When do DIY website builders make sense?
The draw to DIY website builders is the cost - free. The commercials make the process look simple. A few clicks, drag-and-drop a few photos, and poof, 30 seconds later you have a “dope” website.
The reality is that while, yes, you can get a free website, if you want the kind of website that can support most businesses, the website and website design will not be free. If you want a nice looking, mobile optimized design, you'll probably need to buy a theme, template, or web design. You'll also need an SSL certificate, either directly or packaged in another option that the “free” website builder sells.
And if you want a professional looking domain name or email addresses, you'll need to buy a URL. A web hosting plan also adds more cost.
Plus, you'll do all work yourself. That's the most expensive part of the free website. A well designed, top ranking Google search website needs more than just the drag and drop shown on the commercials.
- You'll write and proof text.
- Photoshop photos.
- Create layouts.
- For every enhancement that you want, you'll research the technical details of how to manage.
Many small business owners have spent 40, 80, and 120+ hours on their free website. And that's before you begin the work on search engine optimization. And the website may still not look professional. And it may be buried on Google search page 6 even after you've spent hours on Google SEO.
So when does it make sense to use a free DIY website builder?
If you need website for a club, hobby, or any other activity where others don't need to find you with a generic web search, a DIY website works great.
If your business space is not competitive or crowded, a DIY website may also work.
Does this mean that you can't create a Wix website the gets good search results in a competitive business space. Absolutely no. But the website will not be free. And the website will not be finished over a weekend. And you'll invest many, many hours doing research to develop the technical skills to build a competitive website.
Even then, a custom website with professional search engine optimization will outperform in Google search because there are technical handicaps and limitations to content management systems, which is essentially what Wix, WordPress, Square Space, and other similar DIY platforms are.
A good rule-of-thumb to help you decide when to go DIY vs a custom website, developed from scratch, is to use the following tests:
Do you do your own business taxes? If you have the time and skill to prepare and file LLC, S-corp, or C-corp tax returns, then you may be a good candidate to build and SEO optimize a DIY business website.
Do you handle all of your own legal work? Similarly, if you have the time and skill to prepare and file articles of incorporation, respond to lawsuits, and file small claims court documents, then you may be a good candidate to build and SEO optimize a DIY business website.
Do you have 30 to 60 minutes of spare time, three days a week? If you do, then you'll have the time to monitor your website's Search Engine Results Page rankings, research SEO adjustments needed to adapt to changing Google search results, and make SEO coding adjustments to your web pages.
S3DA is an elite Sarasota SEO company that provides one-time and ongoing SEO work for DIY websites. We have helped small businesses quickly overcome a history of poor Google search and SEO performance. Contact Us to schedule a free 15-minute review of your website and get a quote.
