Sure, You Can Have a DIY Website

Some photography website options from WordPress, including ones for beginners

If I was a more intense business person I wouldn't tell some potential clients that I think for what they want in a website they can do it themselves.

A do-it-yourself (DIY) website has definite advantages: you have complete control over your site; you can make it what you want it to be and obviously you save money.

Disadvantages? You are limited by your web knowledge, and the platform you use.

On that first item, you considered a web design pro because you probably don't know a lot about web design, HTML and the rest of the code and design world. But add in that second item - platforms - and you might have some help. All of the DIY sites out there (WordPress, Blogger, Wix etc.) are designed to help the amateur DIY person design a website. Most of these sites are free with options for premium features and designs.

Those DIY sites have built-in tools and help files, and there are lots of sites to help with the design. I stumbled on "Ten tips to make DIY websites look professional."

One article won't make you a designer but the tips are all valid.

In brief...

1. Use a limited color palette to avoid overwhelming visitors
2. Leave plenty of ‘white space’ to prevent cluttered pages and posts
3. Choose a legible font to ensure readability
4. Add high-quality personal photos to provide authenticity
5. Include clear navigation and search functionality to help visitors find what they need
6. Craft a well-written About page to build user trust and loyalty
7. Incorporate Call to Action (CTA) buttons to boost your conversion rate.
8. Keep your headers and footers consistent to build brand recognition
9. Prioritize mobile responsiveness to reach more users
10. Provide easy-to-use contact forms to help users get in touch

As the article concludes, saving money and taking control by designing your own site is a good idea - unless the website looks unprofessional and hurts your brand.

One last suggestion. You can go half and half on this deal. There are experienced designers (like me) who design sites using some of those DIY platforms. You get a good design and you can have the realistic option of then maintaining the site on your own. Best of both worlds.