Did you DIY your first website? Most solopreneurs do (and should!). When you start a business, it’s all testing and bootstrapping and failing forward. It makes complete sense to put on your designer hat and get it done. At some point, though, your business takes off, and it will inevitably outgrow that first website.

In the beginning, all that mattered was having a website for potential customers to visit. A little bit ugly? Oh well. A messy navigation? Doesn’t matter. Photos uploaded directly from your iPhone? Cool. But now that your business is thriving, those things do matter.

Your website should be visually and strategically aligned with your brand, your navigation should guide visitors to your goal, and your photos should be optimised to keep your site fast and named for accessibility and SEO. Plus, a million other small improvements that can level up your website to match your business — and then help your business grow even more.

So, how do you know if it’s time to upgrade from DIY to professional? Let’s take a look.

person reading a book at an outdoor table

When DIY still works.

There’s a time and place for DIY websites. If any of these sound like you, you’re probably fine sticking with your DIY setup for now:

You’re just getting started

When you’re still figuring out your business model, offers, or target audience, a DIY website is the way to go. Your business will evolve, and your website should be flexible enough to evolve with it — without the stress of a big financial commitment upfront.

You actually enjoy website stuff

Some business owners love tweaking their website, learning about SEO, and playing around with design. If that’s you, and you’re getting results, then great! There’s no rule that says you have to hire a professional.

You have more time than money

In the early stages, cash flow is tight, and every dollar matters. If you’re not able to invest in a professionally designed site yet, DIY is totally fine — just keep an eye on when it starts costing you more in time and lost opportunities than it’s saving you in money.

Your website is simple

If your website is just a basic online presence — a digital business card with some info about what you do — then a DIY setup might be enough. It’s when you need more complex functionality, like ecommerce, online booking, or custom design elements, that DIY starts to show its limitations.

When DIY stops being enough.

DIY website platforms like Squarespace are brilliant for getting a business online quickly and affordably. They’re user-friendly, flexible, and allow small businesses to manage their own sites without needing a developer. But at a certain point, even the best DIY setup can start to limit your growth.

The time trade-off

DIY might be cost-effective in the beginning, but how much time are you spending tweaking, troubleshooting, and fixing things? If you find yourself constantly trying to make your site look and function better — without ever getting it quite right — it may be time to bring in a pro who can get it done faster and more effectively.

It’s almost right

DIY platforms give you lots of tools, but sometimes they only get you almost where you want to be. Maybe you can’t quite get the layout to work, or your site doesn’t look as polished as you’d like. Small frustrations add up, and if your website isn’t meeting your expectations (or your customers’), a designer can help close the gap.

Performance & strategy matter

A good website isn’t just about looking great — it needs to work for your business too. Professional web designers bring experience in optimising for conversions, user experience, SEO, and performance — things that can make a huge difference in how well your site actually supports your business growth.

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What a web designer brings to the table.

Hiring a web designer isn’t just about getting a site that looks better — it’s about getting one that works better for your business. Here’s what a professional can do:

Design a site that aligns with your brand – ensuring colours, fonts, and layouts reflect your business’s personality and values.
Create a strategic user experience – so visitors can easily find what they need and take action.
Optimise for conversions – making small changes that result in more leads and sales.
Ensure mobile responsiveness – so your site looks great on all devices.
Improve speed and SEO – helping your site rank better and keep visitors engaged.
Set up integrations properly – so your contact forms, booking systems, and ecommerce store work seamlessly.
Design for the future – so you don’t have to keep rebuilding your site every few years.

The middle ground.

If you’re not quite ready for a full custom website but want something more polished than pure DIY, consider:

Professional strategy, DIY execution – A designer helps plan your site structure, layout, and branding, but you build it yourself.
Template customisation – A designer tweaks a pre-made template to align with your brand.
Starting small – Get a professionally designed homepage and build the rest over time.

So, what’s the right choice for you?

Your website should be an asset to your business, not a burden. If it’s still serving you well, great — keep tweaking and improving it as you grow. But if it’s starting to feel like a limitation, it might be time to call in a pro.

Want to know what kind of potential your DIY website has?

Fill out this form to request a free 5-minute homepage video review. Every Thursday, I review as many homepages as I can and provide personalised feedback on what could be working better. You'll get specific tips on what to tweak to improve your site’s performance, and most importantly, what might be pushing potential clients away.

DIY vs. Professional Design: The right website choice for your growing business.