Website Design: Three Options
A website is no longer something a business can get by without. Many smaller businesses are losing market share to their bigger e-commerce competitors. So where is the best place to start when looking into building a website?
Here are three options to consider:
DIY
There are some advantages to completely designing your own site from the ground up or with template services like WordPress. There are also some drawbacks. Designing a website from scratch or with a template gives you freedom to design a custom website. To do this, however, is a time consuming process. For a beginner, this could lead to a less than functional, or hard to navigate website. There are also security concerns to consider, like bots leaving bad reviews or password management. Keywords must be a focus for search engine optimization (SEO). Maintenance and content management would have to be handled by the designer as well. The time investment may not be optimal for the busy professional.
National Brand
There are national companies who offer user experience design, social media management and marketing services. A benefit of going this route is having an experienced partner and turn around time may be quick for the website. However, a national brand may be out of touch with the local flavor. How a brand is perceived by the local population is important. The social media engagement and site may be adequate, but not reflect the needs of a small business. The price point could be out of sync with the local economy.
Hardscrabble Solutions
Hardscrabble Solutions is a local option that is invested in Aroostook county’s success. We offer reasonable pricing and attractive design. Hardscrabble Solutions can manage websites or train businesses to take over their website and manage their own content. We know our audience, do competitive research, and work with businesses on brand perception. We also offer social media management and family-friendly co-working.
