- Feb 15
- 4 min read
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Treating an AI website builder, like Base44, as a once and done button instead of more of a creative partner can lead to a site that looks good on the surface but doesn't really connect with your audience. The goal isn't just to make a website, it's to make a website with AI that works for you and your business. By sidestepping a few common pitfalls, you can make sure your AI-generated site is not only great looking but functional and effective too.
Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when using an AI website builder
01. Trusting your AI website builder blindly
The biggest mistake people often make when using an AI website builder is assuming the AI's first draft is the final product. AI is a fantastic starting point, it gives you a layout, a color scheme and even text. But it doesn't know the unique identity of your brand. If you hit publish without making any changes, you risk vibe coding a website that feels generic.
The scenario:You're a potter and you ask an AI to build a website for your business. It creates a beautiful site with professional photos of pottery and text about handcrafted ceramics. You're impressed and want to launch it immediately. The problem? The photos aren't your pottery, and the text doesn't mention your unique glazing technique or your local studio classes.
The fix: Treat the AI website builder's creation as a well-structured draft. Your job is to infuse it with your personality. Swap out the stock photos for high-quality images of your actual products or services. Rewrite the AI-generated text to tell your personal story. Why did you start your business? What makes your approach special? That personal touch is what turns a generic website template into a compelling brand experience.
02. Ignoring your user's experience
AI is great at creating a visually appealing design but it doesn't automatically know your customer's journey. It might create a beautiful, artistic website layout that accidentally makes it hard for visitors to find what they need. A common mistake is focusing so much on how cool the site looks that you forget about how it works for a real person.
The scenario: An AI builds a sleek, minimalist site for your consulting business. The navigation is a set of tiny, abstract icons at the bottom of the page because it looks artistic. New visitors land on the site, get confused because they can't find the Services or Contact page and leave within seconds.
The fix: After the AI builds your site, ask yourself a few questions, put yourself in your visitor's shoes. Is it obvious what my business does within three seconds of landing on the homepage? Is the navigation menu easy to find and understand? Is the contact information clearly visible? Make sure the most important information is simple to access, even if it means slightly adjusting the AI website builder's initial design for the sake of clarity.
03. Forgetting about the mobile view
Most AI website builders will create a mobile-responsive version of your site automatically. However, responsive doesn't always mean perfect. An element that looks great on a wide desktop screen might feel clunky or out of place on a narrow phone screen. Many people just check the desktop version and hit publish, forgetting that over half of their traffic will likely come from mobile devices.
The scenario: Your AI-built restaurant website has a gorgeous, wide photo of your dining room as the main header on desktop. On mobile, that photo automatically crops in a weird way, showing only a picture of an empty chair. The text that was neatly beside the image on desktop is now pushed way down the page, forcing users to scroll endlessly to find your menu.
The fix: Always check the mobile version of your website when building a no code website. You can hide certain decorative elements on mobile to reduce clutter, resize text to make it more readable, or even reorder sections to prioritize what mobile users need most (like the Order Now button).
04. Neglecting your brand identity
An AI can generate a professional logo and pick a nice color scheme, but it can't create your brand identity from scratch. Your brand is more than just visuals, it's your mission, your voice and the feeling you want to give your customers. A mistake is letting the AI's suggestions define your brand, rather than using the AI to express the brand you've already defined.
The scenario:You're starting a fun, playful brand of dog toys. Your AI website builder, like Base44, suggests a very corporate and serious-looking blue and gray color palette. You accept it because it looks professional and now your website feels disconnected from the energetic products you sell.
The fix: Have a clear idea of your brand's personality before you start. What are three words you'd use to describe your brand? (e.g., energetic, durable, fun). Use these words to guide your choices. If the AI suggests something that doesn't fit your brand's vibe, change it. Upload your own logo, set your specific brand colors and choose fonts that match your brand's personality.
05. Skipping the final test drive
You've customized your website design design, rewritten the text and checked the mobile view. You're ready to go, right? Not quite. It's easy to get so close to the project that you miss small but important errors. Broken links, typos or forms that don't submit can make your brand look unprofessional and cost you customers.
The scenario: You launch your site and share it on social media. A potential customer tries to contact you through your new contact form but you've forgotten to link it to your email address. They fill it out, hit send and their message disappears into the void. You just lost a lead without even knowing it.
The fix: Before you announce your website launch to the world, do a final, thorough check. Click every single link on your site to make sure it goes to the right place. Read every line of text out loud to catch typos. Fill out every form to ensure the submissions actually arrive in your inbox. Better yet, ask a friend to do it, a fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes you've overlooked.