So… you’ve been looking at Showit. Maybe a web designer you follow uses it 👀 , maybe you’ve seen some Showit websites and thought mine needs to look like that. Either way, you’re here because before you dive in you want to know… realistically, how long is this going to take to a website that looks just as good?
Good question! And the answer actually depends on something more specific than the platform: it depends on how you build it.
There are three real ways to get a Showit website done. They have completely different timelines, different levels of involvement, and different price points. Here’s what each one of those looks like, so you can figure out which one fits where you are right now in your business.
Route 1: DIY with a Showit Template
Best for you if: staying BUDGET-FRIENDLY is your priority, you have time to invest in the process, and you genuinely enjoy figuring things out.
Realistic timeline: 1–3 weeks if you’re focused. 30–60 days for most people.
This is genuinely doable, and I say that as someone who sells Showit templates, I wouldn’t sell them if I didn’t believe people could do this on their own. If you have you have a color palette and logo, decent photos, and can carve out real focused time to work on it, one to two weeks is absolutely possible.
But here’s what I see happen more often: life. Lol.
You get 70% done and then a client project comes in. Or you spend three days staring at your About page because you don’t know what to say about yourself. Or you realize your brand photos don’t quite work with the template you chose and now you’re spiraling.
None of that means you can’t do it… It just means the timeline stretches, and for most people, 30 days is more realistic than one or two weeks.
I actually put together a 30-day website launch planner specifically for this route. It breaks the whole website design process into manageable chunks so you’re not just staring at a blank canvas wondering what to do next.
And if you want to start with a website template that’s actually built to be customized, not just pretty in screenshots, you can browse my Showit template shop here. Or if you want to see options organized by industry, I put them into this post: Best Showit Website Templates by Industry, so you’re not guessing.
Route 2: Custom Showit Web Design
Best for you if: if CREATIVITY is your priority, have a complex site with lots of pages or integrations, and have the runway to do it right over several weeks.
Realistic timeline: 4–8 weeks
When you hire a Showit web designer for a fully custom build, you’re typically looking at a 4 to 8 week process. A custom Showit website design is for the you if you want something truly one-of-a-kind, site built from scratch around your brand, your vision, your specific needs. There’s usually a discovery phase, a design phase, revision rounds, content gathering, and then launch.
This is a great fit if you like to be thoughtful and deliberate about decisions, have a more complex site (lots of pages, integrations, membership areas), or really want to be involved in the creative process from start to finish.
The rhythm of a custom project looks like this: your designer presents work, you have a window (usually around 2-3 business days) to review and respond, revisions get made, repeat. It’s a collaborative back-and-forth over several weeks. For the right person, this can be exciting and worth every minute.
Route 3: Showit Website, Done in A Week
Best for you if: your TIME is the priority, you’re ready to hand it off and have it handled, and the idea of showing up Friday to a finished website sounds like the best thing you’ve heard all week.
Timeline: one week
This is actually my main (and favorite) service offering, called the One Week Website.
The short version: I design your entire Showit website in one week. You send me your brand assets (logo / color palette / etc.) , give feedback in real time each day as I build, and I handle everything else, including writing your website copy before the build week even starts. <<< This is actually a very BIG deal, because most website projects get delayed because you have to write your own copy and then you figure out too late that it’s harder than it looks!
With the One Week Website, your words are already written and approved before Monday morning. So the whole week is just building, refining, and launching. By Friday, you have a website that looks like the business you’re actually running. Not the one you started with.
You’re probably closer to ready than you think
If you’re thinking, “sounds nice but… I’m not quite ready yet,” let me tell you why I think you actually ARE closer to ready than you think for a shiny new Showit website.
“I don’t have brand photos yet.” This is the most common thing clients tell me, and it’s almost never a reason to wait. If you book your website for a few weeks to secure your launch date in advance and get your photos done while we’re in the prep phase, by the time your build week arrives you’ll have everything you need.
…ANDDDD, if you don’t have a brand at all yet, I have a Mini Brand add-on package specifically for your situation. It includes a logo, color palette, mini brand guide and a photo style board to hand off to your photographer, so you’re not totally guessing which poses or types of photos you’ll need. You don’t have to have it all figured out before you reach out, promise!
“I’m not sure what I want the site to say on my site.” Good news… that’s not your job to figure out alone, sis! Part of what I do before your build week is help you get clear on your messaging. You know your business. I know how to translate it into a website that actually communicates it.
“I’m not sure which pages I need.” Also not something you need to solve before you contact me. That’s a conversation we will have together, not a prerequisite.
“I need to think about it more.” This one I want to be gentle, but firm about. If you’ve been thinking about your website for weeks or months or maybe even years, more thinking probably isn’t going to make your website magically get launched. At some point “I need to think about it” becomes the reason it never gets done. And your business keeps getting represented by a website that doesn’t reflect who you are.
You don’t have to have everything perfect. You just have to start 🙂
Which one is actually right for you?
Which one is actually right for you? I say this as someone who offers all three options in some form…
- Go the DIY Showit template route if you’re earlier in your business, budget is tight, and you’ve got the time and energy to learn something new.
- Go the custom Showit website route if you’re at a place where you want to invest in something truly built around you and you’re not in a rush.
- Book the One Week Website if your business is already moving and your website just hasn’t kept up. You don’t want to figure it out, you just need it handled quickly.
And if you’re just not sure yet? That’s what my inquiry form is for. I’ll never push you into something that isn’t the right fit, but I will help you figure out what is!
Not sure Showit is even the right platform yet?
This is totally a valid question to ask before you commit which is why I’ve written a few posts that might help…
