The Hidden Costs of a Free Business Website

The Hidden Costs of a “Free” Business Website

[Updated August 2025]

In the early days of launching a new business, nonprofit, or church website, it’s tempting to accept help from a well-meaning friend, family member, or staff member who offers to build a “free” business website. And at first glance, it might seem like a budget-friendly win.

But over time, many organizations discover the hidden costs—technical, functional, and reputational—that come with relying on a DIY or volunteer-built website.

At Jemully, we’ve seen the real-world consequences. Here are three common scenarios we’ve encountered just in the last few months that serve as cautionary tales.

Case 1: The Volunteer-Built Church Website That Became Inaccessible

A local church had its website built by a staff member using a free WordPress template. While others had login credentials, this employee was the only one who understood how to manage the backend.

When the staff member was let go, no one could find the current admin credentials. That left the church unable to update content like announcements and events, or remove the former staff member from the site. Even more concerning, the site became a security risk—outdated plugins and core files were no longer being updated, leaving the door open to vulnerabilities.

What started as a no-cost solution became a silent communications and security crisis.

Case 2: The E-Commerce Site Built by a Tech-Savvy Relative

A small business asked their nephew to build their e-commerce site using GoDaddy’s free website builder. He got the site launched quickly and cheaply. But when he moved out of state, the business owners were stuck.

They had no idea how to update the outdated product listings or fix broken pages. The site no longer reflected their current product offerings, and without basic SEO structure or product schema, it wasn’t even ranking well in search engines.

A free business website that can’t be updated isn’t free—it’s a liability.

Case 3: The DIY Updates That Undermined a Professional Website

A mid-sized business invested in a professionally built WordPress site but decided to save money by handling updates in-house. A willing staff member with no design experience was tasked with updating the homepage each month.

The result? A PDF of the company newsletter was uploaded as the homepage’s header image. Not only did this confuse visitors, it also damaged the brand’s professional credibility.

Even a well-built site can quickly lose its impact without skilled management and a strategy for updates.

The Overlooked Problem with a Free Business Website: SEO Doesn’t Come Standard

Another common issue we encounter with friend- or employee-built websites is the absence of search engine optimization. In many cases, every page on the site has the same title or meta description—or none at all. There’s rarely a thoughtful keyword strategy, and the structure of the pages often lacks the necessary hierarchy that helps Google understand what the site is about.

Headings may be used inconsistently or not at all, and vital tools like XML sitemaps are rarely submitted to Google Search Console. Without these basic building blocks, even a beautiful website can remain invisible in search results. Worse, slow load speeds, uncompressed images, and missing mobile responsiveness all further reduce a site’s ability to rank well and serve visitors effectively.

While these technical details may seem minor, their absence has real consequences: fewer visitors, fewer inquiries, and fewer opportunities to grow.

When Is a DIY Website a Reasonable Option?

In a few instances, a do-it-yourself website can make sense—such as for a personal blog, a temporary landing page, or a hobby project with no commercial or public-facing pressure. But for any business, nonprofit, or church that wants to be taken seriously, a website is a vital piece of digital infrastructure. It’s the front door to your brand. If it looks unprofessional, is out of date, or doesn’t function properly, it sends the wrong message—one that’s hard to recover from.

What You Gain with a Professional Website

When you work with a professional team, you get more than attractive visuals. A well-built website comes with intentional design tailored to your goals, built-in SEO from the ground up, responsive layouts for all devices, security protocols, and scalable systems that allow for easy updates by more than one trained administrator.

You also gain access to tools that support your long-term growth—like blog integration, lead-capture forms, newsletter signups, event calendars, and analytics dashboards that help you track your reach. These are not luxuries; they are essential elements for organizations that want to thrive online.

What You Gain with a Professional Website

Your website speaks on your behalf—often before you do. It establishes credibility, builds trust, and can drive action when it’s built with strategy and skill.

While the offer of a free business website or at least a super-cheap site may sound appealing in the beginning, it often ends with frustration, missed opportunities, and a costly do-over. In contrast, investing in a well-built site from the start ensures that your organization has a stable, secure, and scalable platform to build on for years to come.

If you’ve outgrown your current website—or you’re just now recognizing some of these hidden costs—we’re here to help.

Contact Jemully today for a website evaluation and next steps toward building a site that actually works for your business.

