Unleash Your Online Potential: Say No to Free Website Builders
Updated March 2024
Free Website Builders Work Against You
Welcome to my blog post where I delve into using free website builders and why it may not be the best approach for your online presence. A strong and professional website is crucial for businesses and professionals in today’s digital age.
However, the allure of free website builders can be tempting, promising an easy and cost-effective solution. This post will explore the pitfalls and disadvantages of using these platforms. So, if you’re considering using a free website builder, keep reading to understand why it might work against you rather than in your favor.
Are Free Website Builders Your Best Option?
Using free website builders hardly ever results in the online presence business owners need to meet their business objectives. Yes, they do sound like the best option for many businesses. However, most business owners fail to consider all the implications of using a free website builder.
That is not surprising. Business owners are focused on their business. Their primary concern is adapting their business to survive and thrive during economic uncertainty. That usually does not include building a website.
My primary focus is helping companies and product brands create an effective online presence. That gives me a better understanding of the limitations of using free website builders. Let me explain.
Don’t Be Seduced by Free Website Builders.
Times are tough for small business owners like you. You know you need a website to stay in business. However, with limited budgets, using free website builders seems the best option. But that is not the case! It is natural to look for the least expensive option. I understand that.
And yes, there are more free website builders than a few years ago. Using them is so simple: drag and drop or use pre-built templates! It sounds perfect, but it isn’t! Using free website builders is convenient, indeed. But they are far from an ideal solution.
Simply put, you’re making a mistake if you decide a free website builder can get you a website just as good as a professional designer. I beg to differ. For most business owners, DIY web design is a bad idea!
Look at it this way: Sure, anyone can build a website, and anyone can build a house, too, but there’s a reason we pay professionals who do it for a living. Professionals provide better results in less time, and often, that makes them more cost-effective as well.
Before you decide that using free website builders is your best option, please hear me out. I may be able to help you find a better option. At the very least, I will help you pay attention to some things you may not have considered.
7 Reasons Small Business Owners Should Think Twice Before Using Free Website Builders
1 – Free Website Builders Aren’t Free
Most “free” websites are not free at all. Keep in mind; they run a business; you’ll have to start paying eventually in some shape or form. Yes, there’s typically a free trial. Still, most users need to quickly ‘upgrade’ their account (the platform’s goal) for certain services. They suddenly find the need to pay for an app integrator, then some tool, more storage, a scheduler, tax calculator, FTP access, image hosting, email accounts, and so on.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re not paying for it, then you are the product. Free website builders need to make money from you somehow. The terms/conditions allow them to do as they wish with your info, so selling your information (email address, etc.) is common.
2 – You Don’t Own Your Website
Personally, this is a primary reason I would stay away from Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Shopify, Yahoo, etc. The website files and code belong to them, not you. Maybe you run into some of the issues listed herein. Or you’d like to increase your website’s capabilities/functionalities and decide to upgrade. All the work you’ve done so far is for nothing.
There’s no way to migrate your website from their platform. You can’t access your site files, backend, CSS (custom style sheets), code, etc. Therefore, all your time and effort are lost, and you’re starting again from ground zero. And what will you do if/when one of these companies closes down? That happens frequently! Your website, its files, and assets will all be gone.
If you build your website on an open-source content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Drupal – you own it all. Everything you invest in your website (time, effort, money, SEO) will always be yours and pay ongoing dividends. You can pack it up and take it somewhere else.
3 – Limited Functionality
Using free website builders means you are limited to the tools developed by that platform. Compare them to an open-source CMS like WordPress. WordPress has almost 60,000 plugins that allow complete customization for businesses of any size and industry. No wonder WordPress dominates the CMS industry with over 60% market share. (Wix, GoDaddy, Weebly average 0.8%).
Look at these WordPress statistics for 2024:
- WordPress has an estimated CMS market share of 63.0% in 2024
- WordPress powers over 36% of the top 10,000 high-traffic websites
- 500+ sites are built daily using WordPress, while only 60-80 per day are created on a platform like Shopify and Squarespace.
- The WordPress Plugin Directory features close to 60,000 plugins.
- WooCommerce powers 29% of e-commerce sites in 2024
4 – Limited or No Customization Options
Using free website builders limits you to their tools, fonts, templates, and other design options. This lack of custom code results in a bland, everyday, cookie-cutter website that may not reflect your brand. And there is another crucial consideration. The ‘average Joe’ can identify free websites. And typically, that is not a great first impression of your company. Is that what you want?
5 – No Search Engine Optimization
While many free website builders provide you with what they call “SEO tools,” they all lack what they offer. Proper search engine optimization (SEO) requires access to customize files and modify/optimize your server settings. But using free website builders means you have no access to your server. Different free website builders have other shortcomings. Some will give you access to meta descriptions, headings, and alt attributes on the home page, not internal pages, product pages, or blog posts. And that is a significant shortcoming.
6 – No Page Speed Optimization
A free website builder will host your website on a shared server with hundreds of other sites. Limited bandwidth and no access to server settings mean your website will load slowly. The average visitor will leave your site if it’s not fully loaded (desktop or mobile) in 3 seconds or less. Therefore, optimizing page speed is critical for providing the best user experience.
And don’t judge your page speed by how well your site loads for you and on your devices; it is cached for quick loading on your browser. Utilize your analytics account for page speed insights of your visitors. You can also use a free page speed testing tool like GTMetrix, Pingdom, or Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
7 – No Website Security
The shared server mentioned above leads to security concerns. Using free website builders increases the risk of getting hacked or compromised. Even worse, free website builders are usually unable to restore your website.
