Being a Software Developer Does Not Equate to Website Development
Published by Kirstyn M. Yancy, Jan. 29, 2026 - 3 min. read
Alright, just gonna let y'all know, this one's gonna have a sense of vent-and-explain. One person - one phone call - inspired this article. I recently reached out to someone who flew off the handle that I even thought about calling him. I'm a software developer! Ok, well, first of all, your business is listed as a grading company, but okay... and then he continued on and on about how he was so much better than any web designer, any web developer, what could we do better than he couldn't yada yada. I politely ended the call.
We get it. You or a family member has a computer science degree, or your buddy's cousin's girlfriend builds apps for a tech startup, and they've offered to "throw together a website" for your contracting business. For free, even! Or at a steal of a deal: pizza, beer, and bragging rights.
I'm not saying they can't build you a website. They absolutely can. It'll probably look clean, work smoothly, and function exactly as intended.
But is it going to generate leads? And that's the question that really matters, right?
We're All Guilty of This
I think we've all been guilty of the allure a free service because, uh, free. Like the time I thought to myself, OMGSH, I can totally change out this light fixture by myself. I even created a reel on Instagram about how proud I was after completing it. You know what I didn't document? The flickering that returned... Yeah, I definitely need to stay in my lane. I'm good at branding, web design, networking; I am exceedingly light electrical work.
Because building a website and building a lead-generating marketing asset are two completely different skill sets. It's like assuming that because someone can frame a house, they can also handle your HVAC installation. Sure, they're both construction trades, but you wouldn't want your framing crew messing with your ductwork. Ask any HVAC company about mini-splits; if you want a mini-split installed in a she-shed or a garage, they're going to pull in a trusted electrician to complete the job. Code is just one aspect of your small business' website.
Let me be clear: software developers are brilliant at what they do. They think in systems and logic.
Let me tell you what separates a "website" from a "lead generation machine":
Your software developer might know how to make a site fast, but do they know how to write the content so Google shows your roofing company on the SERP for "roofer near me" searches? Do they understand the difference - and importance - between service pages and location pages?
Probably not. That's not a dig - it's just not their job, and not the way their brain works.
There's a reason we put your phone number where we put it; there's a reason we use specific colors for CTAs; a reason we structure your content with a particular flow.
A software developer might think that's overkill. We know it's the difference between 2 conversions per month and 20.
When someone lands on your excavating company's website, they should be able to easily find licensing info, request a COI, view equipment photos, and project galleries. We know this because we've built 100's of contractor sites and tested what works.
Your developer nephew? He's winging it.
When the Excuses Come Out
I've heard them all:
"But he built a website for his friend's coffee shop and it looks great!"
Cool. How many new customers did it generate? What's the conversion rate? How's it ranking for local searches? (Spoiler: they usually don't know.)
"He says SEO is a scam anyway."
Ah yes, the classic "I don't understand it, therefore it's bulls***" defense. Look, I don't understand Bitcoin, but I know that millions of people are investing in it.
"We can always improve it later."
You can. But rebuilding a site from scratch costs more than building it right the first time. Ask me how I know. (We've rescued a lot of DIY websites.)
Here's the reality: your contracting business needs a website that does three things really, really well.
Software developers build for functionality. We build for conversion.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here's what I tell people: If you want a hobby website for your band, or a portfolio site to show your art, or a simple online presence just to say you have one? Sure, let your developer friend handle it.
But if you need a website that actually generates revenue, helps you compete with other contractors in your market, that shows up when people search, that turns visitors into paying customers, you need someone who does this for a living. Ahem, TMS Digital.
And I'm not just talking about us. I'm talking about any reputable web design and SEO agency that specializes in your industry. Someone who understands contractor marketing. Someone who knows what works for home service businesses specifically.
Stay in Your Lane (I'm Talking to Me, Too)
I'm not trying to trash software developers. They're incredibly talented at what they do.
But I legit just scheduled a handyman to come out to fix my handrail, patch some holes in the drywall, re-hang a heavy mirror, and get a stuck nail out of the wall. All errors I made bc I thought I could do it for free - or to save some money. By doing a few home improvement projects myself to "save some money," I'm spending more by having to hire someone to fix my mistakes...
Same principle applies here.
If everybody can just stay in their lane, everybody wins.
The Real Question
So here's what it comes down to: Do you want a website, or do you want a marketing asset that pays for itself?
If it's the former, save yourself some money and let your nephew handle it.
If it's the latter, let's talk. We've been doing this for small businesses for nearly 30 years and we know what works in your market.
No offense to your nephew, or aunt or cousin, or cousin's best friend's girlfriend. I'm sure they're brilliant at what they do.
But marketing? Marketing is what we do. Ready to build a website that actually generates leads? Let's talk about what a proper website looks like—and what it can do for your business.
(919) 553-9042 or info@tmsdigi.com
Alright, just gonna let y'all know, this one's gonna have a sense of vent-and-explain. One person - one phone call - inspired this article. I recently reached out to someone who flew off the handle that I even thought about calling him. I'm a software developer! Ok, well, first of all, your business is listed as a grading company, but okay... and then he continued on and on about how he was so much better than any web designer, any web developer, what could we do better than he couldn't yada yada. I politely ended the call.
We get it. You or a family member has a computer science degree, or your buddy's cousin's girlfriend builds apps for a tech startup, and they've offered to "throw together a website" for your contracting business. For free, even! Or at a steal of a deal: pizza, beer, and bragging rights.
