Option 1

You ask a web designer to create a website. They ask you for the words and pictures. If you don’t have them – no problem – they can help, but it will blow your budget. (They don’t know you, or your business, but they’ll do their best. They’re professionals – or so it seems. That’s why they get the big bucks.)

Your web designer chooses the Theme, using WordPress. They customise the homepage, crop the pictures, copy and paste the words (including any mistakes), organise the menu, decide where the map goes, how the contact form works, and where the social media links are. All that fun stuff. Maybe you get to make one or two changes before it goes live. At the end of the day, it’s not as good as you’d like, but what do you know? You pay the bill and everyone’s happy(ish).

But

A few days later, you see something wrong. Or you want to add a page, or a phone number, or a caption under an image – and a link to your new Instagram account. You call the web designer. But they don’t answer the phone. Days pass. You send out an SOS on social media. But no one gets back to you. You email the web designer and ask them to contact you urgently – or recommend someone else. You wonder how much more it’s going to cost and what you’re going to do next time. There’s bound to be a next time. Argh!

SMALL PRINT: THIS OPTION DOES NOT INCLUDE HELP PLANNING OR WRITING YOUR WEBSITE, ADVICE ON KEYWORDS AND SEO, REGISTERING YOUR WEBSITE WITH GOOGLE AND OTHERS, PROTECTION FROM SPAM, OR ANY OTHER FACTORS. YOU MAY PAY ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR YOUR DOMAIN NAME AND HOSTING. A BUDGET OF £500 IS NOT MUCH FOR A WEBSITE. YOUR DESIGNER WILL SPEND AS LITTLE TIME ON IT AS POSSIBLE AND MAY LACK SKILL OR EXPERIENCE, OR BOTH.

Option 2

You book a place on yourwebsitecourse. In one day, you learn everything you need to create a website and keep it up to date. You pay £290, which includes unlimited tea, coffee, juice, pastries – and lunch.

You keep the other £210.

SMALL PRINT: THIS OPTION INCLUDES ADVICE ON TARGETING, KEYWORDS AND SEO, WRITING, CREATING AND SELECTING IMAGES, CHOOSING AND CUSTOMISING A WORDPRESS THEME, CREATING PAGES AND POSTS, INSTALLING PLUGINS TO REGISTER WITH GOOGLE AND OTHERS, AND PROTECT YOU FROM SPAM, ADVICE ON BRANDING ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. YOUR TUTOR HAS WORKED AS A SENIOR CREATIVE IN SOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ADVERTISING AGENCIES AND HAS BEEN CREATING WORDPRESS WEBSITES FOR OVER 10 YEARS.