Why Your DIY Website Might Be Holding You Back

I’m the last person to shame anyone for building their website. I encourage it. Rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck into Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress is a great way to figure out what your business needs. You learn a lot about your brand, your content, and what truly matters.

But at some point, especially once the business gets busy, that DIY site can quietly start holding you back.

One of the first things I notice on DIY websites is that mobile has been completely forgotten. Everything’s been designed and tested on desktop only. The padding is off, the spacing gets weird, text overlaps, and sometimes it’s hard even to tell where to click. This is super common. Most people simply don’t know that they need to adjust their design separately for mobile.

As designers, we’re taught to think mobile-first. I still remember learning HTML and CSS when that was the mantra. Build for the smallest screen first, then expand out. It’s not something that comes naturally to most DIY users, and that’s okay, but it does matter.

Then there’s the layout. Some platforms make it more complicated than others (yes, I’m looking at you, Squarespace or even worse, GoDaddy), but a lot of design issues come from not understanding how digital design really works. Websites aren’t static like a Canva flyer or a printed brochure. They’re fluid. They adapt, or at least, they should. And because every single screen is different, there are millions of ways your site might be displayed. That means spacing, alignment, and visual flow are more important and more fragile than people realise.

Headings are another big one. I often see multiple H1s on the same page, usually because people want a big title that looks dramatic. But headings aren’t just for visual flair. They help search engines (and screen readers) understand the structure of your content. Your site might look good at a glance, but if it’s not built properly under the surface, it’s like handing Google a messy pile of papers instead of a neatly organised report.

And speaking of what’s under the surface, most people don’t know (or aren’t told) how much is happening behind the scenes. Images that are too large can slow down your site. Alt text isn’t just for accessibility; it also informs search engines about the image's content. SEO titles and descriptions are what show up in search results, and when they’re missing, Google just makes something up for you. It’s small stuff, but it adds up.

When I point out these things, clients are often surprised. And that makes sense, you don’t know what you don’t know. That’s why most website builders don’t make this obvious. Or maybe they do… but it’s buried in a dropdown menu three clicks deep.

But here’s the real shift: as your business grows, so do the demands on your time. I’ve worked with many clients who built their sites, got things up and running, and then came to me once they were too busy to deal with it anymore. The site was outdated, the tech felt overwhelming, and they didn’t want to spend their weekends googling how to fix a plugin or tweak mobile styles.

At that point, it makes more sense to hand it over. Why do work outside your core business when someone else can do it better, and you can focus on what grows your business?

So if you’ve got a DIY site that’s been doing the job, amazing. Truly. But if you’re starting to feel like it’s not keeping up, like it could be doing more, or at least not getting in the way, it might be time to level up. And you don’t need to do it alone.

If your website needs a second set of eyes, or you’re ready to move on from DIY and want something more strategic, get in touch. I’d be happy to take a look and see where we can make things clearer, smoother, and easier: for you and your audience.