The ease of AI

Just 2 years ago, building your own site was already considered easy, thanks to editors like Wix and Wordpress. They still required you to sit down for several hours though and plug and play until you had something you were more or less satisfied with. They were, and still are quite limited in their customizability.

AI changes that. Now you can builld a pretty decent site using one prompt, and maybe an hour of touch-ups, depending on which AI you're using. Some builders even spit out really good sites that already have a shadow of SEO and Conversion based design built in. Having said all that, here's what you gotta look out for if you make your own site, and when you should maybe consider hiring a designer.

The 'Architect’s' dilemma

There is a certain satisfaction in building something from the ground up. In the world of business, your website is the primary structure where your work lives. When you choose to build it yourself rather than hiring a professional firm, you are choosing a specific path; You run your own business, doing the work yourself. Why not do this yourself too, and save some money? Maybe ask yourself "Why are people hiring me for my particular service?". If the answer is because you're a professional in your field of expertise, apply the same logic to your website. It is, after all, your most important salesperson. If you're willing to build your own site , and make it a good one, here are some things to keep in mind:

Pros:

1. The vision. You have full control over the direction you want your site to go, you're not translating your ideas through a middleman who might misunderstand your goals.
2. The price. This is the biggest factor for most people, especially small businesses who are just starting their profession. A website seems like an unnessecary expense, if all it is is a billboard.
3. Control. You have full control over the content, and you can change it whenever you like, without having to potentially pay a developer for a change, or a monthly service. Most devs charge between $60 - $80 an hour for changes.
4. Speed. This one only really counts if you're using AI for the groundwork, and have a little bit of patience for techy things. Otherwise speed doesn't really factor in.

Cons:

1. Customizability. With site builders, you're locked into their pre--built sections. You can only piece them together so many different ways. With AI, you can get a whole lot more choice of building block, but they'll still be building blocks. It's only a matter of time before your site looks like so many others.
2. Peace of mind. This one's huge for most business owners. Your website will always be at the back of your mind; Is it still up? Are people finding it? Can it be hacked? Is it even bringing in new business?
3. Phones vs Computers: In designer terms, this is called 'responsive design', meaning your website should look good across all devices. Making sure it looks just as good on mobile devices often takes just as long as building the site from the ground up.
4. Google: Otherwise known as SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. Ideally, a professional developer knows how to let google know who to show your website to. This is more nuanced than people think, and businesses exist just on this part of web design alone.
5. Conversion: Designing a site that looks good is a different skill than designing one that converts visitors into customers. Professionals understand the psychology of where a button should sit and how a heading should lead the eye. Learning this by trial and error can be an expensive lesson in lost revenue.

At the end of the day...

...it's entirely up to you. No matter where on the internet you look, you'll find someone vehemently defending the opposite viewpoint. As a developer, I obviously want to nudge you in the 'go with a developer' direction, but as someone who has gone through the start-up struggle, I see the value in a 'good enough for now' solution, which I personally see a DIY site to be. They are good enough for now, when your business is starting and you're relying more on referrels, word-of-mouth and business cards to get your business. List your DIY website on google maps, and that'll already be a step in the right direction. Then when you're ready to scale, definitely consider upgrading your online presence.