My mates Cousin Built My Website - And Why It's Killing Your Local SEO!
We've all heard it. Or maybe you've been it.
"Oh, my website? Yeah, my mate's cousin's quite good with computers. She built it for me one weekend. Didn't cost much."
Sound familiar? Here's the thing—that website probably cost you far more than the few hundred quid you saved.
I'm not being dramatic. I'm being honest.
The Problem With "Good Enough" Websites
When someone without proper experience builds your website, they're usually optimizing for the wrong things. They're making it look nice (or at least, they think they are). They're getting your contact details on there. Job done, right?
Wrong. Dead wrong.
A website isn't just a digital brochure. It's your shop window, your salesperson, and increasingly—your biggest competitor's biggest vulnerability. Because if your website doesn't work hard for you, your local competitors' websites will work hard against you.
Here's What Happens
Bad websites are like having a beautiful storefront with a broken door. People can see it looks nice from the street, but they can't actually get inside to buy anything.
Technically, this shows up in several ways:
Your site loads slowly. When your mate's cousin builds a site, they often don't care about file sizes, image optimization, or server performance. Google certainly cares though. So do your potential customers, who'll click away after three seconds if your site crawls along like a tired snail.
The code is a mess. Poor structure means search engines struggle to understand what your site is actually about. You could be ranking for nothing even though you should be ranking for everything. SEO doesn't happen by accident—it happens because someone understands how to build it in from the start.
There's no strategy. A proper website isn't just pages. It's a system that guides people toward a specific action—calling you, getting a quote, booking a consultation. Without that structure, visitors wander around lost. They leave. Your conversion rate becomes your biggest problem.
The SEO Disaster
This is where it gets really painful for local business owners.
Local SEO—getting found by people searching for your services in your area—depends on your website sending consistent, correct signals to Google. A badly built site sends mixed signals. Or no signals at all.
Missing meta descriptions. Broken internal linking. No local schema markup. Duplicate content issues. Keyword stuffing that makes your site read like a ransom note. These aren't just technical glitches—they're the difference between showing up on page one and disappearing into page ten.
And once you're on page ten? You might as well not exist.
The Credibility Problem
Here's something people don't talk about enough: a bad website makes you look small.
When someone lands on your site from a local search, they're making a split-second judgment. Does this business look professional? Can I trust them with my money? Will they actually deliver?
I covered this in yesterday artticle which you can find here.
A poorly designed website—even if it's technically functional—tells visitors you don't care enough to invest in your business. They'll click to your competitor's site instead. The one that looks like someone actually put thought into it.
This isn't vanity. It's pure business logic.
What A Proper Website Actually Does
A strategic website:
Works on every device (mobile-first, because that's how people search now)
Loads fast enough that people don't bounce before it even appears
Has clear navigation so visitors find what they need in seconds
Uses proper SEO structure so Google understands your business
Converts visitors into leads because there's an actual strategy behind the layout
Builds trust through professional design and clear information
Tells your story in a way that matters to your specific local audience
Stays updated and secure (because an outdated website is a liability)
The Reality Check
You wouldn't ask your mate's cousin to do your accounts, right? You'd get an accountant. You wouldn't ask them to handle your legal stuff—you'd get a solicitor.
Your website deserves the same level of professionalism, if you’re not getting the enquiries you deserve then it might well be be problem.
I'm not saying every website needs to cost a fortune. But it needs to be built with strategy, purpose, and technical competence. It needs to work for you, not against you.
Because in local business, your website is often the first impression. Make it count.
Thanks for reading,
Ollie
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