The backpacker, the guided tour, and the resort

There are a lot of options for creating your website. For example, you could use one of the many do-it-yourself site builders, or you could hire an agency. Consider an analogy to vacation travel. The do-it-yourself site builders are like solo backpacking in a foreign country. You have to figure out the language and customs, and get help where you can. The fundamental problem with the do-it-yourself site builders is that they solve the wrong problem. Yes, they help you make a website that runs, but you get no guidance about how to make your website effective.

Hiring a agency is like staying at a luxury resort. The amenities are fabulous, but at the end of the day, you get the product they choose to give you. Now there is a third option, the guided tour. It's formally called Websites as a Service. You get to interesting destinations of your choice, with a helpful guide telling you what not to eat. Instead of building a website as a large, one-time project, you get ongoing service for a monthly fee.