Can I be bothered? Who needs a website?

As someone who is technologically challenged it would be very easy for me to look for the downsides of getting a website. Computers have been my nemesis for a long time but I’m finding it increasingly difficult to continue to turn a blind eye to the internet. Perhaps its time to get my digital business card surfing the waves of the web get my name out there.

So, (thanks to this assignment) I will pull my head out of the sand and do some serious adulting as I now explore the pros and cons of a website and face down that intimidating screen of frustration which has taunted me for so long.

I’ll begin with the cons, hopefully they will talk me out of this digital pathway into the unknown.

Where do I begin?

SEO’s, domain names, hosting? My first con has much to do with my incompetence. But as seemingly insignificant it may appear it is a big hurdle. I have no idea where to start. Even with a wix site it can take time to familiarise yourself with the controls and how things work. However, there are tools available to assist in these areas so it can be done, it will just take time and research to get going, which leads into my next point.

Time

Do I have enough time to set up my own website? According to elegant themes it can take a few days just to familiarise yourself with the site but building the actual website can take months. Months is a little intimidating, but, if I prioritize and use the pockets of time dotted around my life, I could scrape together the few months it could potentially take.

Can I make a good enough site?

According to wix there are seven stages to creating a professional website: strategize your brand, approach the design, prioritize usability, prepare for search engines, professionalise your site, go mobile and keep visitors engaged. (Wix Blog, 2020) l’ll be honest, I have no idea what any of that means. If I don’t do a good job with the website and it looks bad or it crashes or is difficult to navigate that will not only loose me business but will be embarrassing. Perhaps its better to pay a professional.

Cost

Starting prices £250, erm, I’m a student. If prices start at 250 then that’s just a basic site. The numbers are infinite from there, however, in business investment is important. Perhaps start small and as business grows invest profits into improving the site.

Feedback

People can leave bad feedback about you, I guess they could do that anyway but I don’t want the world to know if I messed up. If someone has a bad experience and posts it all over the internet that could potentially be very damaging.

PROS

Moving with the times

Business is changing, if I don’t keep up I will get left behind. According to the company warehouse, in September 2010 there were 227, 225, 642 websites online (Keane Creative, 2020). In 2013 it grew from 630 million to 850 million. And in 2016 the number grew from 900 million to 1.7 Billion! (Internet Live Stats, 2020). The world of the website is exploding. If I want to stay current, I need to move with the times, lest I be forgotten and left in a poor, computerless world.

More money,

In august of 2010 internet sales were up £473 million pounds! (retail sales statistical bulletin). Is business not ultimately about making money? I can’t argue with these figures.

A picture paints a thousand words

A properly done website gives the opportunity to not only show my work but paint a picture of who I am and what I’m about. With the right help I can weave myself through the pages of my site through art and text.

If you want to make a catch then you need to spread your net, the bigger the net the bigger the potential catch and what better net could there be than the internet which has the attention of the world? This net has the potential to make the business come to you. How great for a fisherman if the fish were knocking on his door and offering themselves to them? Essentially, it’s an opportunity I can no longer ignore. The website is the newest in the line of marketing evolution. I need to stop hiding away from the unknown and cast my net.

745 words

Bibliography

Keane Creative (2020) Wordpress or Bespoke Website and why should we bothered which? Available at: https://keanecreative.co.uk/blog/article/wordpress-or-bespoke-website-and-why-should-we-be-bothered-which (Accessed: 21 October 2020).

Wix Blog (no date) Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create a Professional Website. Available at: https://www.wix.com/blog/2016/06/how-to-create-website-step-by-step-guide (Accessed: 21 October 2020).

Internet Live Stats (2020) Total number of Websites — Internet Live Stats. Available at: https://www.internetlivestats.com/total-number-of-websites/ (Accessed: 18 October 2020).

Keane Creative (2020) Wordpress or Bespoke Website and why should we bothered which? Available at: https://keanecreative.co.uk/blog/article/wordpress-or-bespoke-website-and-why-should-we-be-bothered-which (Accessed: 20 October 2020).

Wix Blog (no date) Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create a Professional Website. Available at: https://www.wix.com/blog/2016/06/how-to-create-website-step-by-step-guide (Accessed: 19 October 2020).