6 Reasons Why Not To Use DIY Website Builders

7 min read

When it comes time to build a website for your business, it can be tempting to save money and build a website without the help of a professional website designer.

There are many platforms that offer business owners a DIY website building experience.

DIY website builders platforms such as Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and other saas (Software as a Service) website builders, offer business owners an interface that allows dragging and dropping website elements during the creation of a website.

Building a website on these platforms can come with a great many issues. Many website designers have helped clients move away from these platforms for many reasons.

Sometime the owner of a company or employee got in over their head and can’t work out what to do to complete the website.  Other times, they simply do not have time to work on the website and want someone else to finish it off.

There have been many companies that have decided to move away from these DIY website builders, mainly because these platforms are often not capable of doing what the client actually wants their website to do.

There are a number of reasons why these website platforms may not be the best option, and in this article will go over six of those reasons.

Before considering building a website on one of these platforms, be certain to read this article through the end.

1. Lack of Website Design Experience

When you comes across a marketing brochure or website page that is touting how easy it is to design a website in no time, be sure to approach this sales pitch with great care.

With no experience in web design and a DIY website builder, you might be able to drag and drop items on the page and maybe it will look okay.

However, a good web designer understands what things to put on a website and where they should be placed.

Website designing comes with many hours of testing and experience and with what comes the knowledge and experience of what works and what does not work.

6 Reasons Why Not To Use DIY Website Builders 1

Imagine a mechanic telling you that car repair doesn’t require any experience or skill, would that be believable?

It is not feasible to think a small business owner or an employee can take the time to learn everything there is to know about website design. There are principles and best practices that should be applied to web design in order for a website to function correctly technically and aesthetically.

There are specific principle of web design in regards to typography, branding and colour palettes, HTML, CSS, and other code that may be required to make a website not only look good, but truly perform in converting visitors to clients for your business.

DIY website builders such as Wix, Squarespace and Weebly like to tell business owners they do not need the experience, but when you factor in all the needs of a website, it not entirely true.

Many times beginners on these platforms also find themselves wasting a considerable amount of time on things that will not help a website perform, while a competent website designer already knows to stay away from these headaches.

When help is needed from customer service of these platforms, the help can be less than effective. Saas website builders generally have less than great customer support in terms of speed and reliability.

2. Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO, is an important factor to consider when building your website.

The best way to describe Search Engine Optimization is this is the process that can help businesses’ website pages reach the first page of search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo. If a company has a great website and nobody can find it, then it really isn’t working at its optimal level.

Being found online is the key to having success with a website. Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly are known by many to be subpar at handling the needs of Search Engine Optimization. Technical issues such as the page URL structures, can interfere with Search Engine Optimization.

These structures can make it more difficult to get your company found online and this means the competition can often excel whilst your company can be left behind. While Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly websites will be found, it is often not on the first page of search results.

A professional website designer should have experience in SEO and know how to build your website so it can be found more easily by your potential customers.

3. You Don’t Really Own Your Website

Many times business owners rush to build a website only thinking of current needs and possibly not having any understanding of what future needs of the business.

Building a website on DIY website builders such as Wix, Squarespace or Weebly can eventually leave the small business owner frustrated to learn that the website cannot be extended how they would like, and may need to be transferred to another platform, because the technology is limited with the platform the website was built upon.

A company’s growth can lead to needing a better website that can handle more functions.

Some of these platforms do not allow for the transfer of the website to another platform, which means the business is stuck with the websites limitations unless they decide to rebuild a website from scratch, which can be a daunting process.

Moving and rebuilding a website can be very costly and time-consuming and it could have been avoided. These platforms use code that is built on a closed platform, meaning adding custom code to achieve exactly what you want your website to do, is often not possible.

Whereas other platforms built on open-source code, can be moved, changed, updated, and improved by anybody who understands the code.

The ability to extend a websites capabilities is imperative for any small business that might experience growth in the future.

4. Makes Marketing More Difficult

Marketing can become difficult with these types of websites. Lack of design tools can lead to frustrations. In a great many cases marketing agencies will not work with websites built on these platforms. The reason behind this is the difficulty these platforms can cause for the agency, throwing them out of their routines that what they are used to.

