How a DIY Website Can Hurt Your Business (and What to Do Instead)

Dec 13

Why are people not visiting my DIY website?

If you’re looking at your website traffic analytics and wondering, “Why is my website getting no traffic?” or “Why are visitors leaving so quickly?” I have some news for you.

If you built your small business website yourself—or enlisted your friend’s son to whip something up on Wix in a week—you’re probably missing some key essentials for a healthy website. Let’s dive into why DIY websites often fall short and what you can do about it.

Why Your DIY Website Might Be Costing You Clients

Missed Opportunities in Structure and Content

Building a website isn’t just about putting some text and images on a page—it’s about creating an experience. Do-it-yourself websites often skip essential planning steps like:

Site Structure: Think of your website like a map. If visitors can’t easily find their way around, they’ll leave. Is it clear where they should go to contact you or take the next step? Is your navigation menu simple and intuitive (hint: 5 or fewer links is ideal)? Many DIY sites miss the mark here, leaving visitors frustrated, lost, and clicking away.
Clear Messaging and CTAs (Call-To-Action): Your website should guide people to take action—whether it’s scheduling a call, signing up for a newsletter, or purchasing your service. DIY sites often miss the mark by being vague or forgetting to include CTAs altogether. Don’t make your visitors guess what to do next! Conversion rates can increase by over 3% after redesigning pages to have a call-to-action (Sixth City Marketing)

A little planning goes a long way. When your site is structured well and your content is clear, visitors are more likely to stick around—and take action.

39% of people will stop engaging with a website if it takes too long to load

Hidden Technical Pitfalls of DIY Websites

Let’s talk tech. If your images aren’t optimized for the web (meaning they’re not sized and compressed properly), here’s what happens:

Your site loads slower than molasses in January, and people leave before they even see your content. This is super important for mobile!
Google and other search engines ‘mark you down’ in rankings because they prioritize fast-loading sites.

Yes, your DIY site might not be showing up in search results simply because your images are too big! I swear by TinyPNG for compressing images to make them load faster.

Broken links are another silent killer. Ever clicked on a button only to get sent to a missing page? It’s frustrating, right? Check your links regularly—things like footer links and social media icons are easy to overlook but can make or break trust.

And then there’s SEO—the magic of being found online. Poor SEO is probably the #1 reason why your site isn’t getting visitors (and making sales).

Make sure you have unique meta descriptions for each of your pages, improve your title pages with key words, make sure each page only has one H1 title.

If terms like “meta descriptions” or “keyword-rich title tags” sound like another language, don’t worry—we can sort that out together.

Brand Inconsistencies

Throwing a few colours you like onto your website and calling it a day? Not so fast. Your website’s design should:

Reflect your business and appeal to your ideal audience (not just your personal taste!).
Maintain consistency—every page should look cohesive and align with your brand. Mismatched styles can confuse visitors and erode trust.

Here’s the thing—your website is often the first impression someone has of your business. Did you know 94% of first impressions are based on web design? (HubSpot) A professional, well-designed site instantly communicates credibility and confidence.

DIY branding can be tricky. If you’ve ever struggled to make your logo fit into that tiny Instagram circle or felt like your site colours don’t quite represent your business, it might be time for a refresh. I offer mini brand refresh services to help you put your best foot forward.

88% of people are less likely to come back to a website after having a bad experience

The Cost of an Amateur DIY Website

First impressions are everything. Research shows you have just 50 milliseconds to make a positive impact. (Source) If your self-built website looks untrustworthy or outdated, visitors will hit the back button faster than you can say, "Wait!"

Even the most amazing offers or compelling copy won’t matter if your site’s design drives people away. Improving how easy and enjoyable your website is to use can help increase sales. By focusing on your customers' needs, ensuring your site works well on mobile, and speeding up your pages, you can create a website that keeps visitors engaged and encourages them to come back.

The solution? Invest in a polished, user-friendly site that builds trust and keeps visitors coming back for more.

Small Website Fixes That Drive Big Results

Small changes can lead to big transformations. Whether it’s fixing broken links, optimizing your images, or refining your calls to action, each step you take brings your website closer to becoming a tool that works for you. You don’t have to do it all at once—focus on one improvement at a time, and before you know it, you’ll have a site that not only looks great but helps your business grow. Your dream website is closer than you think!

Ready to upgrade? Let’s talk about how I can help you transform your site into one that works as hard as you do.