You’re weighing the options.

On the one hand, you could save money upfront by handling your website in-house and doing it yourself.

But is that really the best use of your time? Are you a proficient coder, programmer, or network engineer? Do you have the hours needed to create a content calendar, create content, and then market it? What about hacking prevention? Are you up-to-date on the latest and greatest methods and technology?

We get it. Times are tight, you’re searching for ways to cut costs, and taking over all website responsibilities may seem like a stop-gap option.

But before you pull the plug, engage in a little due diligence to ensure you’re making the right cuts. Because after cutting ties with their digital marketing team, many business owners find their profits also plunge.

So that’s what we’re tackling today: The downside of managing your business website without the benefit of professional assistance. Specifically, we’re breaking down seven reasons to let someone else drive your WordPress site and digital marketing initiatives — even when you’re on a shoestring budget.

What Is WordPress and Why Should Small Businesses Use It?

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of why it’s best to work with a WordPress management and digital marketing firm, let’s review a few basics about the platform.

Technically speaking, WordPress is a website content management system. A coding platform, it allows people without programming experience to add blog posts and pages to their online platforms with ease after an initial setup.

What do we mean by “after an initial setup?” While it’s possible to install WordPress without a technical background, it’s much wiser to enlist the help of a professional.

7 Good Reasons To Let Someone Else Manage Your WordPress Website

Businesses that work with website development and digital marketing experts perform better and rake in more profits. Let’s unpack seven reasons why.

1. More Time To Focus on Your Business

How much do you know about developing and designing websites?

If it’s a beloved hobby, by all means, have at it.

If not, your time is better spent focusing on the day-to-day activities involved in running your business — whether that’s creating and perfecting products and services or tending to customer needs.

While website development has come a long way, and you no longer need a computer science degree to create an online platform, it takes knowledge, skill, and experience to get it done right.

TL;DR: It frees up time for you to focus on your business and living your life.

2. Benefit of Expert Technical and Design Advice

You’re intelligent, resourceful, and could probably figure out how to get a WordPress site up and running.

But would it reflect the professionalism of your business? Or is it more likely it would look like the work of someone who doesn’t have professional design and development experience?

Moreover, do you have the time to keep abreast of updates, known bugs, malicious spyware, and other technical changes that may impact your site’s functionality?

What about pending issues and version changes? Do you know what to do and where to look when they’re pushed to the public build?

If you’re shaking your head right to left, working with a WordPress expert is the best option.

TL;DR: If you’re not technically or stylistically inclined, it’s best to work with someone who is. They’ll ensure your website is always functioning properly and looking its best.

3. Benefit of Expert Marketing Advice

When you hire someone to manage your WordPress website, you’re also gaining a team member who understands current marketing trends and how to best position your business.

The internet is constantly in flux, and effective digital marketing requires keeping up with tried-and-true methods and the agility to capitalize on passing trends that burn bright for a limited time. Just because something doesn’t have staying power doesn’t mean it can’t help you attract new clients in the short term.

Professional digital marketers have a toolbox of tactics to ensure you stay ahead of the pack and beat your competition. Cutting yourself off from this knowledge could result in a plummeting SERP ranking, which directly and negatively impacts profits.

Interested in reading more about the nuts and bolts of digital marketing? Check out these links:

TL;DR: You’ll have access to marketing and promotional experts who know how to increase traffic to your platform.

4. Keep Hackers at Bay

These days, hackers are a dime a dozen. And sometimes they do it for the sport, not for riches or credit card numbers.

As such, increasing numbers of small business websites are getting hit, and it’s an expensive problem. Recent reports show that the average data breach costs the targeted company upwards of $4 million. Moreover, the nation’s digital security market has jumped to over $200 billion.

The high sticker prices indicate the prevalence of the problem. Working with a professional WordPress management firm significantly reduces the chances of being hacked. And, if something happens, working with experienced people will help contain the subsequent mess.

TL;DR: It’s impossible to eradicate hackers. But having professionals manage your site and hosting significantly decreases your risk of getting hit.

5. Better Scalability

Scalability refers to a website’s growth. When a business expands, so must its digital platform.

People who go it alone frequently discover that things quickly become unmanageable once visitors start using the site, and the subsequent activity becomes overwhelming. On the technical side, many platforms need extra resources the more popular they get.

Scaling up can be difficult, and doing it alone proves to be too much for most people. After all, there’s a business to run. You can’t spend all your time dealing with the technical aspects of running a website!

TL;DR: A team dedicated to managing your WordPress site will allow for smoother scalability and platform growth.

6. Enhanced Content That Attracts Users and Algorithms

Nowadays, most digital marketing teams offer a content creation and promotion package, and signing up is always wise. Why? Businesses that maintain a content marketing campaign attract more potential clients and grow faster than those that don’t.

Coming up with publication ideas, creating them, and pushing the final products out to the public takes time, talent, and knowledge. People who go the DIY route when it comes to online marketing quickly discover that crafting blog posts and sales pages isn’t as easy as they initially thought. Adding image and video creation to the mix can become overwhelming.

Beyond the logistics, professional digital marketers also know how to create both user- and algorithm-friendly content, which increases traffic and improves conversion rates.

If you want to learn more about how content marketing works, check out the links below.

TL;DR: Working with a development and marketing team will improve your search engine rankings and attract more clients and customers.

7. On-Call Technicians

Hackers aren’t the only threat. Sometimes, websites malfunction for various reasons — from outdated code to hosting changes. If you don’t have a team of hosting technicians on-call, you may spend hours, if not days, trying to get things operational again.
When professionals operate your site, you have on-call technicians that will focus all their effort and attention on getting your website back up in the wake of malfunctions.

TL;DR: When things blow up, you’ll have someone to call who will know how to fix the problem.

A Few Words About Changing Technology

Artificial intelligence is the next new big thing. It’s all the rage. Everywhere you turn, a new program or app promises to robotize your digital marketing efforts — for free! And granted, it’s an exciting time. The advent of A.I. will profoundly impact the digital marketing scene. Eventually, it will change the contours of online marketing.

But what about right now? At this point, does it make sense to implement a content marketing campaign using computer-generated work?

That answer is also clear, and it’s no. For starters, the technology is still faulty. All the knock-your-socks-off demonstrations have been tweaked and pre-planned for maximum effect. But when people sit down and feed their topic to an app, what comes out is a word salad that sounds like an elementary-aged child wrote it.

Moreover, A.I. apps are often wrong, which creates a credibility problem for your business.

And lastly, nothing is 100% automated. You still need to develop campaigns and produce content that’s genuinely helpful and engaging to potential clients and customers.

We Run Sites, Market Services, and Grow Businesses

Have we convinced you that handing over the reins of your website is beneficial in the long run? If so, let’s talk.

Rounded Digital has helped countless businesses, firms, restaurants, and organizations reach their goals. We’re a team of specialists that can pinpoint exactly what you need to do to get ahead of the pack.

The initial conversation and consultation are on us, so get in touch. The worst that can happen is we discover we’re not a good fit and merrily go our separate ways.