The fact Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly are not easily scalable and also can be a massive issue with agencies looking to grow your company.

There are limited functions and opportunities to make these platforms deliver results, and one of the biggest problems is not being familiar with the platforms functionality.

These websites can be difficult to figure things out, particularly if marketing companies are not use to the platform. There are limited forums or community help available online, so it can feel like being placed on a deserted island lacking the information you need.

With so many limitations with DIY website builders, it is often why a marketing agency would skip working with a company that has a website based on these platforms.

5. DIY Website Builders Can Have Limited Options

Even with the ability to drag and drop within the interface of most DIY website builders, many times a theme is desired.

A website theme is a pre-built websites style and layout, many times with specific bells and whistles coded in, saving web designers valuable time.

There are limited templates available with most do-it-yourself options. However, there are a lot more options available with open source platforms, such as WordPress.

WordPress offers an almost unlimited options in the way of themes and plugins. Using a platform like WordPress also allows for a designer to make the website 100% customised if that is what is needed by the website owner.

Even with the limited design options at Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly, remember, the website belongs to the platform. With WordPress websites, the design and code belong to you the website owner.

WordPress plugins are pieces of code that can be used to extend your websites capabilities, on a need-to-use basis. From image sliders to events calendars and some of these can often be free.

There are more than 54,000 free WordPress plugins available at time of writing this article and growing, so you can a head start from the limited options available from the do-it-yourself platforms.

6. The Prices Are Often Higher Than Originally Thought

Like most sales pitches, the platform will begin with the absolute lowest price that comes with limited options.

DIY website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and other saas website platforms all have been known to show a low price and once the user begins adding features, prices quickly escalate well beyond the original price desired.

Generally, you get what you pay for, and these platforms understand this and can charge for almost anything beyond the most basic of features.

These platforms vary in price but can start as low as ten dollars a month. Ten dollars a month sounds great, until features are added, such as a shopping cart, and the price per month can explode well beyond the initial cost.

Sometimes even the very basic function of connecting a companies domain requires a paid plan.

Conclusion

It may be tempting to sign up with a DIY website builder to begin building a business website for a company, however the pitfalls are many.

Building a website takes understanding, experience, and countless hours of learned knowledge. A good web designer will see issues long before they arise and create a website experience that will work to connect with your customers and potential customers.

From the moment a website user arrives at a website they are making determinations if the company is professional, reliable, and trustworthy.

Winning trust is so valuable in today’s online world of online sales and connection. Companies grow, shift, and expand and they need a platform that they not only have ownership of, but also have the ability to extend functionality when and if the time comes.

Platforms such as WordPress can offer true ownership and the ability to scale.

WordPress is an open-source platform that powers 39.6% of the internet in 2021.

With thousands of themes and plugins available, WordPress is a platform that can help build many different types of websites.

With the help of an experienced website designer with knowledge of  design principles, and user experience you can get a website to deliver the results that are needed for your business success.

If you would like help in building a website and growing your business, get in touch today.

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Based on 31 Reviews
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celeste heazlett
March 25, 2024

I highly recommend AOG Design for their excellent service.

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Val Mitrovski
November 10, 2023

I recently had the pleasure of working with Anthony at AOG design. His creativity brought my vision to life. I highly recommend AOG services for anyone seeking a professional, and innovative website design. Thank you so much!!

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Jenni Venders
August 30, 2023

I can't speak highly enough about Anthony's exceptional website design skills. He has worked on not one, but two of my businesses' websites, and each time he has exceeded my expectations. Anthony's creativity, attention to detail, and ability to capture the essence of my businesses truly sets him apart. His dedication to delivering outstanding results is evident in every aspect of his work. Working with Anthony has been an absolute pleasure, and I look forward to collaborating with him on future projects. If you're looking for a talented and reliable website designer, I wholeheartedly recommend Anthony

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Alex Hall
August 1, 2023

I can not thank Anthony enough for his time and effort that he put in to provide me with my new website its bang on. So easy to work with and very accomodating nothing was too hard. As we all know everything is in the air when building a website and Anthony took it all in and provided the goods. Look forward to working more with you moving forward.

