Businesses must have a strong online presence, especially in today’s highly competitive economy. Everyone is scrambling to get a leg up on their competition. Unfortunately, many businesses make the mistake of using a DIY website builder to cut corners. They may find an all-in-one plan for $20 a month that includes 15 different services. But it’s like going to a buffet with 15 different types of food: the French fries will be soggy, the taco meat will lack flavor, and the pizza crust will taste like cardboard. So as you can imagine, this rarely works out well.

DIY website builders have their place as they should only be used as a temporary measure. Yes, you can have a decent-looking site built that’s cheap. But what you’re really ending up with is a cheap site. Here are some reasons why DIY Builders are the wrong choice for most businesses.

Lack of Scalability:

This is the biggest pitfall, which is why it’s first. As your business grows and evolves, your website must keep pace. DIY website builders often provide limited scalability options, making it difficult to expand your website’s functionalities and accommodate increased traffic. This lack of scalability can hinder your business’s ability to adapt to changing market trends and customer demands.

Limited Customization:

DIY website builders typically offer a range of pre-designed templates, which can make your website look generic and lack uniqueness. Remember, 85% of consumers will research a company online before making a purchase. So your online presence needs to reflect your brand’s identity, and customization plays a significant role in achieving that. DIY builders restrict you to predetermined design options which limits your ability to stand out from your competition.

Poor SEO Optimization:

Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical when it comes to driving organic traffic to your website. DIY builders rarely provide the right tools and features to effectively optimize your site. That’s why websites that use these builders often rank poorly with search engines. This results in limited visibility and makes it harder for potential customers to find you.

Compromised Performance:

This is not only often overlooked by DIY website builders, but many web designers lack the ability to even determine how a site is performing. Remember, the performance of your website, including page load time and responsiveness, is vital when it comes to user experience. In recent years, Google has increased the importance of user experience in its rankings. DIY builders often host websites on servers that aren’t optimized, which often results in terrible site loading times and unreliable performance. A sluggish website will frustrate visitors and lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your website’s search engine rankings and conversions.

Terrible Support and Expertise:

Building your website using a DIY platform often means that you need to figure things out on your own. While these builders may provide basic support, expect to pay more if you need help with even a moderately complex problem. And forget about talking to a live person – many use AI chatbots for support (and they’re at the same level as DOS-based games from the 1990s).

In Summary:

DIY website builders should be avoided like the plague – especially the ones that are sold via multi-level marketing programs. Many of these builders are created to maximize income for the reseller, not the owner of the website. We’re often approached by representatives from these builders and the pitch is always about how much money we will make and they barely talk about the benefits for our clients.

So if you’re ever in doubt, please set up a complimentary consultation with us. We’ll be able to show you whether a platform is the right choice for your business during this no-cost, no-obligation session. And if you decide to work with us, we’ll ensure your website has the following features:

1. Customized Design: Our websites are visually appealing and resonate with your brand identity, making a lasting impression on your website’s visitors.
2. Scalable Solutions: Our websites are designed to grow with your business and adapt to your evolving needs.
3. SEO Optimization: We’ve done SEO since the target search engines were Yahoo! and Altavista ( yes, there were search engines before Google). So we ensure your website ranks higher, drives traffic, and has increased visibility.
4. Superior Performance: We use only the best hosting and our websites are optimized for performance. Which means faster loading times, more reliable performance, and an exceptional user experience.
5. Dedicated Support: Our team of experts is always available to help. And yes, you’ll always talk to a real person from our Massachusetts-based team.