Most small businesses should do both. Some website tasks are quick, low-risk, and require your direct knowledge. Others require expertise that takes years to develop. The trick is knowing which is which.
The same factors that help you decide whether to DIY or hire a plumber apply here: How long will it take you vs. a professional? What's the cost if you get it wrong? Does it require specialized knowledge? How important is the outcome to your business?
What You Should Probably DIY
Updating business hours, editing text content, uploading photos, changing contact info, responding to reviews. These take 5-30 minutes and only you know the right answers. If your site is set up well, these tasks should be straightforward. Even if an agency could do them technically, they'd need to ask you for the information anyway.
When to Get Professional Help
Security hardening, site migrations, custom development, technical SEO fixes, and performance optimization all carry real risk if done wrong. A botched migration can break your site and tank your search rankings. A security misconfiguration can lead to data breaches and liability. These aren't areas to learn by trial and error on a live business website.
Small business websites typically cost $3,000 to $8,000 for a full build. Individual fixes run less, but the math still matters: if your time is worth $100/hour and a fix takes you 8 hours to figure out, hiring someone for $400 is the smarter move.
What About AI Tools?
AI tools have changed the DIY calculation. They can help you write copy, suggest design changes, and troubleshoot problems faster than searching forums. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 58% of small businesses now use generative AI, up from 23% in 2023.
But AI also makes it easy to move fast in the wrong direction. A Gartner survey found 53% of consumers distrust AI-generated content. And AI tools can't evaluate whether advice applies to your specific situation, assess the actual risk of a change, or know what business outcome you're trying to achieve.
Use AI to accelerate work you understand. Be cautious using it for work you don't.
The Long View
Regardless of which path you choose, website work is rarely a one-time event. Solving business problems takes time and iteration, whether you're doing it yourself or working with an agency. Be prepared to invest time and money to get the best outcomes. The SBA notes that the choice depends on your budget, needs, timing, and capabilities, and that's true for both initial projects and ongoing work.
Not sure what's wrong or how hard it is to fix? An Anthrasite audit identifies issues and indicates complexity, so you can make informed DIY vs. hire decisions. Need an agency? We can connect you with vetted partners.