In 2024, a website is pretty much a prerequisite for a viable business, from sole traders just getting started to large multinationals. This article covers the best ways to get yours up and running as you start your company.
A couple of points before we delve into how to get your site built:
This might sound obvious but before you get started, it’s important to think about why you want a website. Write a project brief, even if you plan to build the site yourself.
Don’t forget the hidden pieces of work. For example:
Buying and connecting your domain name to your website.
Setting up your SSL certificate (most browsers block you from visiting sites that don’t have https).
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Websites can be fine-tuned so that they’re more likely to rank higher on search engines like Google.
Connecting an associated email – you’ll need one!
As you consider your options, you’ll want to consider trade-offs between upfront cost, quality, effort on your end, and ongoing maintenance.
Typically, paying a bit more at the beginning will result in a higher-quality product. But remember to consider the ongoing costs of keeping your product working.
These are the three routes you might want to consider:
Do-It-Yourself
There are plenty of options to create great websites yourself. This article has a useful comparison of the benefits of the various DIY platforms.
Platforms like Squarespace, WordPress, WiX, and others have numerous templates you can choose from so you don’t have to design the site from scratch. Plus, they offer a drag-and-drop design system that lets you easily decide how you want the site to look.
The easiest and cheapest option is Google Sites, although it offers limited customisability. Other platforms offer more flexibility but do have a steeper learning curve. Most offer a free trial, so you can always play around before making a firm decision.
Always refer back to your brief – what do you need the site for? If you’re creating a landing page for a newsletter, for example, you could consider Beehiiv or Substack, which are tailored to newsletter creation.
Remember the hidden pieces of work (above) – if you’re going DIY, you’ll need to do these yourself.
Hire a freelancer
For simple websites, freelancers are going to do pretty much the same thing you would yourself. But this is their bread-and-butter – so they’re going to do it quickly and the quality should be better than what you can do yourself.
But they are pros – so if you want more customisation, they should be able to offer it. Plus, they can handle all the required ancillary work – your domain name, SSL, SEO, email, etc.
The main downside here is the additional cost – paying for the freelancer’s time.
There are loads of great freelancers out there. Good places to start looking for them are sites like Upwork or Fiverr – you can see a huge range of prices, with a handy rating and review system to assess quality.
That said, pretty much anyone can sign up to these sites, so make sure you really do your due diligence on anyone you want to engage.
It’s also worth considering a matchmaking site like Squire. Squire vets all the freelancers on the platform to ensure high quality. It also looks at the details of your project and your industry, using AI to match you with the right freelancers.
Finally, make sure to talk with your freelancer about how much upkeep the site will require and how much it will cost you.
Hire an agency
If you have a bit more of a budget and/or need a slightly more complex site, you might want to consider using an agency.
Agencies typically have a diverse set of skills in-house that they can utilise for your project, meaning they should be able to cover more complex pieces of work (like integrations with other sites for example).
They’ll also take care of all those hidden pieces of work (so long as you make it clear in your brief).
That said, agencies will cost you that bit more than freelancers. It’s not always a marked difference though, and some agencies offer standard packages, so it’s always worth looking around.
How do you find one? It sounds obvious, but start by Googling it! This is particularly important if you’re looking for agencies geographically close to you.
For something a bit more bespoke, try Squire’s free matchmaking tool – all the agencies on the site are vetted by their team of technology veterans, and their algorithm considers the details of your project to find you appropriate matches.
It’s also worth checking out directory sites like Clutch and The Manifest. They’re comprehensive and you can read reviews of previous clients. That said, these sites have lots of paid listings, so can be difficult to navigate.
About Henry Seabright & Squire
Henry Seabright runs Product at Digital Diligence, a boutique tech consulting service that helps startups and investors maximise the value of their technology. Squire is Digital Diligence’s free matchmaking tool, which uses AI to help companies find vetted freelancers and agencies with experience in their industry.
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