DIY Websites May Not Be Enough for Your Business

Have you recently found yourself in the position of needing a website fast? If so, there are a handful of do-it-yourself website builder options out there to choose from. Each of them offers their own features and templates to choose from. These DIY websites can be a start if you don't have a website at all, and need an online presence quickly and at minimal cost. Some of them have useful features, but they also have some downsides.

DIY websites are not easily found on search engines.

One thing that the DIY website builders may not tell you is that your website will not be easily found on search engines via organic searches. They may offer all the fields you've come to know are important to SEO like title tags, alt tags and meta descriptions, BUT the complexity of the programming behind these "easy to build" sites leaves them buried to keyword searches. We have only come across a small handful of DIY website builders that display their code in a search engine friendly way. Think of it like this - DIY website builders don't keep their homes very tidy, they're always messy and unorganized. Search engines don't like visiting homes that are messy and make it hard to find things. They much prefer a clean, organized home where things are easy to find and maybe even labeled! Search engines like Google will take one look at the "unorganized house" and most likely will not be back to visit.

DIY websites are very hard to customize.

With a lot of the DIY website builders, they give you feeling as though you can make your website do anything you dream of. Sadly that is not the case. Yes, there are a lot of options such as font choices, adding your own images and choosing some visual options, but they are very limited in other ways. The first way your are limited is in deciding what you want your website to look like. If you are even given a choice in themes, you're only given a small selection to choose from. You are not allowed to take certain features you like from one theme and merge them with another. When working with DIY website builders you are stuck with whatever options the one theme you choose gives you. Sometimes you may not even know you don't have access to change something until you're already invested hours of your time in customizing your site.

DIY websites are limited in how your website can expand to fit your business.

Most DIY website builders are not expandable. Meaning that the options and services you are handed in the beginning are all that you're going to get. Places like WIX and SquareSpace do not offer apps or plugins that you could add to the website to expand it's capabilities. You may want to add more interactive features, eCommerce, or other capabilities that make your website more user friendly and helpful to your audience. They limit your business in how much you can grow your online presence.

Don't let your business be pigeon holed by a DIY website builder. If you are finding that your DIY website is not capable of doing the things you dream of, you may have out grown it.

DIY websites can be an OK option for businesses that do not have an online presence and need one fast. Just know that as your business grows it probably will no longer suits your needs. Having a website that is capable of growing with your business is essential! If you have found yourself pigeon-holed by your initial DIY website, Zebralove Web Solutions is here to help. We help Maine small businesses escape the restrictions placed on them by their DIY websites, and expand into their next generation website that truly builds their business presence online.

Usually, much of your hard work by way of copy, images and other content on your current site can be used on your new site - you won't lose any of the progress you have made. If it's time to make your website better - contact us to learn how we can help!

Noelle Castle

Content Writer

Castle Media Co.

Noelle has been a marketing professional, and a published author and copywriter for over 20 years. Her work has been featured in both print publications and online media, where she has written on a broad range of topics. She owns Castle Media Co., assisting businesses with their marketing and digital media needs, specializing in website development, content marketing, social media, copywriting, and blogging.

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