You are thinking about starting your own WordPress website, but you’re facing a dilemma. Do I need to hire a developer, or should I just figure it out on my own?
Whether you hire a WordPress expert or take it on yourself will depend on your situation, technical knowledge, and the complexity of your project. The goal of this article is to put you on the right path so you’ll be able to make the best choice for you.
Do it yourself vs hiring a WordPress developer
| Do It Yourself | Hire a Web Developer |
| Budget needed: $0 – $300 | Budget needed: $1000 + |
| Basic understanding of WordPress and hosting servers required. | No technical knowledge required. |
| Website built on a pre-built theme. | Website uniquely built to match your brand and wishes. |
| Additional functionalities require use of plugins. | Additional functionalities can be custom made. |
| Basic websites only. | Complex websites with lots of features. |
| Hard to improve security and page speed. | Security and page speed optimization. |
| Requires lots of time and effort. | Requires almost no time on your part. |
The Advantages of DIY
WordPress is one of the most beginner-friendly Content Management Systems (CMS) on the market. To set up a website, you only need to install the core software on a hosting server (WordPress installation), choose a pre-built theme from thousands available on WordPress.org, and extend its functionalities with a few plugins.
WordPress is open-source and is free. There is also a wide selection of free themes and plugins you can use for your site. So the most obvious and probably the only real advantage of doing it yourself is money. It will only cost you your time or perhaps a few bucks if you go for premium themes and plugins.
The Advantages of Hiring a WordPress Developer
Being a professional developer myself, I can tell you that there are certain things that a developer can do that you won’t be able to without advanced programming skills. Here is just a handful of reasons why hiring an expert might be a better option for you.
1. 100% Customization
Building a unique looking website that fits your brand is very important these days, and you won’t be able to achieve that on your own. Popular pre-built themes and page builders will make your website look like thousands of others on the web. On the other hand, a developer can fully customize the front end – what your visitors see – of your website, change its layout and style it to make it one of a kind.
You’ll also get features developed for your unique needs – like a custom-built contact form, newsletter subscription, video embedding, social media sharing solutions, etc.
2. Configuration of the back end – WordPress admin panel
A website is not just what your visitors see. A lot of the magic happens behind the scenes – in the content management system. Tailoring it to your publishing requirements can save you a lot of time and effort when writing or editing content.
3. Security
Security is another very important aspect you’ll have to consider, especially if your website collects and stores sensitive data.
WordPress is very secure in its core. However, to build a functioning website, you will also need to install a theme and plugins. These can represent security issues, particularly if they are not updated regularly.
A good developer will avoid the use of unnecessary plugins and instead provide custom solutions in your theme. It’s also very likely they are much more familiar with the plugins and will pick the best ones for your case.
4. Page speed optimization
Packing your website with countless plugins and unnecessary code will slow it down considerably. A developer will solve this by using fewer plugins and write custom code to achieve the required functionalities instead.
5. Technical Support
Installing and updating plugins, themes, and WordPress core software may cause unexpected technical problems, downtime, and sometimes even break the whole website. All of these issues can be annoying for your visitors and very complex to resolve. A developer will fix them for you in the shortest amount of time.
Conclusion
Even though you can certainly do it on your own, hiring a professional will often be the best option. A custom-designed and built website will stand out from the crowd, improve the experience for your visitors, and help you achieve your goals. For complex websites with many visitors or websites that store sensitive data, hiring an expert is a must.
Are you thinking about creating your own website? Do you need any advice? Leave a comment below or contact us here.
