Is it worth hiring a web designer for your author website?
Let’s be honest. My services are not cheap. They were, when I started out, and I was building my portfolio and experience, but they have increased as my knowledge has increased, and I’m pretty happy with the level that they’re at now.
I don’t plan to raise my prices further any time soon. But I’m not going to reduce them either. I genuinely believe they reflect the value that I offer my clients, and the service they receive.
I know that choosing to hire a web designer to build your author website is not an easy decision. It’s an investment, and often a significant one too.
And, surprising though it may sound, I actually don’t think it’s always worth hiring a web designer to build your author website for you.
First of all, let me reassure you that it’s perfectly possible and (relatively) easy these days to build your own website!
There are a myriad options available.
Squarespace is obviously my platform of choice, but there are also similar website builders such as Wix and Weebly, and anyone can teach themselves how to build a simple site using their software.
As a sidenote, I’d like to point out here that I don’t recommend using Wordpress to build your author website – unless you’re really very tech savvy and keen (in which case you probably don’t need to read this post anyway!).
I outline why I don’t recommend Wordpress for authors in more detail here.
Many years ago, I built my very first website without any help – just using stuff I found out online. There’s a ton of info and advice out there if you’re willing to sit and Google. I was completely self-taught up until a few years ago, when I decided to invest in a proper web design course, but I still keep my knowledge topped up by constant googling, chatting to other developers in forums etc, following useful social media feeds etc…
So yes, you absolutely can do it yourself and there are plenty of resources on the internet freely available to help you do so.
I actually really enjoy working with authors who have taken time to build their own sites and just want a little bit of help with some last finishing touches, or the reassurance that they haven’t missed anything vital. There’s a real sense of achievement that comes from taking ownership of your website and your online presence!
However, it’s absolutely not for everyone.
And there are times when I think it’s 100% worth making an investment and paying someone to take care of your website for you.
So, if you’re stuck on the fence, let me talk you through some things to consider when making that decision.
This is when it’s worth taking the plunge and getting a professional involved…
1) You’re short on time
This is the biggest one. And it’s pretty obvious really. Hiring a web designer will save you time.
Building a website – even a simple one – is a time-consuming process. It’s not just the physical act of placing elements on a page, and thinking about the design and how everything sits together, it’s putting together the content, learning how to use the back-end of the platform, adding links, thinking about the SEO and resizing images and choosing fonts and colours and… just an awful lot of creative decisions.
If you’re a busy, successful writer, then your time is probably better spent handing this over to someone else.
Time is the only thing we can’t make more of. Time is the most precious thing we have – so if time is something you already feel you don’t have enough of, then I don’t recommend you try to build your own site.
2) You really - really - hate anything techy
I get it, I really do. Tech is not for everyone. I understand that I am somewhat in the minority among my fellow authors because I genuinely absolutely love all things tech!
A lot of authors I know tolerate it. They don’t hate it, but, like doing their accounts, they find it bearable, if not their favourite thing to do.
But if you absolutely hate anything techy, then don’t torture yourself by trying to put together your own website.
There are plenty of web designers out there at all different budgets, so consider it an investment – and again – a way of freeing up your precious time and mental energy to let someone else handle it for you.
3) You want to create something unique that stands out from the crowd
While it is very simple to build yourself a functional website these days, the basic options available on the DIY website platforms tend to result in websites that look pretty similar.
And dare I say it… a little boring?
So if you want to stand out from your peers, and have something truly bespoke, then it’s worth investing in a designer who will work with you to create something stunning that reflects both you and your books.
4) You’re ready to upgrade your site / take the next step in your career
I often work with authors who set up their own websites when they first got their book deals, but are now a few books into their career and want to upgrade their site to something more professional.
As a debut, everything feels quite uncertain – will you even get a new book deal after this one? – so it makes perfect sense to wait until you’re a little more established before investing in a web designer.
I know there’s no such thing as proper job security as an author, but once you feel like your career is progressing and have a little more confidence in your long-term prospects, it’s often nice to step back and reflect on what you’ve achieved, and invest some of your earnings in a website that does your work justice!
Hope this article has helped clarify this issue in your mind! If you have any questions at all, then please do leave a comment, get in touch, or chat to me on Twitter!
