21 Website Truths After 21 Builds

I was pretty clueless the first time someone asked me to build them a website.

But like most things in my life, I figured it out — taught myself Kajabi, translated my design aesthetic into a website, and called it a day.

21 websites later, you couldn't pay me enough to build on Kajabi — and now I definitely know what I'm doing.

Yet somehow, teaching myself a new platform over the last few weeks has felt like being a beginner all over again. 😅

When I first met with Pamela at Painted Horse Winery, their website was built on Square. Not Squarespace — Square, as in the card processing, payment reading Square. (Yes, totally different things!)

During our discovery call, I confidently explained that I specialize in Showit & Squarespace and thought Squarespace would be perfect for their brand and goals. There was just one tiny problem...

Okay, a BIG one.

I thought I could hook up Square to their Squarespace website (again — two completely unrelated platforms) so any purchase made online could still be processed through Square, where all their in-person payments already happen.

Fast forward three months: We had a kickass brand repositioning, a solid content strategy, and a 6-page custom design ready to build when I realized that — they could sell things from their Squarespace website on their in-person Square terminals (something they didn't actually need), but they'd still have to pay for a Stripe account to process online payments for all their events.

This wasn't going to work.

And since I am so not the kind of girl to say "Oops! Here's some money back!" and leave you hanging... I went on the hunt for a solution.

Meanwhile, my client Pamela was traveling with her husband in China, blissfully unaware of this behind-the-scenes panic — which is the beauty of done-for-you design & website services.

Long story short, after a few frantic Google searches, I decided WIX would be our best bet and opted to push my own Instagram content off for a couple weeks while I taught myself an entirely new builder.

Full transparency?

I've cried at least 3 times during this process, given customer service a piece of my mind once, and been so stressed that even my bestie & Dad are aware this is a "thing."

(If you've been following my stories on Instagram, you've witnessed some of this rollercoaster through my daily coffee talks & sneak peeks of The Painted Horse Winery's website.)

The question everyone's asking is: Would I build on WIX again?

And my answer is... maybe.

Like every platform, there are things I love about the builder and things that make me want to throw my laptop across the room.

If I knew deep down it was the right platform for a client, I might just do it again.

Maybe I need to get through tomorrow's launch to know for sure? 🤷‍♀️

In the meantime, I wanted to dedicate today's newsletter to sharing the most important lessons I've learned after building 21 websites.

From choosing the right platform for your needs to what makes websites convert, these practical insights will save you time, money, and stress when it comes to your brand's website.

↓ Let's dive in!

21 Website Truths After 21 Builds

My journey as a website designer began over 4 years ago, tracking hours on Upwork for my first Kajabi site. Since then, I've built websites on Showit, Squarespace, Shopify, and now WIX—though I typically recommend Showit & Squarespace for my clients as they best complement my design style and their needs.

As I wrap up my first website build of 2025, I'm gearing up to rebuild my site and open spots for my new & improved website design offer: The Signature Site.

After completing 21 websites across 4 different platforms, I've collected some hard-earned wisdom along the way.

Here are 21 things I want you to know when it comes to your brand's website including:

Choosing the right platform #1-5
Copy & conversion essentials #6-11
Design & user experience #12-17
Tech & marketing realities #18-21

choosing the right platform

#1. A lot of people (especially on threads) like to make noise about platforms being "good vs. bad," — but the platform your site should be built on really depends on who's going to be updating it & how tech/design savvy they are.

#2. The second thing to consider when choosing a platform is your long-term goals & whether that platform has the capabilities you need (e-commerce for digital products, membership capabilities, courses, etc.) This is why your long-term vision is one of the first things we talk about in The Signature Site process.

#3. I really do think Showit is the best website platform if blogging is something you know you want to take seriously (because you get the power of a WordPress blog with the design customizations of Showit).

#4. Squarespace has a GORGEOUS course interface, but the checkout process is NOT the most conversion-friendly, in my opinion, which bugs the crap out of me.

#5. You can absolutely have two different sites within one user experience. This could be the case if you have a Showit site & also want a digital product shop or if you have a sub-brand that needs its own URL. For Example, last year, I connected two square space sites for my client, Dr. Jen Clemons. After building her website for Wise Owl Medicine on Squarespace in 2023, she hired me back to edit her original site and create a seamless experience between her nationwide content platform, Wise Owl Medicine, and her California-only in-person practice.

These are two different URL's & Square Space accounts

But the only thing that changes is the logo, they are connected to form one seamless user experience

copy & conversion essentials

#6. Your copy is the most important part of your website. Period.

#7. It's 2025, and your prices should be clear on your website. Period.

#8. Understanding your audience's desires and needs + why your solution is the right one (aka your Brand Positioning) has to happen before your messaging, copy, and offers can convert.

#9. Offers that don't convert are less about website design and more about having clear positioning, copy, and offers.

#10. Your website can't make you money while you sleep if the copy, offers, messaging, and marketing strategy aren't equally dialed in.

#11. If you're going to write your own copy — follow a template. No one is out here using a blank Google Doc effectively.

design & user experience

#12. Fitting your copy into a pre-designed template doesn't make sense to my brain, which is why all my designs are custom, and I don't offer template customization.

#13. Ineffective navigation with too many dropdown options and pages is one of the #1 problems I see on websites.

#14. An awesome brand identity can 1000% transform your website, which is why an identity refresh is included in my Signature Site offer (or we can design an entirely new identity if needed).

#15. Brand photography & videography will make your website 10× more engaging, memorable, and cool.

#16. Designing on mobile sucks. Period.

#17. Stop looking at other people in your industry to see what your website "should" have &/or look like.

tech & marketing realities

#18. Don't DIY your website without at least a basic understanding of SEO.

#19. Set up Google Analytics and check in on it — numbers and data are your best friend.

#20. Your website isn't the solution to ineffective marketing. You still have to get people there.

#21. You don't need to learn how to code. Work on your marketing skills instead.

If you want to create a website that tells your story, here's how I can help:

THE SIGNATURE SITE

Transform your brand with a custom website design that brings your multi-dimensional story to life. I’ll guide you through the website build process—from strategy and user experience mapping to custom design and implementation.

Only 2 spots available:

March 25th start date (You’ll be ready to launch by April 29th)
May 6th start date (You’ll be ready to launch by June 17th)

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SIGNATURE SITE

ALREADY HAVE A SITE YOU LOVE?

Skip to ongoing support in the Brand Management Tier of the Brand Bestie — which includes complete website management so you don't have to be the person updating buttons, banners, or third-party plugins.

Plus, you'll get Quarterly strategic planning, monthly content calendars, weekly mentorship, unlimited 1:1 feedback, and dedicated studio sessions for hands-on help with anything from design deliverables to content creation.

EXPLORE THE BRAND BESTIE