You’ve Got a Website. Now What?

Congratulations! You did it. You took the plunge and your business officially has a website. It’s your new, shiny corner of the internet. But after the initial excitement, a couple of big questions probably started bubbling up:

• “Could I have just built this website myself with a tool like Wix and saved some cash?”
• “How do I get people to actually find this website without spending a fortune?”

If you’re nodding along, you’re in the right place. These are the exact questions every small business owner in the U.S. asks. Let’s walk through the pros and cons of doing it all yourself, so you can make a smart choice for your business.

Part 1: Building Your Own Website (The Good & The Bad)

Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy are everywhere. They promise a beautiful website in just a few clicks. But is it the right tool for the job?

Think of it like building a house. A website builder is like a high-quality, pre-fabricated home kit. It’s fast, affordable, and the end result looks pretty good. Hiring a professional is like hiring an architect and a construction crew to build a custom home exactly to your specifications. Both get you a house, but the experience and results are very different.

The Good Stuff: Why You Might Want to Build It Yourself

• It Saves You Money (Upfront): This is the biggest draw. A DIY website can cost you a small monthly fee, while a professionally designed site can cost thousands of dollars. When you’re just starting, that’s a huge difference.
• You Can Get Online FAST: Need to get your site live before a big event this weekend? With a website builder, you can. You can have a simple, functioning site up and running in a single afternoon.
• It’s Genuinely Easy to Use: These platforms are made for beginners. Their drag-and-drop editors mean you can add text, swap photos, and change colors without knowing a single line of code.
• You’re in Complete Control: Want to update your hours at 10 PM? Add a new service? You can just log in and do it yourself, instantly. You don’t have to wait for a developer to get back to you.

The Not-So-Good Stuff: The Problems with DIY Websites

• Your Site Can Look Generic: Because you’re starting from a template that thousands of other businesses are using, it’s hard to look truly unique. Your website might look nice, but it may not stand out in a crowded market.
• It Might Not Grow With Your Business: Your DIY site is perfect for you today. But what about next year? If you need to add a complex online ordering system, a private client portal, or other special features, you might hit a wall.
• It Can Be Harder to Get Found on Google: This is a big one. While builders have gotten better at Search Engine Optimization (SEO), they often have technical limitations that a custom site doesn’t. Things like site speed, code structure, and other factors Google cares about might be out of your control.
• Slow Loading Speeds Can Hurt You: Overloading your DIY site with too many features or large images can make it slow. And what happens when a website is slow? Visitors leave. A slow website frustrates customers and can cause Google to rank you lower.

Part 2: Doing Your Own Online Marketing (The Wins & The Headaches)

Okay, so you have a website. Now you have to be the energetic host that invites people to the party. That’s marketing. But can you wear the marketer hat on top of everything else?

The Wins: What’s Great About DIY Marketing

• It’s Way Cheaper: Hiring a marketing agency or even a freelancer is a monthly expense. Doing it yourself saves that money, which you can put back into other parts of your business.
• You Know Your Business Best: No one is more passionate about your business than you are. You can write social media posts and emails that sound authentic and connect with customers because you speak their language.
• You Can Move Fast: Got a shipment of a popular product coming in tomorrow? You can blast out an email and post on Facebook in minutes. This agility is a real advantage.
• You Will Learn So Much: By handling your own marketing, you get a Ph.D. in your customer. You’ll learn what they click on, what they ignore, and what makes them buy. This knowledge is priceless.

The Headaches: The Hard Parts of DIY Marketing

• It Takes Up A LOT of Time: This is the real hidden cost. Good marketing isn’t just one post. It’s writing blog articles, creating graphics, responding to comments, crafting emails, checking your analytics, and more. This can easily become a second job.
• It’s a Steep Learning Curve: Digital marketing isn’t one thing. It’s a dozen different skills, including SEO, Content Marketing, Social Media, Email Marketing, and Paid Ads.
• It’s Easy to Waste Money: It is incredibly easy to spend a few hundred dollars on a “boosted post” that reaches the wrong people and results in zero sales. A professional knows how to target ads to avoid this.
• The Rules Are Always Changing: Google changes its algorithm constantly. Facebook updates its ad platform. A new social media app pops up. Keeping up with these changes is a full-time job for marketing pros.

