Companies looking for new products or services to improve their internet presence can spend quite a bit of time trying to find the right solution. And, they will do everything in their power to find the most suitable solution. Here are four of the most common options for companies considering upgrading their website:
Staying put
Surprisingly, a substantial amount of small companies don’t have a company website. So you may ask yourself: Do I actually need a website? It’s undeniable that a better-managed online presence requires time, effort and MONEY, so you may simply decide it’s not worth it.
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| Since there’s no money involved and your daily business operations remain untouched, there are no headaches to deal with. | There’s a chance that you’ll be losing business to competitors who do have a prominent Internet presence. Since getting in touch with you will be more difficult and they’ll have less information about you. |
DIY approach
Since creating and managing your own website isn’t too much of a hassle – why not do it yourself?
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| Costs are low and fixed, and you won’t have to fuss over which vendors or agencies to work with. Best of all, you’ll have total control over the entire process. | You’ll have to invest time in with the DIY Content Management System (CMS), and professional results require a proficiency with tools such as Adobe Photoshop, HTML and CSS. This might potentially distract you from managing other aspects of your business. |
Customized website design and development
The most popular go-to resource for small businesses looking to establish a professional website is to work with a website development company.
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| Through customized solutions, both corporate and technical aspects can be met. Working with designers would allow for your website to standout with a unique and modern design. Lastly, by outsourcing this project to an external party, you’ll be given total control of the website’s functions. | It is the priciest option (ranging anywhere between $5,000 – $25,000), preventing you from accurately estimating budgets. At the lower end of the spectrum, full-service won’t be guaranteed, meaning that you might need to hire more people. Despite having project managers, you’ll also have to attend meetings and constantly keep an eye on how everything is progressing. After completion, you’ll have to be responsible for keeping the site up-to-date. |
Industry-specific agencies
Like many other companies, Pronto delivers a full-service experience that simplifies the process of enhancing your business’s online presence without breaking the bank. While other agencies might focus on one particular industry, Pronto caters to a variety of businesses and organizations. These agencies normally provide all the necessary elements for an effective online presence from start-to-finish — including ongoing support and managed updates. Where some, if not all, of these services are provided on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Advantage |
Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| The full-service package covers everything from domain hosting, homepage design, inner page content creation, all the way to support services after completing the site. Updates and maintenance are also taken care of, all available at a low, fixed cost. | This isn’t a full-service marketing agency, meaning that all of your custom requirements might not be met and website templates might not be fully customizable. Long contracts might also be involved, so it’s always good to ask in advance. |
There isn’t a one-size fits all approach. Each individual business has to take into consideration their needs and requirements to ensure that they are properly represented online. After choosing which website model best suits you and your business, the next step is ongoing maintenance and scheduled upgrades.. There’s no point in buying a new car if you aren’t going to take proper care of it.
Ensuring that your website is operating at its optimum marketing potential requires an eye for detail and knowledge of what features to capitalize on to stay ahead of the competition. Like everything else online, the standards and best practices for website design and development are constantly changing. We’ve developed our Phoenix platform to put you right at the forefront of the best web design practices while maintaining the flexibility required for making adjustments and updates in the long-run.
Phoenix gives you a website that shines online by combining homepages that tell your business’ story with a mobile responsive design. By neglecting your website, before you know it, there’ll be nothing left but dust and cobwebs — rise from flames and spread your wings!