Kit Mullins
Kit Mullins
About the Author

Kit Mullins, co-owner of Jemully Media, LLC, has been a leader in digital marketing for more than twenty years. A writer, designer, and developer, Kit enjoys travel, photography, and Bible study. With six kids and fifteen grandkids, she has no choice but to find ways to be creative.

Guide: How to Copy Text from LinkedIn Posts – 2025

Guide: How to Copy Text from LinkedIn Posts - 2025

Have you ever come across a LinkedIn post so good you wanted to save or share part of its text—only to realize you couldn’t highlight or copy it? You’re not alone.

In 2025, LinkedIn’s desktop and mobile apps often block text selection to encourage users to share links instead of copying content. We encourage you to share the content, too. It is good for the author and good for LinkedIn. While this protects creators, it can be frustrating for professionals who want to save inspiring quotes, take notes, or re-share snippets with proper credit.

Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. This guide walks you through simple, up-to-date methods for copying text from LinkedIn posts, whether you’re on desktop or mobile. We’ll also share formatting tips and important copyright considerations to keep your copying ethical.

How to Copy LinkedIn Post Text on Desktop

On a desktop computer, copying text is usually much easier than on mobile. Here are two methods you can use.

Method 1. Native Copy (The Easy Way)
Most of the time, you can highlight and copy LinkedIn post text directly:

  1. Open LinkedIn in your browser.
  2. Click on the timestamp or the “…” menu to open the post in a dedicated tab.
  3. Highlight the text you want, then right-click and select Copy.

Pro Tip: Paste into a plain text editor like Notepad first to strip out hidden formatting.

Method 2. Advanced: Using Inspect Tool
If highlighting doesn’t work because LinkedIn has blocked text selection, here’s a simple workaround:

1. Open DevTools in Chrome/Firefox
Right-click anywhere on the post and select Inspect, or press Ctrl+Shift+I (Windows) / Cmd+Option+I (Mac).

Inspecting the post text in Chrome’s developer tools.
Inspecting the post text in Chrome’s developer tools.

2.  Locate and Copy the Text
In the panel that opens, hover over the <span> or <p> elements until the post text highlights on-screen.

Right-click → Copy → Copy innerText.

Copying text from the element in Chrome DevTools.
Copying text from the element in Chrome DevTools.

3.  Paste into a Document
Paste the text into a plain-text editor like Notepad to clean up the formatting.

How to Copy LinkedIn Post Text on Mobile (iOS & Android)

Here’s where things get tricky. LinkedIn’s mobile apps don’t allow you to select post text directly, (and we understand the purpose behind this), but you can use screenshots combined with optical character recognition (OCR).

iPhone (iOS 16–18)

  1. Take a screenshot of the LinkedIn post.
  2. Open the screenshot in your Photos app.
  3. Long-press on the text in the image. iOS 18’s Live Text will recognize it and let you highlight.
  4. Adjust the selection if needed, then tap Copy.

Bonus Tip: You can also send the copied text straight to Notes or Mail for safekeeping.

Live Text on iOS 18 lets you copy text from screenshots.
Live Text on iOS 18 lets you copy text from screenshots.

Android (13–15)

  1. Take a screenshot of the LinkedIn post.
  2. Open the image in Google Photos.
  3. Tap the Google Lens icon.
  4. Switch to the Text tab, highlight the desired text, and tap Copy.
Google Lens on Android pulls text from screenshots in seconds.
Google Lens on Android pulls text from screenshots in seconds.

Using Third-Party Tools (Desktop & Mobile)

If you frequently copy text from LinkedIn or other apps:

  • OCR Apps: Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens, Google Keep
  • Browser Extensions: Copyfish, Project Naptha

These tools work great for grabbing text from screenshots or images.

Keep Formatting Clean When Pasting
Pasting copied text into LinkedIn or documents can sometimes create odd spacing.

Solution:

  • Paste into a plain-text editor (Notepad, TextEdit) first.
  • Clean up formatting there, then copy again before pasting into LinkedIn.

Copy Responsibly: Attribution & Ethics

LinkedIn discourages text copying to protect intellectual property. We strongly believe you should respect the author. If you do copy a portion of the article:

  • ALWAYS credit the original author.
  • Only use short excerpts, never full posts.
  • Whenever possible, share the post link instead of copying large chunks of text. Sharing benefits everyone – the creator, your audience, and LinkedIn.

Stay respectful and in compliance with copyright guidelines.

