GoDaddy website builder or a web designer: what small businesses should know

GoDaddy is a big name and an easy place to start. Whether it is the right place to finish depends on how much time you have.

What GoDaddy is good for

GoDaddy is best known for selling domain names and hosting, and it also sells a website builder you use yourself. You pick a template, then fill in your text and pictures.

The big plus is having the domain, hosting and site under one login. If you already buy your domain there, adding a site is the least effort path.

Where small businesses tend to get stuck

Templates are quick to start and slow to finish. The first hour feels great. Then comes writing every page, finding photos you are allowed to use and checking each page on a phone. That is where many sites stall at three-quarters done.

Plans and prices change, so look at GoDaddy's own pricing page and check what your plan costs when it renews, not only the first term.

What to check before you commit

Ask yourself whether you can set your own page titles and descriptions, add a map and service area, and move the site elsewhere if you leave. Those questions matter more than the template.

Keep your domain registered in your own name, with your own email address on the account.

What a web designer does differently

We write and lay out the pages for you, set up the local search basics and check it on a phone before you see it. OneSimpleSite packages are fixed price: The Starter £199, The Sorted £399 and The Works £649, with what each includes listed on the packages page.

If you would rather do it yourself and the site can stay simple, a builder is a fair choice. If you would rather get on with your work, that is what we are for.

Questions to ask before you decide

• Is my domain registered in my own name?
• What will this plan cost when it renews?
• Can I edit page titles, descriptions and my service area?
• Can I export or move the site if I leave?
• Who writes the text, and who checks it on a phone?

Common questions

Can I keep my GoDaddy domain if I use a web designer?

Yes. Your domain stays registered where it is. A designer builds the site and points the domain at it, and you keep control of the domain.

Is GoDaddy good for local SEO?

A builder can be set up well for local search, but it will not do it for you. The work is the same whoever builds the site: clear titles, a real map, your details written the same way everywhere, and fast mobile pages.

OneSimpleSite is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any company named in this guide. Product and company names belong to their owners. Plans, prices and features change, so check each provider's own site for current details.

• One.com website builder or a web designer: which suits a local business?
• DIY website builder or web designer: which is right for a small business?
• Wix or a web designer: which is better for a small business?

Website packages and prices · Web design across the UK · Start your project