It’s pretty much a daily thing now - we get sent websites built in Claude or other AI website builders.

They’re often made by very smart people looking to get a head start on their website design or redesign.

And that's great!

But there are a few things these tools haven’t quite figured out yet.

1. SEO and Site Architecture

This is probably the biggest one. AI builders have been generating generally flat, generic site structures. You’ve probably seen the default output—it's often just a single homepage or a landing page.

But for most professional businesses, you need more than that. You want a homepage, dedicated service pages, location pages, an "About Us" page, and a blog. It’s these individual pages that are going to rank on Google and show up in AI citations and recommendations, not just your homepage.

Before you build anything, map out your site structure. Think about all the pages you need to serve your customers and rank on search engines.

You can even use an AI tool to help you brainstorm this sitemap *before* you ask it to build the actual site. Getting the architecture right from the start is crucial because changing it later requires significant work with 301 redirects and other technical fixes.

2. Brand Differentiation

AI models are trained on vast datasets of existing websites. By their very nature, they produce outputs that reflect the average of what they’ve seen before. This can lead to generic, cookie-cutter designs.

If you're here in Australia, you've probably noticed that the images created with these AI website builders often look quite American.

That's likely because they've been trained on American data. For businesses in competitive markets, where brand differentiation is critical, a website that looks like everyone else's is a liability.

Build your brand separately first.

Develop your unique logo, color palette, typography, and brand voice. Then, feed that specific brand identity into your website design prompts.

This gives the AI the specific direction it needs to create something that feels unique to you, not just another template.

3. Content Management

This is probably the most painful area where these tools are still lacking.

A professional website needs a robust content management system (CMS) behind it—an interface where you can easily edit blog posts, add case studies, update team members, and manage contact forms.

Without that CMS, it's hard to visualize how all the pieces come together or make small, tactical updates without diving into code. You can try prompting the AI to create a separate "admin section," but you're quickly getting into the territory of building a custom software project, which defeats the purpose of a simple builder.

Be aware that a real CMS is a critical component that sits behind almost every successful website.

For now, AI builders don't offer a replacement for platforms like WordPress, Webflow, or Shopify that have this functionality built-in. Plan for how you'll manage your content long-term.

4. Scalability and Functionality

AI builders are designed for simplicity, and that’s what makes them so appealing.

You can type a simple prompt and have a website in 30 seconds. But the moment your business needs advanced functionality, things get complicated.

Think about things like CRM integrations, inventory management, or customer billing systems.

These complex features are often where simple builders fall short. When you work with well-supported software, you get a deep ecosystem of tools, plugins, documentation, and professionals who can help you solve problems as you scale.

Think about your future needs. If you anticipate needing complex integrations or custom features down the road, starting with a more robust platform may save you a massive headache later.

5. The Opportunity Cost

The truth is, the ability to build your own website has existed for 30 years.

Microsoft had a product in 1995 called FrontPage that let people do it. The builders have gotten better and better, which is fantastic because it allows more people to get online simply and effectively.

However, getting online, competing online, and winning online are very different things.

The last one requires a lot more than what you can get from a single prompt. Every hour you spend prompting, tinkering, and tweaking your AI-generated website is an hour you're not spending on building relationships with new customers or team members.

The underlying technology is incredibly powerful, but don't confuse being fast with building something that will truly move your business forward.

AI website builders are an exciting development, but they're just one tool in the toolbox. For a website that drives real business results, you need a solid strategy for SEO, branding, content, and scalability.