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Seryna Jane Lock
July 19, 2023

AOG Design has been fantastic to work with. Anthony gave fantastic suggestions when it came to our website functionality and was always readily available to assist with any updates or questions we had. I feel at ease knowing he will be maintaining our website going forward.

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Ces 72
May 18, 2023

Very happy with the results after working with Anthony setting up our new website, great communication at all times, very receptive to th eideas we had in mind and also providing on point professional advise. Awesome outcome and thanks from the Blooming Supports team!

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Sealers Online
May 14, 2023

Anthony was a pleasure to deal with. Listened to what we wanted and needed. He was very hands on through the process as we went through a few variations on the changes we wanted and how they suited our clientele. Pity I can’t give a 6 star rating.

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Lana Johnson
March 15, 2023

My name is Lana and I am the director of 3 BPS Tensegrity locations in Sydney. We specialise in treating the source of individual conditions through physio and pilates. My website was created recently by Anthony, and one of the best parts about working with AOG Design is that they listened and took the time to understand my business and requirements. If you've ever worked with a designer, you understand that this is a crucial part in a project. AOG Design incorporated their own ideas, experience and creativity with mine so that the end design was more rounded. Anthony built exactly what I was looking to create. The complete process was explained clearly and I was regularly updated on the project. The website was developed to the highest of standards, and is a breeze to work with as it is fast and easy to edit. AOG Design was quick to answer any of my questions, and provided easy to follow instructions where required. Working with AOG Design has been awesome, with a great combination of customer service, creativity, and technical expertise. Would highly recommend.

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Sally Grant
November 18, 2022

Ant helped me to build a website for my new business. His patience and guidance helped me to feel confident with the decision I was making regarding the investment in a website. His consistent, professional and attentive manner is something I have really valued. An easy person to work with and no request I made has ever felt like too much for him. I love my website and so do my clients.

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Thomas Keenan
October 1, 2022

Anthony has been absolutely outstanding in helping with our website. We have been unfortunate in the past and had some people over commit and under deliver. This has not been the case with AOG design and I look forward to a long business relationship Can’t recommend highly enough !

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Nathan Ahern
August 13, 2022

Guys Grooming have been working with AOG Design since 2008. AOG Design delivers what we need as a business. Prompt, personal responses with attention to detail to what is required enables us to get our printing and web design requirements produced efficiently. Always responding to emails and phone calls promptly, thinking creatively and professionally means that we get the desired result into the marketplace in a timely fashion.

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Tony P
July 8, 2022

Anthony was great. Very creative and knew exactly what he was doing which made it so easy for us. He even created links off his own accord which improved and enhanced our website and pamphlets. Definitely went above and beyond our expectations. Thanks Anthony greatly appreciated. We have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending him as he is reliable and knowledgeable. Regards Tony & Niky - Tonik Health

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Trish Lehmann
April 20, 2022

We are extremely happy with our new Sassi Beauty website! AOG Design has been an absolute pleasure to work with. The website design process was smooth and they even helped us with our printed Treatment Menus. Always prompt with responses to emails and very helpful, I can't recommend AOG Design highly enough!

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Adaptable Lima
December 16, 2021

It was a pleasure to deal with Anthony throughout the 2020 Christmas Windows project. I found him professional as well as realistic; producing brilliant work on time and with excellent communication. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone.

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Ruth de Vos
September 8, 2021

Anthony has created a website for our Open Studio Arts Trail that fits our brief perfectly. All the artists are very pleased with the result! I really appreciated how smoothly the process of building and populating the website went. Anthony was efficient, communication was clear and the website was delivered on time. Thank you!

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Catherine Saxelby
August 3, 2021

I used AOG Design to refresh my logos & they were just great. They looked at what I had & suggested a simpler more streamlined approach which I did. I really liked the way the did things!

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Richardson Strata
June 9, 2021

AOG recently printed our business cards and we LOVE them. Easy to deal with, really fast turnaround and the quality is awesome. Highly recommend and will use again.

