I love our new website!

This is a quote from a client of our sister company Recruiters Websites…a client that (until recently) had a gorgeous custom website developed by the RW team.

Then, they decided it was time to update their site.

Now the folks at this recruiting firm were pretty handy with AI, so they decided to prompt their way to a new site.

They used AI to write copy.

They used AI to create the interface.

They used AI to generate the design files.

Then they called Recruiters Websites and asked them to build out their new design. They were so proud! And they saved so much money!

Or did they? (More on this in a bit.)

Earlier this week I got to see the result.

At first glance, not bad!

Very clean, simple design.

The new website covered the basics—company profile, key differentiators, contact us form, etc.

And the RW team did a great job with the build…from a technical perspective, the site performed like a champ.

But here’s the problem…

This company’s new website broke every rule of effective website design! No CRO (conversion response optimization) best practices. No SEO strategy. No AIO considerations. Promotional messaging instead of messaging that sells. It’s not ADA compliant. And zero CTAs.

Is the site attractive?

Yes in a minimalist way.

It’s this a good website?

Hell no!

Owning a hammer does not make me a carpenter!

Warning, rant ahead!
This next part of the story is going to sound a bit biased. Actually, more than a bit. It might sound more like a rant…and it is!

I’ve been in marketing more than 30 years. Haley Marketing has been developing websites for 22 years. We’ve built thousands of websites. And so has the team at Recruiters Websites.

Which is to not so humbly say, “we have a little experience in this area.”

Personally, I’ve studied design principles. I’ve studied CRO best practices. And more importantly, we have a team that knows about messaging, design, CRO, SEO, AIO, and compliance.

Before I share my two cents, let me turn the tables a bit.

As I’m sure you are painfully aware, AI has come a long way in recruiting. It can create a job profile, write a job ad, source candidates, analyze resumes, conduct screening calls, run background checks, schedule interviews, person interviews, and even recommend finalist talent.

But is AI better than an experienced recruiter? Is it more valuable than you?

I’m going to guess your answer is “HELL NO!”

An experienced recruiter will vastly outperform an AI tool. He or she will understand nuance that a machine never will. They’ll build relationships that are essential to sourcing A-players. And more importantly, that can pursue passive talent and convince that “just right” candidate to make a move.

No, AI doesn’t replace a talented recruiter…

And now you know how I feel about DIY AI for marketing.

The tools are AMAZING! But in the hands of an amateur, well, they’re kind of like me with a toolbox…scary!

Sure, I know what a hammer does. I can operate a wrench. And I can watch YouTube videos. But give me a home improvement project, and the result will only be one thing: a very expensive call to a real contractor who can fix my DIY work.

When it comes to your marketing, the most important, highest ROI investment you can make is in your website (and that comes from Staffing Industry Analysts research, not me).

An effective website is about a lot more than pretty design. It’s about crafting an experience that’s specifically designed to drive response (UX).

It’s about a visual design that leads people in the right direction and facilitates response (UI).

It’s about telling stories that capture attention, create intrigue, and motivate action (messaging and copywriting).

It’s about knowing your target audience and offering the right things at three right time…and incorporating a mix of primary and secondary offers (CRO).

It requires up-to-date knowledge of the best ways to get found wherever people are seeking information (SEO and AIO).

And it’s about knowing how to put all of this together…seamlessly.

Can AI do all of this? Yes!

Just like it can do all the steps in recruiting.

But to get the results you want, a high performing website that will drive growth for your business for the next three to five years, you need expertise. You need experience. And you need to know how to master the AI tools.

Penny wise and pound foolish?

Your website is your Director of First Impressions. It’s not an online brochure. It’s where 100% of your prospects go before agreeing to meet with your sales team. It’s where candidates go before applying to your jobs.

Your website is a tool for attracting your ideal clients and talent, telling your story, positioning your firm, building trust, and driving response.

Your website is a platform that should be designed to support sales enablement, buyer enablement, and response optimization.

Yes, there are lots of ways to build a website cheap…that’s not new.

But just like DIY recruiting can be really costly when a company fails to attract the right candidates, DIY websites can be astronomically expensive when you consider the cost of lost opportunity.

If you want a website that truly performs…a site that stands out, attracts employers and job seekers, and gets people to respond, you need more than the latest AI tool. You need expertise.

Messaging expertise.

Design expertise.

UI/UX expertise.

SEO + AIO expertise.

ADA compliance expertise.

And coding expertise.

When you combine expertise with the power of AI, then you truly can have it all!

Okay, my apologies for the rant. As I wrote, I’m more than a little biased. And please don’t get me wrong, I am VERY pro AI for website development (our team is doing some mind-blowing things right now). Maybe today’s SMART IDEA is just me getting cranky (crankier?) with age, but I hate to see smart companies make dumb decisions. And I think that’s worth ranting about.