We've all heard it before from numerous small business owners.

“I don't need to pay hundreds or thousands for a website. My son knows his way around a computer and he's done it for me.”

Or: “I've just used one of those free website templates and it's working just fine for me.”

Is it though? Your website is more than just an online presence; it has many jobs to perform. It should reflect your brand and ethos. It should portray you as a professional entity. It should inform customers about your products and services. And most importantly, it should get you more customers and more sales.

Are you sure that your wife's nephew's mate can do all that for you?

Having a professionally designed website is a must for practically any business, irrespective or size or industry.

Here at thebestof Newmarket, we have come up with our top four reasons why you should invest in the skills and expertise of an experienced web designer.

1. A professionally designed website will save you time

With the emphasis on 'small', a small business owner's time is very precious. More than likely you will be MD, manager, sales team and admin staff in one. You could try to build your own website and learn how to use the tools that come with free sites. But do you really have the time? Every house you spend on trying to design your own website (and how good is it going to be with so little experience?) is another hour you're not spending building your business.

2. A professionally designed website won't need your constant attention

You may be lucky enough to have a friend or family member who can build you a free or low cost site. But what about when your site needs to be updated? What if there's a problem with the server? Are you 100% sure you can call on this friend or relative over and over again?

Or will you end up trying to update, refresh or fix the issue yourself?

By using a web designer and agreeing to the package that suits you, you are assured that they will maintain and refresh your website as part of this dedicated service.

3. A professionally designed site will work alongside - not against - your business

How many times have you clicked through to a site and wondered if it's the same business you were trying to find?

A well-designed website will work alongside your business, reinforcing your brand and portraying you in a positive, credible light. It should be consistent with the rest of your branded materials, such as business cards, flyers, leaflets, brochures – even your social media.

4. A professionally designed website will result in more customers and more business

A website should be more than a collection of online pages explaining more about your offering. It should include SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) in order to help potential customers find you when they key in relevant search terms. It should be easy to navigate (we've all left a website because we've been so frustrated by trying to find the relevant page or information!). It should give customers the ability to either buy or enquire at their own pace.

Are you looking for a talented web design company in Newmarket?

We are lucky to have quite a few professional, highly regarded web design companies in and around Newmarket. Our favourites are Bordaline Web Design and Cubiq Design.

Bordaline Web Design

Whether it's your very first website or you're in need of a major overhaul of your current site, Bordaline Web Design in Newmarket can help you make the most out of the internet with its range of high quality, affordable web design services. These include simple, initial sites, dynamic websites, e-commerce websites and multi-lingual websites.

In fact, the team at Bordaline Web Design in Newmarket are so confident in their abilities that they offer a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee with every website they design!

Please click here for further information about Bordaline Web Design.

Cubiq Design

The creative team at Cubiq Design are all about helping local businesses enhance their brand through innovative web design.

Established in Newmarket in 2004, Cubiq Design offers a wide range of online services, including website design and Content Management Systems (CMS), e-commerce and SEO.

Please click here to find out more about Cubiq Design in Newmarket.