Choosing the right website: DIY, template, bespoke… what's best for you?
There’s no doubt that a great website is one of the most essential (and powerful) marketing tools that you could possibly have as a dog trainer or animal behaviourist.
But, whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking for a website refresh, and find yourself confused by all the different ways that you could get your website built, this is the blog post for you!
I'm going to take a deep dive into a range of common website-build options: DIY, template (both generic and industry specific - with or without a customisation service) and bespoke (either with a handover or to include ongoing management).
I’ll explore the pros and cons and set out which type of business owner I think is best suited to each, share some top tips and introduce you to what I call the ‘Goldilocks zone’ of website options!
But before we get started, here’s a helpful visual to show how the different website models tend to fall along a price continuum. I’ll then take you through each one in turn, from left (least expensive) to right (most expensive).
DIY Websites
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) websites are often the go-to option for those who want a website on a budget. Today’s drag and drop website platforms such as Squarespace* (affiliate link) or Wix, make creating a website easy - and cheap! Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have a website that performs well for you because this is influenced by your strategy, design, navigation, copywriting and SEO - but that’s another story…
Let’s dig into the pros and cons of DIY website building.
Pros:
Cost-effective: DIY website builders are generally super affordable (the actual ‘build’ costs you nothing), making them suitable for new micro businesses and individuals with very limited budgets.
Immediate: DIY-ing (is that a word!?) your website means that you’re not reliant on anyone else so your new site could be up and running in a weekend if you put your mind to it.
Cons:
Limited expertise: Without professional guidance, you may make design, strategy, navigation or SEO mistakes that affect your site's performance, making it harder for you to (a) get found online and (b) convert website visitors into paying clients.
Time-consuming: Even though the nuts and bolts of website building is easy with a drag-and-drop editor, it can still be time-intensive, especially if you're not tech-savvy.
Best for:
A simple inexpensive option for those willing to invest time in creating their own site, the DIY approach is best suited to small start-ups with very limited budgets. It also helps if you’re comfortable with new tech, are happy to spend time researching best practice and have a good eye for design.
Not sure what to write?
If you want to DIY your website but could do with some guidance on how to structure your site and exactly what to include on each page, to help it win over your ideal clients, you should check out my online course How To Write Your Website.
Or… you might want to consider one of my industry specific website templates, which include this course for free! [See below].
Website Templates
Template websites are pre-designed sites/ collections of page layouts that you can customise to suit your needs. They are a popular choice because they take care of some of the design decisions and you can kind of visualise what your site will be like, before you build it. They’re often marketed as ‘just swap your text and images and you’re done’… but this really depends on your choice of template.
There are two types of website template:
generic
pick a design you like and then try to make it work for your businessindustry specific
designed to meet the specific needs of that kind of business
Let’s explore each of them…
Generic Website Templates
Pros:
Time saving: Website templates make the process of creating your site much quicker, as you’re not starting from scratch.
Professional design: You can benefit from a designer’s skill and experience with visually appealing layouts.
Cost effective: Templates are generally a much less expensive option than having a bespoke site created for you.
Cons:
Because they’re not built for your business, you may end up with some pages that won't work for you or that feel misaligned for this industry.
You still have to actually made the changes yourself and understand how to do it. Most (but not all) will include instructions.
Without advice on strategy, guidance on writing your website copy and imagery that suits the design, you may end up with something that actually performs no better than a DIY site.
Best For:
People who have a good understanding of website strategy and how to write compelling copy but just want some extra design inspiration, whilst still watching the pennies.
The ‘Goldilocks Zone' of website templates
Now, before we address what makes an industry specific website template a bit different, I want to point out that we’re now entering what I call the ‘Goldilocks zone’ of website design, as shown in the diagram below.
The ‘Goldilocks’ options are the ones that I think offer the best combination of affordability, expertise, strategy and ongoing independence. You’ll see why when I take you through each of them.
Industry-Specific Templates
In simple terms, industry specific website templates are designed to have all the benefits of generic templates, as well as some additional ones. Depending on the template provider and service that you choose, some of the potential downsides of generic templates are also avoided.
PROS:
All of the benefits of templates listed above (time saving, professional design and cost effectiveness) and….
