5 Reasons You Shouldn't Hire Your Buddy to Build Your Website

1. Lack of Professional Expertise

Let's be honest - your buddy, nephew, etc. very well could have seen online that building a website isn't that complicated, right? Well, admittedly, web design has come a LONG way since the .com era of coding. No longer are web "developers" pumping out code that only experts can read (at least most aren't). These days, commercials are everywhere for companies like Wix or Squarespace touting how it's so easy, business owners can just build their own website themselves! Sounds appealing and like a pretty good bargain, right? Well, if you're tech savvy enough, maybe... but there's still quite a bit of know-how that goes into making a website both look good and actually perform.

According to Forbes, there's over 1 billion websites in existence - that's a lot to compete with. Will Joe down the road who started his HVAC business yesterday and clicked a few buttons on Wix for a DIY website rank #1 on Google search just because he put it online? Don't count it. There's a lot more that goes into a website than just adding an "About My Business" section.

I mean, there's a list of things I could do for my uncle by just watching a YouTube video, right?

• Installing him a fence
• Cutting down a tree on his property
• Replacing his HVAC unit
• New hardwood flooring in the living room...

But how likely am I to do a hack job? Very. Anyone can technically build a website just like anyone can technically build a fence or re-floor a home. But there are clear experts in the field for a reason, and the experience matters.

So, when I help businesses, I ensure that Google's algorithm is happy so that a business will actually show up for local search results. I also ensure that any time someone visits the website, leads can send in their information directly to the business owner's email, ensuring that your website works for you instead of sitting there idle. And there's a lot more I could get into, but that's for another conversation.

2. Potential Strain on Family/Friendship

Ahh... business and family. Family and business.

Nothing makes Thanksgiving dinner more interesting than the side eye from your nephew that can't figure out why your website is showing "404 error" and 30 customers have already seen it.

That's good enough for this section.

3. Limited Accountability

Ahh... deadlines. They make the business world go round (kinda).

Deadlines aren't always fun - but any business owner knows that deadlines often keep the business turning, making it possible to take on more business in the future. Obviously without deadlines, projects would go on forever without much incentive.

But a nephew? A friend's son who knows a thing or two about tech? Their idea of deadlines may not align. If they aren't incentivized to get things done in a timely manner, it may take a while to get edits, a completed website, or anything for that matter, if it gets done at all.

Professional designers who operate under contractual agreements with defined deliverables and timelines have levels of accountability built in, along with quality standards. A friend or family member may not feel the same level of accountability to meet deadlines or maintain quality standards.

4. Limited Resources

Once again, it's one thing to be able to follow a prompt on Wix and hit "publish" on a website. It's an entirely different thing to do proper keyword research, implement local search engine optimization, ensure your website meets Google's demands, and everything else that comes with years of experience building websites.

In many web design businesses such as my own, the goal is two fold: a stunning website that is more professional than the competition, and strategic content that performs better than the competition. Without these two things, there aren't results. And without results, there's no business.

If you'd like to learn more about how we build websites for our local home service businesses like HVAC technicians, fence companies, electricians, roofers, and more, click here to get in touch.

5. Future Support and Maintenance

Lastly, when it comes to family or friends building your website that aren't actually passionate about web design, they must understand that websites are living and breathing. Websites aren't "one and done" and never touch again. What happens when you add a new location? What happens when Google thinks your competitor is more active on their website and that they should be ranked above you? What happens if you open your website one day and it's down?

Whether you decide to work on a monthly subscription basis or hire your web developer for several hours per month, ongoing website updates are a must in our day and age. Everything online these days is about pleasing algorithms. And Google's algorithm knows when you update your website, thus giving you boosts in your ranking. So having a long term plan is crucial to your website's success.

Conclusion

If you're a small local business looking to have a home service website built, I personally recommend spending a little more on someone that knows what they're doing. Sure, web builders are easy these days, but there's still a LOT that goes into making Google happy that a DIY Wix site built on a Saturday to save money isn't going to have. This is your website - it'll be online for all of your current and future customers to see. It's your reputation. And it'll be online for years to come. Why not do it right? Too often, people will get their nephew or friend who's just "interested" in "tech-y stuff" and they end up regretting it. Maybe if they design a good flyer for you, and a good brochure that turns out well, then you can hand them the keys to something as permanent and important as your website.

If you're interested in learning more about how Ward Brother Digital can help your local business look professional and get found on Google, just simply fill out this form - I look forward to chatting with you!

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