I'm not saying they can't build you a website. They absolutely can. It'll probably look clean, work smoothly, and function exactly as intended.
But is it going to generate leads? And that's the question that really matters, right?
We're All Guilty of This
I think we've all been guilty of the allure a free service because, uh, free. Like the time I thought to myself, OMGSH, I can totally change out this light fixture by myself. I even created a reel on Instagram about how proud I was after completing it. You know what I didn't document? The flickering that returned... Yeah, I definitely need to stay in my lane. I'm good at branding, web design, networking; I am exceedingly light electrical work.
The "I Can Code, Therefore I Can Market" Fallacy
Here's what usually happens: A software developer builds you a gorgeous website. All technical aspects are chef's kiss perfect.
And then... crickets.Because building a website and building a lead-generating marketing asset are two completely different skill sets. It's like assuming that because someone can frame a house, they can also handle your HVAC installation. Sure, they're both construction trades, but you wouldn't want your framing crew messing with your ductwork. Ask any HVAC company about mini-splits; if you want a mini-split installed in a she-shed or a garage, they're going to pull in a trusted electrician to complete the job. Code is just one aspect of your small business' website.
What Software Developers Do Really Well
Let me be clear: software developers are brilliant at what they do. They think in systems and logic. They can absolutely make your website work.
This is where they tend to fall short:
The Marketing Layer
Again, their brain thinks in processes and systems; 1's and 0's.When a software developer builds a site, they're thinking: "Does this function work? Is the code clean? Is it secure?"
When we build a site, we answer those questions in addition to: "Will someone searching 'emergency HVAC repair Burlington NC' at 11 PM on their phone find this business, trust them immediately, and call within 30 seconds?"
See the difference?
The Stuff That Actually Gets Your Phone Ringing
Let me tell you what separates a "website" from a "lead generation machine":
Local SEO
Your software developer might know how to make a site fast, but do they know how to write the content so Google shows your roofing company on the SERP for "roofer near me" searches? Do they understand the difference - and importance - between service pages and location pages?Probably not. That's not a dig - it's just not their job, and not the way their brain works.
Conversion Psychology
There's a reason we put your phone number where we put it; there's a reason we use specific colors for CTAs; a reason we structure your content with a particular flow.A software developer might think that's overkill. We know it's the difference between 2 conversions per month and 20.
Trust Signals for Your Industry
When someone lands on your excavating company's website, they should be able to easily find licensing info, request a COI, view equipment photos, and project galleries. We know this because we've built 100's of contractor sites and tested what works.Your developer nephew? He's winging it.
The Technical SEO Stuff That's Invisible But Critical
Meta descriptions. Alt tags. Internal linking structure. Core Web Vitals. Mobile-first indexing. Page speed optimization.
Don't you want someone who's already done this 1,000 times?When the Excuses Come Out
I've heard them all:
"But he built a website for his friend's coffee shop and it looks great!"
Cool. How many new customers did it generate? What's the conversion rate? How's it ranking for local searches? (Spoiler: they usually don't know.)
"He says SEO is a scam anyway."
Ah yes, the classic "I don't understand it, therefore it's bulls***" defense. Look, I don't understand Bitcoin, but I know that millions of people are investing in it.
"We can always improve it later."
You can. But rebuilding a site from scratch costs more than building it right the first time. Ask me how I know. (We've rescued a lot of DIY websites.)
What Your Website Actually Needs
Here's the reality: your contracting business needs a website that does three things really, really well.1. Get Found
When someone in your service area searches for what you do, you need to show up. First page. Top three if possible.2. Build Trust Instantly
You've got about 8 seconds to convince someone you're legit. Your site needs to immediately communicate: licensed, insured, local, experienced, and available. That's a specific formula, not a design preference.3. Make It Stupid-Easy to Contact You
Click-to-call buttons. Forms that work on mobile. Clear CTAs. No hunting for your phone number. No "Contact Us" buried in the footer.Software developers build for functionality. We build for conversion.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here's what I tell people: If you want a hobby website for your band, or a portfolio site to show your art, or a simple online presence just to say you have one? Sure, let your developer friend handle it.
But if you need a website that actually generates revenue, helps you compete with other contractors in your market, that shows up when people search, that turns visitors into paying customers, you need someone who does this for a living. Ahem, TMS Digital.
And I'm not just talking about us. I'm talking about any reputable web design and SEO agency that specializes in your industry. Someone who understands contractor marketing. Someone who knows what works for home service businesses specifically.
Stay in Your Lane (I'm Talking to Me, Too)
I'm not trying to trash software developers. They're incredibly talented at what they do.
But I legit just scheduled a handyman to come out to fix my handrail, patch some holes in the drywall, re-hang a heavy mirror, and get a stuck nail out of the wall. All errors I made bc I thought I could do it for free - or to save some money. By doing a few home improvement projects myself to "save some money," I'm spending more by having to hire someone to fix my mistakes...
Same principle applies here.
If everybody can just stay in their lane, everybody wins.
The Real Question
So here's what it comes down to: Do you want a website, or do you want a marketing asset that pays for itself?
If it's the former, save yourself some money and let your nephew handle it.
If it's the latter, let's talk. We've been doing this for small businesses for nearly 30 years and we know what works in your market.
No offense to your nephew, or aunt or cousin, or cousin's best friend's girlfriend. I'm sure they're brilliant at what they do.
But marketing? Marketing is what we do.
(919) 553-9042 or info@tmsdigi.com