Published April 25th, 2025
We get it. You’re a small business owner. Every dollar counts. And those “build it yourself for free” website platforms sound pretty tempting, right?
But here’s the hard truth:
Most DIY websites don’t save money — they just quietly drain it.
Whether it's time, lost leads, or the invisible red flags that make Google ignore you, the hidden costs of a DIY site stack up fast. And unfortunately, most of the damage doesn’t show up until you’ve already missed out on potential customers.
Let’s pull the curtain back on why going the DIY route might be the most expensive “free” decision your business ever makes.
Time Is Money — And DIY Takes All Your Time
You started out just trying to get something up quickly. But now you’re six hours deep on a Tuesday night, stuck on font choices and wondering why your header keeps shifting around on mobile.
Meanwhile, your competitors are focused on, you know, actually running their business.
Here's what you’re probably spending your time on:
- Trying to “learn design” in a weekend
- Watching YouTube tutorials that contradict each other
- Choosing a color palette (then changing it again)
- Trying to make your site “look legit” with zero guidance
- Copying and pasting from other sites (which Google hates)
Instead of doing what you’re great at, you're moonlighting as a web developer, designer, SEO expert, and copywriter — all while praying Google notices you.
DIY SEO Is Like Whispering Into a Megaphone — Backwards
One of the biggest dangers of a DIY website? Invisible SEO.
If Google can’t find you, your business might as well not exist online.
And most DIY platforms don’t even tell you about the critical stuff:
- Meta titles, descriptions, and keywords
- Alt text on your images
- Sitemap creation and submission
- Header structure for searchability
- Site speed optimization
- Mobile responsiveness
- Clean backend code that Google can crawl easily
At Cannone Marketing, we bake all of this in from Day 1 — because we know a beautiful site that can’t rank is just expensive digital art.
The “Good Enough” Trap: What DIY Sites Usually Get Wrong
We’ve reviewed a lot of DIY sites. And no matter how hard the owner tried, they all suffer from the same issues:
- Generic, lifeless copy (usually copied from somewhere else)
- Broken mobile views
- No clear call to action
- Outdated design that doesn’t reflect your brand
- Missing key pages (like Contact, FAQ, or Services)
- Random stock photos that don’t build trust
- Zero strategy behind layout or content flow
A good small business website doesn’t just exist — it guides, persuades, and converts.
And that takes more than dragging and dropping.
The Tech Stuff You Didn’t Know You’re Missing
Even if your DIY site looks okay on the surface, under the hood it might be throwing off red flags to search engines and visitors alike.
At Cannone Marketing, every website we build includes:
- Worry-Free Cloud Hosting & SSL Certificate
- Professional Copywriting & SEO
- Search Engine Submission (monthly)
- Page-specific Meta Titles, Descriptions & Keywords
- Mobile, Tablet, and Desktop Optimization
- Unlimited Edits & Revisions
- Real-Time Traffic Stats
- Connected Domain & Favicon
- 1-on-1 Calls with Me, Mike — not some chatbot
Oh, and before you ever pay a cent? You get a free homepage mockup so you know exactly what you're getting.
Let’s Talk About the Real Cost of DIY
Here’s what most small business owners don’t realize:
The cost of a DIY website isn’t just in hours wasted — it’s in opportunities lost.
That’s…
- Potential customers who couldn’t find you
- Leads that bounced because your site didn’t build trust
- Clients who assumed you weren’t legit
- Google ranking someone else instead of you
- Ads that flopped because the landing page didn’t convert
You didn’t start your business to figure out websites. You started it to do what you do best. So let us handle this part — the right way.
Here’s What You Get When You Stop DIYing and Start Winning
Our all-in package includes everything a real small business website needs — not just to exist, but to thrive:
💥 $249 one-time setup
💥 $75/month for everything else, including:
- Pro Design with Unlimited Pages
- Full SEO Integration
- Content & Copywriting
- Hosting & Security
- Domain (if needed)
- Ongoing Edits
- Direct support from a real human (hi, it’s me 👋)
No fluff. No corners cut. Just strategy, results, and a site that works.