Quick Cheat-Sheet

Quick Cheat Sheet Copy Text from LinkedIn
Quick Cheat Sheet Copy Text from LinkedIn

Updated July 2025 to include iOS 18, Android 15, and LinkedIn 7.x+ UI changes.

 

Kit Mullins
Kit Mullins
About the Author

Kit Mullins, co-owner of Jemully Media, LLC, has been a leader in digital marketing for more than twenty years. A writer, designer, and developer, Kit enjoys travel, photography, and Bible study. With six kids and fifteen grandkids, she has no choice but to find ways to be creative.

Is there anything wrong with creating a DIY website?

Is there anything wrong with creating a WIX website?

DIY Websites:

Sometimes They are a Costly Mistake Your Business Cant Afford

15 seconds is all you have to capture your audience’s attention when they look at your website. Depending on the quality of your site, this could mean that every 15 seconds, you’re hemorrhaging sales. Slow load times, a confusing layout, and an outdated design are not just minor issues—they’re open invitations to pour revenue straight down the drain. The clock is ticking, and every second counts.

In today’s cutthroat digital arena, every pixel can mean the difference between success and obscurity. Your website isn’t just a flashy online business card—it’s the heartbeat of your brand. It’s tempting to be drawn into the idea of building your own website- it seems like a cost-effective, hands-on way to establish an online presence. But DIY websites are ticking time bombs, riddled with security vulnerabilities, sluggish performance, and uninspired designs that fail to capture the essence of your brand, let alone your audience’s attention. When every second counts and user experience is paramount, endangering your brand’s credibility is simply not worth the risk.To truly thrive and command high traffic in this fierce digital battleground, investing in professional expertise isn’t just a smart choice—it’s absolutely essential for success.

The Pitfalls of Going DIY

Going the DIY route might seem like a great way to maintain creative control, but it also invites a wave of problems that can crash your business faster than you can say “404 error.”

  • Security Risks – DIY websites are often built on generic templates that don’t prioritize security. Without an expert to implement firewalls, SSL certificates, and regular security patches, your site becomes a digital playground for hackers. Imagine your customer data being compromised or your site taken down during a critical sales period—these aren’t just minor inconveniences; they’re potential business-ending disasters.
  • Ineffective SEO – Crafting a site that Google loves requires more than just pretty pictures. SEO demands meticulous keyword research, properly formatted metadata, and clean, optimized code. A DIY approach often means relying on default settings or outdated plugins, leaving your site buried in search results and costing you valuable traffic.
  • You Won’t Own It – DIY platforms keep you locked into their ecosystem. While the initial cost might seem attractive, there’s usually a reason behind it, and it tends to start with the way these platform restrict control over content and design. This can leave you stuck in a template with little room for customization— and even worse? The potential of losing access to your site altogether.
  • Not Mobile Friendly – With mobile devices accounting for over half of web traffic, a site that isn’t optimized for mobile is a non-starter. DIY websites frequently neglect responsive design, resulting in distorted layouts, hard-to-read text, and a clunky experience on smaller screens.
  • Hard to Navigate – In the digital world, user experience isn’t just important—it’s everything. A DIY website with cluttered menus, poor structure, and confusing navigation creates instant frustration, driving visitors away before they even engage with your content. If finding information feels like a scavenger hunt with no prize at the end, users won’t hesitate to leave and choose a competitor with a smoother, more intuitive experience.
  • Slow Performance – Speed matters. A sluggish website—bogged down by bloated code, oversized images, or clunky plugins—tests visitors’ patience, and most won’t stick around to wait. In a world where every second counts, even a brief delay can send potential customers straight to your competition. If your site isn’t lightning-fast, you’re not just losing visitors—you’re handing them over to someone else.
  • Scalability – With most DIY websites, expansion isn’t an option. These platforms aren’t designed to handle surging traffic, new features, or evolving business demands, which leaves your site vulnerable to crashes, slowdowns, and costly limitations. When your business takes off, the last thing you need is a website that holds you back.
  • Maintenance & Updates – Lastly, the thing that we see most often is the person who volunteered to help you build the site on Wix (or Godaddy, or Shopify, or any one of the other low-cost or free site builders) is one day, not around. They no longer work for you. They no longer have the time to volunteer. They simply no longer are available to help. And you are stuck with a website that needs to be updated and you have no idea how to make the changes. This creates a real problem for your business.

