How to buy a website: the executive guide
- Manelik Sfez
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
A surprising number of midsize companies have already wasted tens of thousands on websites that don’t work. Not because the design was ugly. Not because the agency was lazy. But because the executives who paid for them didn’t realize what they were actually buying. They thought they were buying a brochure. What they got was a liability.
Today a website is not an online business card. It’s your sales infrastructure. It determines whether your company appears in front of prospects, whether AI recommends you, and whether your marketing dollars actually convert. The problem: most leaders don’t know what to look for. Agencies exploit that gap and sell “websites” that are nothing more than digital posters. This guide fixes that.
The myths executives still believe (and why they’re wrong)
I’ve heard these lines in countless boardrooms:
“We’re a midsize company, we don’t need a big site.”
That’s not how visibility works. AI and Google don’t scale requirements down. Either your site has the depth and structure to be recognized — or you don’t exist.
“We prefer simple websites with little information.”
Executives like simplicity. Buyers don’t. People rarely leave a site because it had too much information. They leave when there wasn’t enough to justify a decision.
“It’s about design.”
Design without infrastructure is packaging without product. Clients don’t care if your fonts are elegant if your site can’t capture a lead or answer their questions.
“We just need an online presence.”
Presence without performance is a vanity expense. A website is not a logo online. It’s the operating system of your sales, marketing, and client management.
The hidden cost of buying the wrong website
Executives often justify a “simple” or “affordable” site as a low-risk choice. In reality, it’s the most expensive decision they can make.
Lost visibility: if AI and search engines ignore you, your pipeline dries up.
Lost leads: without CRM, nurturing, and automation, prospects vanish silently.
Rebuild costs: most “cheap” websites are rebuilt within 12–36 months.
Inefficiency: manual processes (spreadsheets, emails, chasing) eat hundreds of hours.
Reputation damage: nothing undermines credibility faster than a broken or amateurish website.
I once worked with a finance firm that spent €40,000 on a sleek “simple” website. It had no CRM, no analytics, no structured data. Three years later, it had produced exactly zero leads. They didn’t just waste €40k, they wasted three years of growth.
What you are really buying when you buy a website
When you pay for a website, you are not buying pages. You are buying an infrastructure. It has two layers:
The human-facing layer
Design, usability, and persuasive content that guides a visitor to action.
The machine-facing layer
Structured data, schema, topical depth, and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). This is what AI models and search engines use to decide if you matter.
And underneath those layers:
Tech stack: hosting, uptime, security, scalability
CRM + marketing tools: lead capture, nurturing, automation
Analytics: to prove ROI and track conversions
Legal & compliance: GDPR, privacy, cookie consent, accessibility
When executives only evaluate design, they’re buying a house without plumbing or electricity. It looks nice from the outside, but it can’t function. tells customers: “This is all I am. Nothing more.” That’s not strategy. That’s a self-imposed prison.
Agency models compared (why most fail)
Here’s why most providers can’t deliver what you need:
Freelancers: inexpensive, but disappear when things break. No continuity, no infrastructure.
Internal IT teams: strong on security, weak on marketing, conversion, or visibility.
Design studios: great visuals, but no CRM, no automation, no SEO or AEO knowledge.
Integrated agencies: handle brand, tech, automation, and AI visibility as one system.
This is why so many companies rebuild their site within a few years: the first provider simply wasn’t built for business outcomes.
Why information-rich websites convert better
Executives often ask for “clean” websites with minimal copy. It feels modern, but it kills conversion.
Customers don’t fail to buy because they didn’t like your font. They fail to buy because they didn’t get enough information to trust you.
That’s why high-conversion landing pages follow a tested structure:
A clear headline and subhead
Benefits and value points
Features and technical detail
Unique selling propositions
Comparisons and differentiators
An irrefutable offer (with guarantee or terms)
Social proof (reviews, case studies, references)
Multiple calls to action
I once reviewed a landing page designed to be “minimalist.” No benefits, no proof, no comparisons, just an image slider and contact form. Out of 1,200 visits, it generated two inquiries and no conversion. The same firm’s longer-form, information-rich page converted at 9%. Simplicity in UX is good. Simplicity in content is revenue suicide.
The living website: why “set and forget” is a dead strategy
Websites don’t die because they’re hacked or crash. They die because they stop evolving.
AI engines and Google don’t just look at design. They look for:
Freshness of content
Depth of knowledge
Authority of source
That means:
Blog posts
Knowledge hubs and glossaries
Case studies
Updated references
One B2B manufacturing company I met hadn’t updated their site in four years. To them, it looked “stable.” To AI, it looked dead. They weren’t just low in results, they weren’t in results at all.
The executive checklist: what to ask your agency
Before you sign a contract, ask:
Agency competencies
Is this an integrated infrastructure, or patchwork plugins?
Do you handle both design and systems (CRM, automation, analytics)?
Do you understand AI visibility (AEO), not just SEO?
Who owns the domain, hosting, and data?
Do you guarantee uptime and maintenance?
Website must-haves
Conversion-focused content and UX
Schema, glossary, and structured data for AI
CRM integration and nurturing workflows
Legal compliance: GDPR, accessibility, privacy
Process clarity
Do you start with strategy and discovery?
Are there clear milestones and ownership?
Is ongoing optimization part of the offer?
👉 Download the full Executive Website Buying Checklist (PDF) to make sure you don’t miss a single requirement.
How to brief a web agency (executive template)
A strong briefing saves months. Every executive should specify:
Business goals (sales, recruitment, visibility, authority)
Audiences (who decides, how they buy)
Competitors and differentiation
Functional requirements (CRM, bookings, payments, automation)
Compliance (GDPR, accessibility, privacy)
Content ownership (who creates and updates)
When agencies don’t get this upfront, you end up with scope creep, broken expectations, and an expensive redesign.
Website requirements every business must meet
Legal
GDPR compliance
Privacy and cookie policies
Accessibility (WCAG standards)
Technical
Uptime guarantee
Secure hosting + SSL
Mobile responsiveness
Non-breaking updates
Business-critical
Analytics + reporting
CRM integration
Conversion tracking
Automation
These are not “nice to haves.” They are the minimum for survival.
What’s next: why buying is just the first step
Executives often think: “Once the site is live, we’re done.” That mindset guarantees invisibility.
In today’s market:
Static = invisible
Maintenance-free tech = budget freed for growth
Ongoing updates = visibility in AI and search
What “active” really means:
Weekly or monthly monitoring of AEO and SEO
Tracking queries, keywords, and performance
Expanding what works, fixing what doesn’t
Publishing new content regularly (articles, definitions, case studies)
Adjusting structured data so AI recognizes you as a live source
I told one CEO: “Your site isn’t losing to competitors. It’s ignored by machines.” That line hit him harder than any analytics chart. In 2025, either your site is alive... or it’s invisible.
Get back on track today
Buying a website is not about hiring a designer. It’s about investing in the sales and marketing infrastructure that makes you visible to both humans and machines. Executives who cut corners end up paying twice: once for the cheap site, and again for the rebuild after it fails. The ones who win are those who invest in the right foundation, then keep it alive with regular optimization.
About the author
Manelik Sfez, founder of the Swiss brand consultancy Ultrabrand, brings 25 years of international business, marketing, and brand strategy experience to the table. He has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands throughout his career. From luxury goods to global retail, financial services and technological and industry giants, he has guided companies through brand-led transformations that have enabled significant business growth.
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