice and ongoing support.

The post Hire a Pro, or Go it On Your Own: Everything You Need to Know About Building a Shopify Website appeared first on Nirvana Canada.