At some point over the last ten years or so, it has become understood that if you have any type of business, you also need a website to promote your business. Hiring a web designer can be a difficult – and expensive – endeavor that’s not always necessary, which is why today we’ve created this blogpost to help you decide if switching to an all-in-one website hosting service is the right move for you.
What is an “all-in-one” website hosting service?
There are several different levels of website hosting services: some, like GoDaddy.com simply offer a way to purchase a domain name, but still require the use of a web developer to create a website. The website hosting services we’re going to talk about today, like Squarespace and Weebly, offer all-in-one solutions for both hosting and building a customizable website. Now, an all in one solution isn’t necessarily right for everyone – some people prefer a developer they can work to create a unique web experience.
You’re paying a high amount.
Unless you’re actually selling products on your website, it shouldn’t be a money suck. All-in-one website hosting sites like Squarespace are as inexpensive as $12/month, and offer quality design elements that will help you represent your business. Going the pure custom route can cost thousands to develop initially–plus a fee for hosting.
You can’t easily update your website.
It’s critically important that your website remains accurate and up to date – there’s no faster way to lose potential clients than offering incorrect pricing or pictures of work from a decade ago. If you are currently working with a website that is difficult for you to update by yourself, it may be time to consider switching to a website hosting service. All-In-One website hosting services are designed to be constantly updated, without hassle or stress.
Your website isn’t visually appealing.
Having a visually appealing website is just as important as having up-to-date, accurate information. Think of your website as an interactive informative picture book that tells the story of your business, and remember: a picture book that’s not visually appealing is simply a waste of a good story. The best thing about a website hosting service is that you can pick your favorite format, and upload your images: easy, peezy.
Your website isn’t user-friendly.
There are benefits of living in the information age, but patience and a long attention span isn’t one of them. If your website isn’t easy for users to navigate or doesn’t flow well, potential clients aren’t going to struggle on in order to see what you have to offer: they’re going to move on, and quickly, to someone else. Try to look at your website with fresh eyes: what sticks out and what gets lost in the shuffle? Is your website making your work shine? If not, it may be time to try something new.
Your website isn’t search engine optimized.
While search engine optimization (SEO) can be complicated, you don’t necessarily need a developer to make sure that you’re following the basic rules of optimization. Website hosting services will give you basic guidelines and helpful instructions on how to make sure your website is optimized, whether that means informing you that your latest blogpost title is too long, or helping you pinpoint what terms you’re overusing in your web copy.
Takeaways
Having a great website is crucial to your business, but it shouldn’t be something that causes you a lot of stress. Using a website hosting service like SquareSpace or Weebly takes the pressure off, so you can focus on running your business. Ask yourself the following questions, and if the answer is “no” – you should consider switching to a website hosting service:
- Is my website cost efficient?
- Is it easy to keep my website updated?
- Is my website’s visual design appealing?
- Is my website easy to navigate?
- Is my website search engine optimized?