Typical Traits of a DIY Site

A DIY website often ends up looking like a digital junk drawer—cluttered, outdated, and difficult to navigate. Building your own website might seem like a great way to establish your online presence, but DIY sites lack the essential functionality needed for a seamless user experience, driving potential customers elsewhere. Here are things to consider before deciding to build your own website.

  • “Free” (Is Not Truly Free) – Many DIY website platforms market themselves as “free,” but don’t be fooled—this is rarely the full picture. While the initial sign-up may cost you nothing, hidden fees lurk around every corner. Premium plugins, additional storage, custom domains, and transaction fees can quickly pile up, transforming your supposedly budget-friendly website into a financial burden. These platforms often use this bait-and-switch tactic to reel you in, only to hit you with unexpected costs down the road. What started as a “free” venture can easily become an expensive headache that eats away at your resources,
  • Poor Analytics or No Analytics At All – The key to success in this data-driven world is analytics. Analytics are essential for understanding your audience and optimizing your website’s performance. Without comprehensive analytics, you’re operating in the dark, unable to track user behavior or measure key metrics like bounce rates, conversions, or traffic sources. Most DIY website builders provide only basic analytics or no analytics at all, leaving you with minimal insight into how users are engaging with your content. Without the ability to track which elements are working and which are failing, you risk wasting resources on strategies that don’t resonate with your audience. In a competitive market, not having actionable data is a major disadvantage—it means you’re guessing rather than making informed, data-backed decisions to improve your site and grow your business.
  • Unwanted Ads – Free DIY websites often come with a hidden cost—intrusive, third-party ads that bombard your visitors and disrupt their experience. These ads not only distract from your content but also damage your brand’s credibility, making your site feel unprofessional and cluttered. A whopping 80% of individuals in the U.S. agreed that ads are disruptive to a website. Doesn’t your business deserve a clean, focused online presence? Ditch the digital battleground of pop-ups and irrelevant ads that drive your audience away.
Source Rakuten Marketing
  • Cluttered Layouts – Without a professional designer’s finesse, DIY sites can quickly become visual chaos. Overcrowded with widgets, stock images, and jumbled text blocks, these sites overwhelm visitors rather than guiding them smoothly through your content. These can make your business look unprofessional and unreliable, costing you credibility and conversions.
  • Outdated Design – Web design trends evolve at a rapid pace, and a site built on outdated templates can quickly look behind the times. An old-fashioned design not only diminishes your credibility but also makes your business appear disconnected from current trends, sending the message that you’re out of touch with modern expectations. In a world where first impressions matter, an outdated site can be a dealbreaker for potential customers, leaving them questioning whether your business is still relevant. Interested in learning more about trending web design? Click here.
  • Not Secure – Security is a critical concern that doesn’t end after the initial setup. Many DIY sites fail to receive the necessary updates and patches to protect against evolving threats, which leaves your site vulnerable to cyberattacks. Without regular security monitoring and updates, your site becomes a prime target for hackers, putting both your data and your customers’ information at risk. Relying on a DIY platform means you’re potentially exposing your business to long-term security breaches that can have catastrophic consequences, including loss of customer trust as well as financial damage. It’s also important to note the drastic increase of data breaches since 2020.
Spike in Website Data Breaches 2020-2025
  • Unclear Purpose – A successful website communicates a clear, focused message that instantly tells who you are and what you have to offer. Without professional expertise, your site often becomes disjointed and directionless, leaving users unsure of your brand’s purpose. A lack of clarity not only frustrates potential customers but also diminishes your credibility.

Choosing to go the DIY route for your website might seem like a cost-effective solution at first, but the hidden pitfalls can quickly turn it into a costly mistake your business can’t afford. From security risks and sluggish performance to poor user experience and a lack of scalability, the consequences of cutting corners in web design can be devastating. Your website is more than just an online presence—it’s a direct reflection of your brand’s credibility, professionalism, and value. In today’s competitive digital landscape, investing in a professionally designed website isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity for success. Don’t let a DIY website hold your business back—partner with experts who can build a site that drives traffic, engages customers, and fuels growth.

Kit Mullins
Kit Mullins
About the Author

Kit Mullins, co-owner of Jemully Media, LLC, has been a leader in digital marketing for more than twenty years. A writer, designer, and developer, Kit enjoys travel, photography, and Bible study. With six kids and fifteen grandkids, she has no choice but to find ways to be creative.