Created for pet pros: Done well (see top tips below), this means that the design and structure will be well-suited to your business needs.
Easier to visualise: When the template is relevant to your industry, it’s much easier to see how/ if it would work for your business.
Possible extras: Helpful additions such as industry-specific copywriting guidance and imagery can not only save you time but also help your website to perform better. But be aware that not all industry-specific website templates come with these added extras [and yes, I’m proud to be an ‘over-deliverer’ here!]
CONS:
As with generic website templates, you still need to do the work to make it your own. If you’d prefer a done-for you approach, I offer the option to have me customise your template for you.
Best For:
People who want an affordable, well-thought-out website that they can manage themselves and feel confident about, but who don’t need (or don’t have the budget for) a fully bespoke brand and website service.
Top tips:
If you’re looking at industry-specific website templates, be sure to check that they are actually created for our industry (ie. the placeholder content, imagery, page types and site structure are all designed with this in mind), rather than just generic templates being marketed to suggest that they’re designed for dog trainers/ animal pros… yes, unfortunately, these exist! 🙄
Be sure to check out what’s included with the template because a great website is about so much more than just design. For example, my website templates include: an online course to guide you through how to structure your site and how to write great website copy, a comprehensive collection of video tutorials to show you exactly how to edit, customise and update your template and a curated library of imagery that’s free to use!
Bespoke Websites
Bespoke websites are tailor-made from scratch. They tend to come in two forms:
Design with hand-over
Once created, you’re given some form of training or support so that you know how to make changes in the future and from there, you take control. You have no further fees to pay the developer/ designer but many will be happy to help on an ad hoc basis if you need them.Design with ongoing management
The website design agreement includes ‘maintenance’ of your site on an ongoing basis. This is usually in the form of a monthly fee, payable for as long as you want to keep your website live. This fee usually includes things like hosting, tweaks to SEO and making any edits to the copy (eg. updating prices etc.).
Bespoke Websites with a Handover
Pros:
Made to measure: Bespoke websites are designed to meet your exact requirements…. and, ideally, it should be aligned to supporting your business goals.
Empowerment: You have full ownership and control of the website once it's handed over. Provided good training is included, you’ll be able to make updates when you want, without having to call on someone for help.
Done for you: Other than providing feedback and making sure that you’ve got all of the website content ready in time, you can just sit back and relax as the experts do their thing!
No contract fees: As the website is handed over to you, you’re not tied into any contract with the website developer going forward. This helps to control ongoing costs and means that you have more profit in your pocket at the end of each month.
Cons:
Higher initial investment: Custom development is time consuming and therefore can be expensive, making it potentially less accessible for some small businesses.
Longer development time: Bespoke websites often take longer to create compared to using templates or DIY builders. For example, my bespoke brand and website service usually takes around 4-6 weeks from start to finish.
Best For:
People who want a website that looks amazing and is truly designed to meet their business needs but which they will ultimately maintain control over. Particularly well-suited to perfectionists (there’s nothing quite like a bespoke design!) and those who have limited time to spend creating a website themselves but have the budget to invest (for example, people who have another job alongside their business). Also a good choice for those who have established business and therefore this task is better outsourced to someone who can do it quicker and better than if you did it yourself.
Top tips:
Ensure that you like the general style and vibe of the designer/ their previous projects. You might also want to consider whether they understand the industry too, as this can really help!
Check what else is included. For example, my bespoke package includes brand design because, without great branding, your website will never look as good as it could! You’re also given access to my online copywriting course so that you know exactly what to write for every section of every page of your new website. Other service providers may include other benefits, either as standard or as optional extras.
Ensure that you like the platform that your site will be built on - watch a few videos online to see whether it’s something you can get your head around or whether it’s super complex and overwhelming.
Check what support/ upskilling you’ll be given to learn how to use the platform yourself (for example, I include my online course with video tutorials, as well as a 1:1 handover session).
Before we take a look at the next type of website (bespoke design with ongoing management), I should point out that we’re moving out of my ‘Goldilocks’ territory here. The reasons for this type of website not being within in my ‘Goldilocks zone’ will be explored below.
Now, of course, you might be thinking that I’m pretty biased by only including the type of website services that I offer myself (industry-specific templates and bespoke designs with a handover) within my ‘Goldilocks zone’!
