7 pitfalls I hit building a website with AI (one almost made me think I was done)

Many people think that with AI, building a website takes one sentence. It doesn't; I learned that the hard way. Here are 7 pitfalls so you don't fall into them too.

Pitfall 1: Thinking that once it's written, it's done (the one that almost fooled me)

At the time, the site opened beautifully on my own computer, and I thought: that's it, done. Then I opened it again the next day, and the website was gone.

Only later did I understand: the website had only ever lived on my own computer. However nicely you decorate your own home, guests can't get in. You have to rent a storefront (a server), put up a street address (a domain), and complete the paperwork (the ICP filing) before the shop is really open. Until this step is done, however good the rest looks, you're only impressing yourself.

Pitfall 2: Wanting everything at the start

My initial requirements were "flashy animations, trendy colors, every feature." The AI didn't know where to begin, the result was a mess, and I couldn't even say what was wrong.

Later I realized: for a B2B export site, "it opens, it's easy to understand, and people can reach you" matters ten thousand times more than any bells and whistles. If overseas clients swipe twice on their phone and can't find your product information, they swipe away. Do a little less, and do it right.

Pitfall 3: Forgetting to feed AI the "right answers"

You think AI knows everything? It doesn't.

It doesn't know how many years your factory has been running, how large your capacity is, what certifications you have that others don't, or how many days shipping takes. If you don't spell these out, it can only make things up, and when made-up content goes on your website, long-time clients can tell at a glance that it isn't real.

Saying things plainly matters more than saying them nicely. Treat it like training a new salesperson: tell them what to say.

Pitfall 4: Thinking "it runs" means "others can open it"

This is the one I fell into deepest. On my own computer, everything looked normal. But when I asked a friend abroad to look, it simply wouldn't open for them.

The reason: on your own computer you're looking at "your home copy," while others access "the public copy." They are two different things. Like tasting a dish at home and finding it great doesn't mean it's ready to serve to guests.

After every step, check it again in a different way: open it on another computer, on another network, send it to a friend. Don't just trust the version on your own screen.

Pitfall 5: Waiting too long on paperwork and losing your rhythm

The ICP filing takes Alibaba Cloud quite a few days to review. If you just sit and wait, nothing gets done.

What I do now: as soon as it's submitted, start on the next thing right away: write product information, take product photos, set up the inquiry mailbox. When the approval comes, go live immediately, without wasting a week in between.

Pitfall 6: Misconfigured email, so client emails vanish

The website is done, but you never receive the inquiry emails clients send. Why? The receiving mailbox wasn't set up properly, or the mail was blocked as spam.

This one does real damage: you are handing clients to your competitors for free. And you have no idea, because on their side it just looks like you "couldn't be bothered to reply."

Before going live, always do a real test: send yourself an email from your phone, and confirm it arrives and that you can reply. It takes three minutes and can save an order.

Pitfall 7: AI says "I've added it" when it hasn't

This is the most infuriating one. You clearly asked it to add a feature, it replied "done," and the page doesn't have it at all.

The reason is simple: when AI says "done," it means it thinks it has finished writing, not that it actually works. Like an apprentice saying "I've painted the wall" when only half is painted.

My habit: it only counts once I've clicked through it myself. When AI says it's done, open it, click through it, and only move on if it's fine.

The 7 pitfalls come down to one sentence

AI is a capable assistant, but it is not your eyes, and it is not your store manager. It can do the work, but whether the work is right is always for you to confirm.

If you get stuck, don't struggle alone: take a screenshot and ask AI, and it will walk you through it. If you still can't figure it out, leave me a message on my website, and I'll do my best to help.