A Few More Reasons You Should Reconsider Using Free Website Builders
You Will Get in Over Your Head
Using a free builder, you can build a website that looks better than most of your competition. However, just because it looks better doesn’t mean it’s a well-built website. You should talk to a professional web developer if your website is only a glorified business card.
People spend their professional lives studying and refining, building a website that supports your business objectives. It’s not just putting up a nice picture, creating a well-crafted tagline, listing your services, and adding a contact number.
Here’s an example: Should your “About page” be about your company’s history? Absolutely not. Not many people care about your company’s history. Even on your About page, people want to see how your company helps them solve their problems, and you have less than five seconds to convince them. Don’t talk about your dog, family history, or first job unless you can craft a compelling story.
You Are Not a Designer
I am a photographer and designer, so let me explain it this way. There’s a difference between a picture and a photograph. You’ve seen that difference even if you haven’t noticed it. Think of it this way: a picture is something you snap at the moment. A photograph is something you could frame and hang on your wall.
Website builders help you move to the next step, like learning the rule of thirds (which helps in web design). Composition helps; you can tell the difference between your old pictures and those you take after learning them. But it takes a lot of practice to become a good photographer.
Using free website builders and layouts helps you incorporate some design basics, but using them does not mean you are good at web design.
You Don’t Understand User Experience and Interaction.
UX is related to website design but takes it to the next level. To stay with my photography example, it might be like learning how to use your aperture and shutter speed. Once you know how to compose a good photograph, you still need to learn about exposure, depth of field, etc.
Design is one thing. Understanding how people interact with your website is a different ballgame. Where should the call to action go (your website has a call to action, right?)? What’s the flow you want a visitor to take on your site? When they click the button you want them to click, how does the next page capture their interest and keep them on the path to becoming a customer?
I’ve talked to many business owners who already have websites. They’ve explained to me that their websites should not be too salesy. Instead, they want to provide information and generate leads.
What they’re saying is true, but there’s a way to design your website as a sales tool without being “salesy.” A well-crafted website sells your product or service without the visitor realizing it. By providing the best possible user experience, you help your visitors; you’re not selling to them.
But if you don’t understand how they’ll interact with your website, you cannot help them as well as you’d like.
You Don’t Understand SEO
Optimizing your websites for Google is the primary way people find you at the top of their search results. There are ways to do it right, and then there’s throwing spaghetti against the wall. Google is continuously revising its ranking algorithms, which is why SEO is a full-time job.
SEO used to be all about putting keywords everywhere, even if it made a page’s title sound weird. Some SEO consultants who aren’t keeping up with the times still use that strategy. Did you know you shouldn’t even use a list of keywords on your pages anymore?
SEO changes constantly.
Yes, there are certain things you can do that help and are apparent. For example, you can quickly learn how to write posts on other blogs to get links back to yours. But there is much more to a good SEO strategy than you might realize.
We use professional tools on our website to ensure we do our best. I’m unaware of any free website builders offering those tools to optimize your site and content.
Yes, You Can Build Your Own Website. But Is That Your Best Option?
Using free website builders is entirely understandable when you’re strapped for cash. Today, many companies are offering simple ‘drag and drop’ free website builders. With the seemingly high cost of hiring a professional to custom-build your website, that seems like a good alternative.
And I won’t judge you for using a free website builder. I want you to be aware and informed. Hopefully, you will consider these points before starting, so you’re at least thinking about them as you build your site.
But I urge you to reconsider. Your job is not to build websites. As a business owner, your primary objective is the survival of your business. Focus on getting your products sold and helping your clients. Leave the other stuff to the pros. It will be well worth the financial investment.
Summing Up
In conclusion, using free website builders can harm your small business. Seven compelling reasons exist for small business owners to consider the drawbacks before opting for a free website builder.
Exploring alternative options offering more control, customization, and reliability is advisable to ensure optimal success and growth. Don’t let the limitations of free website builders hinder your business’s potential.
Take action today and contact us for more information on superior website solutions tailored to meet your specific needs.
Are You Looking to Build a Website to Meet Your Business Objectives?
Now that you know why using free website builders will work against you, it is time to consider alternatives. The fastest way to create an effective online presence for your business is to hire a professional web designer.
Working with a professional will give you better results in less time than doing this yourself. Here is a simple guide to getting the most out of your web designer to help you get started.
Our award-winning team will happily help you launch your online presence and grow your business. But first, look at our portfolio and read our case studies.
Then, if you believe we are a good fit for your web design needs, reach out to us! We offer a full range of consulting and design solutions for businesses and product brands.
Contact us to learn more about our mobile-first business web design services. Our team can determine what type of website will best support your business objectives and build it for you.
Did You Build Your Own Website?
Did you use a free website builder or consider that option? If so, did the result help you achieve your business objectives? Or did you run into unforeseen problems? If not, what made you decide against using free website builders? Please feel free to comment below so our audience can benefit as well. And feel free to share our post with your audience!
For more content relevant to your business or product brand – check out the range of articles on our web design blog. (This one, explaining why DIY web design is a bad idea, is an excellent place to start!)
Thank you! We appreciate your help to end bad business websites, one pixel at a time!
By Gregor Saita
Co-Founder / CXO
@gregorsaita