Should I build that website myself?

With so many tools, and free website templates out there, it seems anyone can build their own website these days. But before one embarks on this DIY project for their startup business, it may be prudent to ask themselves, can I afford spending the time to build the actual thing?  You see, even the simplest websites have many moving parts to them. In addition to the copy, optimized photography and a proper hierarchy of information, your website also needs to adhere to the latest Google web developer guidelines so it can index high in searches. The out of the box website solutions certainly give you the tools. How you use them is up to you. Do you have the right balance of keywords? Meta tags? How about links? Page titles? Are your images labeled appropriately so they can help you in Google searches? Are you familiar with the basics of SEO?
You can learn all this as you go along. But the question begs to be answered...How much is your time worth? I personally have no idea how to replace a drum in a washing machine, but if you give me some time and a few YouTube videos I am sure I can figure it out. But at what cost? I would rather pay someone while I engage in something much more productive (and lucrative).
When clients come to us, they are usually way too busy to sit down and figure out what the ideal online solution is best for their company, or which photography they should use, or at what resolution or what font size is optimal etc. The list goes on and on.
Don't you hate it, when you go to websites that seemingly look OK at first and then as you start navigating and clicking to various sections, you start getting error pages, or the font changes to a smaller size or you are led to non-existent links. Ugh...What a waste of time.
It's important to understand that just by putting up a website does not guarantee conversions or sales for that matter. And with millions of websites online, good luck driving traffic to yours. To succeed you must narrow your focus and try creating a niche. That niche will dictate the design layout and overall functionality of the site.  For example, if you are making friendship necklaces at home in your spare time, then that DIY template you chose through Go-Daddy may work for you. However if you are starting an investment firm or luxury brand, and choose to use an existing template that has sold over 1000 times (which may include that home based bead business I mentioned earlier) - then the differentiation or uniqueness that you are seeking goes out the window.
Remember, your website is one of your most important marketing tools.
If you are going to do it, be prepared to invest the time to do it right or hire a professional - but then again, you didn't need me to tell you that.