To obtain their website, these business owners hired web designers or developers. This was a specialised skill, often commanding tasty fees for custom builds.
Fast forward to 2025, and everything has changed.
The profession of building small business websites is on life support, edged out by technology, market shifts, and the post-lockdown economic slump.
What was once a thriving freelance niche is now a relic, like repairing typewriters in the age of computers. Let’s take a look at what happened to small business web design.
Gone are the days when small business owners had to shell out thousands for a basic site. Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify have democratised web creation, allowing anyone with minimal tech savvy to build a professional-looking site in hours, not weeks.
These tools offer drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and integrated e-commerce features that cover 90% of what many businesses need. High-quality templates and mature design patterns have made custom coding obsolete for small business websites.
A small business owner no longer sees the value in paying a freelancer thousands of dollars for something they can achieve themselves for $20 a month. In fact, website builders have flooded the market to the point where even freelancers admit they’re making services obsolete.
The logic is unasailable, isn’t it? Why would people hire web designers to work on their small business websites when an inexpensive template will do the job faster and cheaper?
This shift isn’t just anecdotal. Market data shows that conventional websites are declining as businesses pivot to web apps and no-code solutions.
For small operations, a Squarespace site with built-in SEO and mobile optimisation suffices, leaving traditional web builders out in the cold.
Artificial intelligence has accelerated the decline of the freelance web designer. Tools like AI-powered site generators on platforms like Wix or ADI, or standalone AI such as ChatGPT, can create entire websites based on simple prompts.
Automation handles layout, content suggestions, and even basic SEO tasks that once required human expertise. Articles from as far back as 2015 predicted this, and in 2025, this is the new reality. AI, combined with mobile tech, signals the end of small business web design as we knew it.
Freelancers specialising in small business websites are particularly vulnerable because AI excels at the straightforward, template-like work they do. Complex enterprise sites may still need coders, but for a local coffee shop?
Here are ten ways that AI can help non-technical people build a website...
It’s no surprise to find that surveys of web designers reveal growing fears around AI simplifying tasks like code generation, reducing demand for entry-level freelance work. As one designer noted, the rush to quick AI-driven builds has devalued fundamentals, making it harder to charge premium rates.
The barriers to entry for web design have plummeted. Anyone can learn HTML/CSS via free YouTube tutorials and call themselves a web designer. This has led to market saturation, especially among freelancers on marketplaces such as Upwork or Fiverr, where third-world talent undercuts local pricing.
In 2025, freelance web design trends show pricing struggles and a shift away from small business clients.
Small businesses, facing tight budgets, opt for cheap or free alternatives rather than mid-tier freelancers. Moreover, larger design teams are shrinking. Layoffs in tech have flooded the market with skilled designers scrambling for gigs, but small business work isn't lucrative enough to sustain them.
As one industry veteran put it, “web design as an industry is dying,” and this can be seen on job sites where there are hundreds of candidates for every role.
For many small businesses, having a website is no longer their main focus. Social media, apps, and e-commerce platforms such as Instagram Shops and TikTok for Business handle much of the online interaction.
Why build small business websites when a Linktree or bio link drives traffic? SEO changes exacerbate this. Google’s algorithm updates have decimated small business websites.
Many small business owners abandon their websites after futile SEO investments, opting instead for social media platforms where they’re more likely to find potential customers.
Even proponents admit that without a bulletproof marketing strategy, small business websites will fail to generate leads, and owners are forced to seek alternatives. And the data backs this up. Ninety per cent of small business websites are projected to fail due to mobile-first shifts and inadequate visibility.
Many business owners now see their website as optional rather than essential.
Inflation, remote work, and global competition have squeezed small businesses, making them hesitant to invest in custom web design work. Freelancers report declining rates, and many are pivoting to niches such as app development and AI consulting.
While the freelance market is expected to grow overall, core verticals like web design for small businesses will not.
Building small business websites isn’t completely extinct, but for most freelancers, it’s a dead end.
The smart move is to up-skill in AI, focus on more complex projects such as web apps, or niche into high-value areas like e-commerce optimisation or custom branding.
If you’re a fellow web designer reading this, don’t despair. The internet evolves, and we must evolve with it. Why cling to building small business websites when there is a world of opportunity out there?
The logic driving small business owners to embrace less expensive tools and alternatives to a website is unassailable. There is no stopping this, and our best bet is to pivot.
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