DIY builder vs. hiring a pro
The DIY builder isn't free, it costs you the weekends you spend on it and the jobs a weaker site doesn't convert. Here's how to think about the trade.
The trade, line by line
| DIY builder | Hiring a pro (Arion) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash outlay upfront | Low | Higher |
| Your time invested | 20-60+ hours | A few hours of input |
| Conversion rate | Whatever you manage | Built and tested for it |
| Local SEO | Rarely done well DIY | Part of the build |
| Ongoing changes | You, forever | Email them in |
| Opportunity cost | High, that's selling time | Low |
| Code ownership | Depends on platform |
Where DIY builder stops paying off
- The subscription is the small cost. The real one is 30-plus hours you could have spent on billable work or with your family, spread over weeks of evenings.
- A DIY site usually converts worse, not because you're not smart, but because conversion is a craft: the five-second clarity test, the mobile tap targets, the call-to-action placement.
- Local SEO almost never gets done properly DIY, because it's ongoing and unglamorous, and it's often the difference between page one and page two.
- Every future change is on you. A year in, the hours DIY 'saved' have been spent twice over on tweaks.
What Hiring a pro (Arion) gives you instead
- A few hours of your input, what you do, your photos, your service area, and the build is handled.
- The site is designed and tested to convert visitors into calls, because that's the whole point of it.
- Local SEO is part of the engagement, not an afterthought you'll get to eventually.
- Changes are an email. Your time goes back to running the business.
About these figures
Time estimates are typical ranges for a small-business owner building a multi-page local site with SEO basics. Your mileage will vary with your comfort level and how much you'll tolerate 'good enough'.
See your number first.
The free Arion Scorecard grades your website, search, profile, reviews, and social out of 100, with the fixes.
Common questions
I'm fairly technical. Can't I just do it well myself?
Maybe. The build, yes. The parts that are easy to underrate are conversion craft and ongoing local SEO, and the time cost of both. If you genuinely enjoy it and have the hours, DIY can work.
What's the cheapest way to get a real result?
Start with the free Scorecard to see where you actually stand. If the gaps are small, we'll tell you and you can DIY the fixes. If they're costing you real work, that's when a build pays for itself.
How much of my time do you actually need?
A kickoff call, a batch of photos, and a couple of review rounds, usually three to five hours total spread across the project.
What if I want to take it over later?
You own it, so you can. We build on a setup you can maintain, and we'll hand over everything and point you to a host if you ever want to bring it in-house.
Do you ever tell people not to hire you?
Regularly. If your Scorecard is already strong or your budget is better spent elsewhere first, we'll say so.
Tell us what's leaking.
The most common first step is the free Scorecard, but if you already know what's broken, skip it and just tell us here.
- 1
You send this
Tell us what you're trying to fix. Two minutes, no obligation.
- 2
We reply in a day
A short note back, worth a call or not, and why. Often a free tip either way.
- 3
We scope it on a call
20 minutes. We agree what to fix first and what it costs. You decide from there.