5 downsides of using an AI website builder (+ how to overcome them)
How to avoid common pitfalls when using AI builders
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By generating entire websites with layouts, styling, and content all from a simple prompt, AI website builders have really changed the game for accessibility in web design.
But with new technology comes new challenges. AI website builders often suffer from issues like limited design flexibility, AI-generated design bias, potential for vendor lock-in,SEOchallenges, and lack of a strategic human vision to help put everything together.
We prepared this guide to help you with strategies to overcome common challenges faced when using thebest AI website builders. Read on to learn how to make the best of this new tech without being brought down by its shortcomings.
#1 Limited flexibility and control
What it means:AI website builders offer convenience but this often comes at the cost of flexibility. Users are limited to the templates, designs, and features offered by the platform. Customization options may be lacking compared to building a site from scratch. You have less control over the look, feel, and functionality of your site.
How to overcome it:To overcome this,choose a website builderwith a wide selection of templates and design options to better fit your needs. Prioritize platforms that allow you to edit the HTML/CSS for more granular control, with options for automated code generation. You can also use the AI builder to generate the base of your site, then export the code and further customize it yourself, or hire a developer for tweaks.
Some of thebest website builders, such asWixoffer a great level of flexibility, allowing you to use AI and non-AI tools when editing your site to your requirements. If you want an even greater level of flexibility, many of thebest website builders for agencieswill allow you to edit HTML/CSS with certain levels of subscription.
#2 AI-generated design biases
What it means:The AI algorithms powering website builders are trained on existing design data which may contain biases. For example, an analysis of Wix’s ADI builder found it used mostly male imagery for CEO and developer roles. AI builders may perpetuate gender, race, and cultural stereotypes in their designs and content.
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How to overcome it:Carefully review assets generated by the AI tool and swap out any that promote harmful stereotypes. Many of these AI builders let you regenerate designs for more options. Provide the AI with diverse and inclusive inputs during setup to reduce biased outputs. Incorporate your own brand assets, imagery, and content to override the AI’s biased tendencies.
#3 Vendor lock-in reduces scalability
What it means:Using an AI website builder locks you into that vendor’s platform and capabilities. As your site grows, you may hit the limits of what your AI builder can support in terms of traffic, features, or customization. Migrating an AI-built site to a new platform can be difficult, making it harder or costly to scale.
How to overcome it:To mitigate lock-in, choose a website builder that offers a wide range of plans to accommodate future growth. Investigate the feasibility of exporting your content and designs to shift to a new platform if needed. Consider using AI tools primarily for prototyping and laying a foundation, with plans to rebuild on a more flexible platform long-term. You can also adopt a “modular” approach: use AI for specific site elements in combination with other best-in-breed tools to avoid over-reliance on one AI-powered vendor.
#4 SEO features aren’t a priority
What it means:Many AI website builders do not prioritize search engine optimization (SEO) features and best practices. The focus is often on quick, visually-appealingwebsite designrather than optimizing for search engines. AI-generated sites may have slow load speeds, poor mobile responsiveness, lack of customizable meta tags, and thin content which can hinder rankings.
How to overcome it:Look for an AI website builder that includes SEO features like customizable URLs, alt tags, meta descriptions, and schema markup. Optimize your AI-generated content for target keywords. Enable AMP for faster mobile speeds. Compress images and enable browser caching to improve load times. Consider connecting your AI builder to a headless CMS with strong SEO capabilities. Have an SEO expert audit the AI-built site and provide recommendations.
#5 Lack of strategic human vision
What it means:AI website builders excel at quickly generating functional websites but lack the strategic perspective that humans bring. They cannot understand your business goals, target audience, and unique value proposition, which are critical for an effective website. AI may create a site that checks the technical boxes but fails to resonate with users or drive conversions.
How to overcome it:Provide the AI builder with detailed information about your industry, audience personas, and objectives to better align with your strategy. Have humans ideate the sitemap and content journey before involving AI. Critically review AI-generated designs and content from your audience’s perspective rather than just aesthetics. A/B test the AI-built site with users and iterate based on feedback. Partner with a marketing strategist to ensure your website aligns with your broader business goals.
Additional tips for using AI website builders
By strategically leveraging AI-generated content, combining specialized tooling, continuously training your models, and ensuring brand consistency, you can harness the full potential of these automated solutions while still retaining a human touch. Here are some additional tips to help you along the way:
Ritoban Mukherjee is a freelance tech and innovations journalist from West Bengal, India. His work focuses on reviews, guides, and features about consumer and business software, such as AI website builders and CRM platforms, among other things. He has been published on Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, Creative Bloq, IT Pro Portal, Gizmodo, Medium, Quartz, and Mental Floss.
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