AI website builder: So what are you paying a designer for?
Updated: Oct 13
Fair question.
If you can type a few sentences into an AI website builder and get something that looks pretty good, why would you pay someone to do it?
I design websites for a living, and I think that’s a reasonable thing to ask.
AI can help you get started. It can suggest layouts, draft copy and give you something to work with. For some businesses, that might be enough.
But there are still decisions to make. What belongs on the website? What do your customers need to know? And does the finished thing actually help them choose you?
That’s where a lot of my work happens.
Looking good is part of the job
You can have lovely colours, nice fonts and a homepage that looks very professional.
Then someone lands on it and can’t work out what you actually do.
Or they understand the service, but don’t know whether it’s right for them. Or they’re ready to enquire and have to go hunting for the contact button.
These are the things I’m thinking about when I design a website.
The way it looks matters. So does what it says, the order it says it in, and how easy it is to take the next step.
A beautiful website with a confusing experience still needs work.
Someone has to work out what belongs
Most clients don’t arrive with their website neatly mapped out.
They have ideas. A few websites they like. Some old copy. A service they’re finding hard to explain. Sometimes a folder full of things they’ve been meaning to sort out for years.
That’s fine. You don’t need to have it all figured out before we talk.
Part of my job is helping you untangle it.
What needs its own page? What can we combine? Which questions should we answer before someone gets in touch? What are we putting on the homepage, and what can wait until later?
Sometimes that means adding something useful.
Sometimes it’s me saying, “I know you love this bit, but do we need it?”
A few GOOD pages can do a lot. Working out what goes on them takes thought.
Your business has specifics. Your website should too.
AI can give you a starting point for your copy. But you still need to read it and ask whether it says anything useful about your business.
“Personalised solutions to help you thrive” sounds pleasant enough.
What are the solutions? Who are they for? What happens when someone books?
For a service business, those details help people make a decision.
A therapist’s potential client might want to know what the first session feels like. Someone booking a tradesperson might need to know which suburbs they cover. A business owner looking for a designer might want to understand the process, the investment and what they need to supply.
Your website needs to answer the questions your customers actually have.
It also needs to sound like you. You can be professional and still use words you’d say out loud.
The first preview isn’t the whole website
It’s easy to get excited when the homepage comes together. I do too.
Then we need to look at the rest.
How does it work on a phone? Can you read the text comfortably? Do the buttons go where they should? Does the enquiry form work? Is the booking process straightforward?
Can you update it yourself without feeling like you’re about to break something?
There are also details behind the pages: headings, page titles, image descriptions and search settings that need attention.
An AI tool may help with some of this. Someone still needs to check what’s been produced and make sure it makes sense for your business.
That checking is part of the work you’re paying for.
When might an AI website builder be enough?
If you need a basic online presence, have a clear offer and feel comfortable editing and checking the result, an AI website builder could be a sensible option.
You might be testing a business idea or getting something up while you work out your next steps. You don’t need a huge custom website just because you’re serious about your business.
But if you’re struggling to explain your services, your business has outgrown its current website, or people keep asking questions the site should already answer, the tool is only part of what you need.
You may need someone to help you make the decisions as well.
What you’re paying me for
You’re paying for my time, experience and judgement.
For someone to look at your business, ask useful questions and work out how the pieces fit together. To shape the design and content, check the details, and help you get it finished.
We can use tools that make the work easier. There’s no prize for doing everything the hard way.
But the decisions still matter. Which ideas suit your business? Which words actually explain what you do? What will help someone feel comfortable enough to get in touch?
Those are the things I help you work through.
Got a website in mind? Tell me what you need it to do. We’ll work out the rest together.
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