We have listened so many small business owners say “websites are useless in social media era”, “we don’t need a professional website”, “Web design is only an expense”. Then we proceed to see their current web site and surprise! We see a Wix, Jimdo or equivalent free website in their domains. In this post we will talk about the differences and pros/cons between Professional Web Design vs Free Websites.
Are free websites of any value?
Short answer is Yes! If your business does not have a brand, a free website might be a good option for you to have your contact information online. However, we stress out the “if you don’t have a brand” part of the sentence.
A free website will not give absolutely any value to a brand, in fact it can be a setback in the brand perception. Of course there will be some exceptions when a free website can help out your brand but it will not for 98% of the business.
A brand is the center point of a business values representation. That is why business spend so much in developing healthy and valuable brands. Everything that involves your business will directly or indirectly impact your brand. And so it is very common for potential customers to make assumptions based on it!
As we have mentioned before, this is not an absolute law and there are exceptions. But most people will consider a free website as a sign that the business is “cheap”. It is not a surprise to see that nearly all consolidated businesses will in fact own a professionally developed website.
Is a professional website worth it?
Again, our short answer is Yes! However, it is important to see a website project as an investment. This means, it is necessary to set up specific goals before starting the design and development. A strategy must be planned to be able to create a website that contributes as a tool to achieve the set goals.
This is where many web designers, developers and even customers get it wrong and so end up with useless and costly websites. We ask most of our clients about their previous experiences with freelancers and agencies and only a few went through the analytical and strategic part of the process.
Therefore they end up with a tool (the website) that serves no purpose other than looking pretty for the visitors. At the moment of this post (2022) websites are no longer a pretty interface where services are detailed. A web page must also be used as a specialized tool to help you reach your business goals. Then it will be a valid investment.