Part 3: Knowing When to Call for Help

You don’t have to do it all yourself forever. As you grow, you’ll reach a point where your time is more valuable than the money you save by doing it yourself. Here are a few simple checklists to see if you’re there yet.

Checklist: Is it Time for a Website Pro?

☐ You’re a little embarrassed to give people your website address.

☐ Your website looks dated compared to your competitors.

☐ It loads slowly, and you know it.

☐ You need a special feature and you can’t figure it out.

☐ You simply don’t have the time to deal with it anymore.

(If you checked two or more boxes, it’s probably time to have a conversation with a professional web designer.)

Checklist: Is it Time for a Marketing Pro?

☐ You feel like you’re just guessing and have no real marketing plan.

☐ You’re not showing up on the first page of Google for what you do.

☐ You’ve tried running ads but saw no real return on your money.

☐ You’re running out of ideas for what to post on social media.

☐ You’re spending so much time on marketing that you’re neglecting your actual business.

(If you checked two or more boxes, it’s a strong sign that a marketing professional could help you grow.)

Part 4: Your First Steps: What to Do This Week

Theory is great, but action is what gets you customers. Whether you’ve decided to go it alone or hire help, here are the immediate next steps you can take to start building momentum.

If You Chose the DIY Path… (Your 3-Step Starter Kit)

1. Claim Your FREE Google Business Profile. This is the single most important thing you can do for local marketing. It’s what allows your business to show up in Google Maps with your address, hours, and phone number.
2. Pick ONE Social Media Channel and Master It. Don’t try to be on every platform at once. Think about where your ideal customers hang out, pick one, and focus on posting consistently there for the next 90 days.
3. Answer Your Customers’ Top 5 Questions. The best marketing is helpful marketing. Take the five questions you get asked most often and turn each into a simple blog post or a social media update.

If You Decided to Hire a Pro… (Your 3-Step Action Plan)

1. Ask for Referrals and Look at Their Work. Start by asking other business owners who they’ve used. When you have a few names, look at their portfolio to see if you like their style and results.
2. Create a Simple “Brief”. Write down one page with the basics: Who is your customer? What do you want to achieve? What is your budget? This helps professionals give you a realistic quote.
3. Have a Real Conversation. Get them on the phone or a video call. Do they listen and explain things in a way you can understand? You’re starting a partnership, so make sure you have good chemistry.

Part 5: How Do You Know If It’s Working? (Simple Ways to Measure Success)

Whether you do it yourself or hire a pro, you need to know if your efforts are paying off. You don’t need complicated spreadsheets. Just keep an eye on a few key things.

For Your Website:

• Are more people visiting? Most website builders have a simple analytics tool. Is the number of “unique visitors” going up over time?
• Are people contacting you? Are you getting more phone calls or contact form submissions? Track this number every month.

For Your Marketing:

• Is your audience growing? On your chosen social media channel, is your follower count increasing? Are people engaging with your posts?
• Are customers mentioning your marketing? When a new customer calls, make it a habit to ask, “How did you hear about us?” If they start mentioning Google or Facebook, you know it’s working.

The Final Word: It’s a Journey, Not a Race

Deciding whether to handle your website and marketing yourself or hire a professional is the first big step. The most successful business owners know that this choice isn’t permanent.

You might start by building your own website and handling your own social media. As your business grows and your time becomes more valuable, you might hire a professional to redesign the site and run targeted ads. The key is to be honest about your skills, your budget, and your time.

Start with the small, actionable steps we’ve outlined today. Pay attention to what’s working, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re ready to grow. Your digital journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Good luck!