Well, that might be fair but the truth is, I’ve deliberately chosen to offer only these products and services because they’re the ones that I feel are the best fit for most of my clients. I could certainly earn a rather nice income by selling websites with ongoing management and probably make my life easier by selling generic templates but, as a fellow ethical animal pro, my goal has always been to create what I believe is in the best interests of my clients… so that’s what I’ve done!
Bespoke Websites with Ongoing Management
Like the previous category of website, this option is also bespoke but the difference is that it comes with ongoing management.
Pros:
As with all bespoke sites, these are ‘made to measure’ and ‘done for you’.
Ongoing hands-off approach: With your website continually taken care of, you can concentrate on other aspects of your business and you’ll never need to learn how to make changes to your site as it’s usually all included in the maintenance plan.
[In some cases there’s a lower up-front cost. Some website developers will even offer to build your site for free! This can be very appealing and may work well for some people. However, you should go into this with your eyes open and recognise it as an alternative business model. The service provider makes their money by tying you into a contract with a minimum term, designed to more than cover the cost that they would have charged if you’d paid up font and had ownership of your site with no ongoing contract. That’s totally fine if it’s the right choice for you but just be aware!].
Cons:
Higher ongoing costs: Ongoing management services inevitably come with regular fees, which add up over time. The real question is: Do you actually need what you’re paying for? Most people only make minor tweaks to their website (and don’t need extensive SEO updates) so you may not get much value out of your monthly fee. In reality, if you run a small local business, you’d likely be better off knowing how to make occasional changes to your site yourself.
Dependence on service provider: You’ll rely on the management company for updates and changes, which may limit your independence and mean that you have to wait for things to be actioned.
Lack of ownership: In many cases, the developer maintains ownership of the site and you won’t be able go move it to someone else (or decide to manage it yourself) if you want to in the future. This can lead to some people feeling very trapped as their only option is to start again from scratch.
Lack of up-skilling: Of course, this isn’t a ‘con’ for some people as they never want to have to touch their website! But if you’re someone who likes to have control of your business, not knowing how to (or being able to) do things to your website could be frustrating.
Best For:
Established enterprises, nationally/ internationally-focused businesses, e-commerce stores with complex needs, or individuals who prefer a totally hands-off approach to their website.
Top tips:
Find out about all ongoing fees, contract terms (and any hidden costs for plug-ins etc.) before making a commitment.
Don’t allow yourself to be bamboozled by things that sound fancy and complicated (like SEO) and then agree to a contract in a panic because it all sounds too hard to do yourself. In reality, what’s required for local small businesses is really quite basic. See ‘The Dog Trainer’s Guide to Getting Found Online’.
Take time to consider what you actually get for your money (initially and ongoing) vs what you actually need. Also, clarify how you will go about asking for changes and how long these take.
As with all website designers, you should also check that you like their design style, whether they understand the industry and what support you’ll get with things like branding and writing your website copy, if any.
Choosing the right type of website for your needs requires careful consideration of your budget, skills, time restrictions, business needs and long-term goals. Each option offers its own set of advantages and is suited to different situations. Good luck in choosing the best fit for you!
Is your current website working hard for you?
If you’re not sure whether your website is presenting you and your business in the best possible light, I have just the thing (… well, things!) to help.
Book a website audit
Get my eyes on your site - I’ll review your site and share a video recording for you to watch and action when it suits you. With constructive feedback and actionable advice, my website audit will show you exactly what tweaks to make, to get your website working harder for you. I’ll even provide a customised action plan to help keep you on track. Find out more here.
Purchase a website template
Fancy having a brand new website which is not only gorgeous but also strategically designed to help you win over your ideal clients, without paying for a fully bespoke design? Well, you can! My collection of website templates will help you to have a winning website, underpinned by business strategy in a fraction of the time it would take you to DIY it. Find out more here.
GO FOR THE FULL MONTY
If you’re ready to really elevate your business at every level, check out my bespoke brand and website design service. With a proven, strategic five-step process, it’s uniquely comprehensive and industry-specific, to reflect your brilliance throughout your business. With no ongoing maintenance fees and copywriting guidance included, it really is one-of-a-kind. Find out more here.
Please feel free to share this article…
READ MORE Posts like this ONE