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Ange Swinbourne
March 30, 2021

Anthony is amazing, he is very willing to help me with any questions or issues I may have with my website and is happy to give advice and recommendations any time of the day. I highly recommend AOG Design to anyone wanting a professional website to advertise their business! 5 Stars!

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Elizabeth Arthur
March 26, 2021

Anthony will go over and above to support your business. We were recommended by a business colleague and couldn’t be happier. Very easy to talk to speaks in terms you can understand. We were very conservative with our budget and Anthony would call and explained every detail when we had to spend a little more. Another stop us procrastinating when we were unsure by jumping on Zoom to help us out

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Luke Seeley
August 11, 2020

AOG Design are a high quality, professional outfit. Anthony went above and beyond to deliver a brochure that looked fantastic. We had very tight timelines to get to market and I didnt think it could be pulled off. He even made sure the courier got the finished product to us as quickly as possible as I needed it for a meeting the same day. Above and beyond.

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Taryn Linfoot
August 6, 2020

Anthony has been exceptional! From start to finish he was very patient, understood what I was trying to convey, and provided fantastic advice across all areas. Nothing has been too much of a bother and I'm very glad to say, everything has turned out even better than I was hoping for. Absolutely would recommend.

I found Anthony from AOG to be professional, workable, respectful and understanding of our needs. Anthony was able to turn ideas into a very user-friendly reality.

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Fremantle Surfclub
February 3, 2020

We approached AOG Design to redesign an old website that needed some urgent attention. We required a quick turnaround on this project, as it was to promote an upcoming event. AOG Design were able to achieve this for us. We are really thrilled with our new website and would recommend AOG Design for your marketing. Jo Jameson - Fremantle Surf Lifesaving Club

After having a website for many years that was difficult to maintain and not user friendly, we set out to find a designer who was not only going to give us a brilliant result, but also charge us honestly, not exorbitantly. We found AOG Design. Their solution was a crisp, clean and professional and so user friendly. The advice was explained clearly in plain english and not tech jargon. Now not only we have an exceptional product, but they are always been on call for us when it has come to other graphic design requirements and marketing solutions. Their service and knowledge is unsurpassed and I totally love the ‘can do’ attitude. Our business life would be so much more complex had we not had Anthony on our side.

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Desiree Boult
September 4, 2019

Thank you Anthony from AOG Design! The website you created for us is absolutely fantastic! The process in its entirety was seemless thanks to your amazing creative ability and excellent customer service skills! And we were far from the easiest clients! We didn’t know what we wanted, but you somehow managed to create us the perfect website! I am pleased to advise the website has lead to new contacts, new customer and extra business! It’s given our business the professional finishing touch we required. Keep up the good work Anthony & the team at AOG! I can assure you, we will continue to recommend your services throughout our network! From Shaun, Desiree & the B&W Team

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Simon Day
September 4, 2019

We are extremely happy with the work provided in designing our new website. The new crisp design has really improved our online presence, looks amazing on mobile devices and now ranks well on Google! Would highly recommend AOG Design to anyone wanting a professional product!

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Greenies Mowing
June 19, 2019

Anthony has done a great job on my website. Super Keen to help in anyway he can, He helped me like I was part of the family:) Nice guy and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a website.. Thanks Mate.

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Jasmine Daniels
May 14, 2019

I was so impressed with AOG Design. They were very efficient with what I had asked for and produced such Outstanding work. AOG design were also willing to do any changes that I needed and did it efficiently. I will definitely recommend them to any of my Family, Friends and work colleagues.

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Colleen Wilson
April 16, 2019

AOG Design are so professional and very patient!! My website looks fantastic and nothing was too much trouble. Everyone says how professional it looks! I am so happy with it. I would highly recommend AOG Design for all of your website & graphic needs.

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Jason Borgomastro
April 7, 2019

After having a quite outdated and dysfunctional website, Anthony very quickly freshened it up and brought a more modern feel to it. He also made it match our online store so that it all looks and feels the same even though they are hosted separately. I highly recommend AOG Design and will continue to use their services in the future.

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Warren Kiddle
January 15, 2019

Seriously knows his craft, would recommend Anthony to anyone

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