To DIY or not to DIY your web presence

I find with small business clients that sometimes the technology, web apps, social media applications and copyrighting requirements can be all very overwhelming.

Technology is changing so fast and although you mention there are a number of cheaper options available, i.e. WordPress and the like to get something up and running, it really boils down to dollar-cost-averaging your time.

For example, I recently worked with an interior designer who charges her clients $150 per hour and was readily busy doing that, to appoint me to instigate and ‘tweak’ a few marketing elements of her business, was money well spent. Quite often, the amount of time, energy and application that it takes to apply oneself to learning the applications, it would be wiser to outsource it.

What I have found is one of the reasons the costs can blow out, is because of a) being able to create a clear understanding of intention and direction, b) the communication needs of what the end product is going to ‘look like’, and c) the interpretation of those by the specialist or service provider. Now that’s all I basically do – I act as an intermediary between individuals and businesses and the specialist provider.

So, in my opinion, to DIY or not to DIY… Well I would say the way to save money is to write all the copy or outline all the things you want to portray, but I would still appoint someone skilled to design the basic layout, put it all together for me and get me started, while I focussed on what I know best.