When did you last make a change to your website?
Was it easy, or does the very idea fill you with dread? Perhaps you had to ask the person who originally built it for you.
Of course, if you don’t have the time then it makes sense to outsource, but wouldn’t it be nice to have the choice to do it yourself?
If you need to make a change urgently, you don’t want to have to wait for your web developer to get back off holiday and do it for you.
Most people are now familiar with social network sites and are able to post to their timeline. So it should be easy to update your own website too.
Why are some websites so hard to update?
Honestly, a lot of sites are built without proper consideration of the site owner, who is usually less technical than the person who built it.
Either there are too many plugins (additional software installed on the website), or the theme (what determines the look of the site) is one of those “premium” types with hundreds of options in order to build any type of site. This can make life very complicated for the site owner.
We’ve seen a lot of websites that are, frankly, not fit for purpose. Sure, they look nice on the surface, but they are a nightmare for the poor site owner to update.
The whole point of having a CMS (Content Management System), is to make it easy for the site owner to add and update website content.
As your business grows, you’re going to need to add new content quickly and easily, without breaking the site in the process.
Things to ask if you’re getting a new website
If you’re getting a new website, ask your developer how many plugins are going to be installed and what they are used for.
Ask if they are building a custom theme for you, or if they are using a premium theme and customising it. Are they using a drag and drop page builder?
Ask them to show you how to update the website, and make sure you’re happy with it.
Consider a custom website
If you’re struggling with your website, consider getting a custom build.
A “custom” build means that every page is designed to accommodate the content you need, that’s relevant to your business. Pages are easy to update and it’s easy to add new ones.
Since the website is designed for your particular requirements and not thousands of others, the admin panel is simple and easy to follow with just the options you need. Pages load faster which is good for your website visitors and it improves your SEO ranking.
Talk to your web developer and they should be able to advise you.