Full Transcript
Lauren: So my friend just told me she's gonna build her own website using GoDaddy. And I'm like... is that a good idea? Or is she about to make a huge mistake?
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor... We make interwebs and website stuff make sense... Let's get into it.
Honor: Okay, so GoDaddy... I've actually rebuilt dozens of websites for people who started with GoDaddy and hit a wall. So I have some thoughts on this.
Lauren: Okay, so it's not like... obviously bad?
Honor: No, it's not bad! It's actually fast and cheap. You can get a basic site up in an afternoon for like 10 or 12 bucks a month. If your friend just needs hours, location, a phone number... GoDaddy will totally work.
Lauren: Okay, so what's the problem then?
Honor: The problem starts when you want more. And here's the thing most people don't realize... a website is not just a pretty picture you look at. It's not like a Word document where you drag stuff around.
Lauren: It's not?
Honor: No. A website has plumbing. Under every website there's code, there's structure for search engines, there's accessibility features for screen readers... there's a lot going on underneath that you don't see.
Lauren: Oh! So it's like... the website is a house. And I can see the paint and the furniture. But there's also electrical and plumbing in the walls that I have no idea about.
Honor: Exactly. And would you install your own plumbing?
Lauren: Absolutely not. I would flood my house.
Honor: Right! So what GoDaddy and other DIY builders do is they hide the plumbing from you. That's the whole point. You just drag and drop and hope everything works.
Lauren: But what if it doesn't work? Like what's actually going wrong under there?
Honor: Well, here's a big one... accessibility. Your website needs to work for everyone, including people who use screen readers or can't use a mouse. And get this... in the first half of 2025, over 2000 accessibility lawsuits were filed nationwide. California was third in the country for these lawsuits.
Lauren: Wait, people get sued over their websites?
Honor: All the time. And here's the thing... those little "add accessibility with one click" widgets that some builders sell? They don't actually protect you. A lot of lawsuits are filed against sites that already have those widgets installed.
Lauren: Oh no. So it's like... putting a band-aid on a broken pipe and calling it fixed.
Honor: Exactly. Accessibility has to be built in from the start. Proper code structure, the right colors, alt text on images... this isn't stuff you can slap on later.
Lauren: Okay so the plumbing is broken and I don't even know it. What else?
Honor: The other big problem is you're stuck. GoDaddy has no export button. If you build your site there and later decide to move to something better... you're rebuilding everything from scratch.
Lauren: That's like... renting an apartment, decorating it exactly how you want, and then finding out you can't take any of your furniture when you move out.
Honor: Yes! And I've done this migration for clients. It takes time and it costs money. They end up paying twice.
Lauren: So what's the takeaway here? What should my friend actually do?
Honor: Before she commits to any DIY builder, ask one question: What happens when I outgrow this? Because GoDaddy is fine for basics. But about 75 percent of consumers judge a company's credibility based on their website. A generic template doesn't help you stand out.
Lauren: So the moral of the story is... think about where you're going, not just where you're starting. And if you don't want to worry about the plumbing at all... give YouGrow a call!
Honor: Yeah, with us... accessibility is built in from day one, no widgets, no band-aids. You're not locked in... month-to-month, cancel anytime, and we give you your content if you ever leave. 79 dollars a month, everything included. And I'm local, in Arroyo Grande. Call 805-439-6288 and talk to an actual human.
Lauren: Love it. Alright, this has been 805 Web Minute. Thanks for listening!