Solo build it! review

I built this website using Solo Build It! (also known as SBI! and originally known as Site Build It!). This, therefore, is my Solo Build It! review.

I first started using SBI! in October 2002 (at least, that’s the date at which my traffic stats start on the SBI! dashboard), which in internet terms means I have been using it since before the dawn of time.

Solo Build It! is more than a website builder, it’s a complete web-business builder.

ten step process

SBI! takes you through a 10-step process from brainstorming ideas that you are passionate about, checking that they are worth pursuing (by comparing supply and demand until you find a niche that you're interested in), through to building and developing the website, attracting traffic and (finally) monetizing.

The 10 steps are misleadingly called "days". There's no way I could ever do each one in a day - they take a lot longer than that. Each day comes with pages of guidance and helpful videos. If you want to see what I mean, you can learn more about the Action Guide (including a summary of what you’ll learn on each “day”) here.

Solo Build It! works really well if you want to use it to create a web-business but aren’t sure what you want to do. You can use the brainstorming tool to refine your idea and find a niche that is both profitable and interesting to you.

I didn’t do that...

my Solo build it! story

Back in 2002 I already had a website (runyourownmurdermysterygames.co.uk) that I'd built myself that talked about interactive murder mystery games (I retired it a long time ago). So I already knew the niche I was interested in (interactive murder mystery games) and I wasn't really interested in looking elsewhere.

I used SBI! to create great-murder-mystery-games.com (this site), but I didn't use the 10-step process to choose my niche as I already had a niche.

It's possible that murder mystery games might not have been the best niche for me, but I wasn't looking to start a new business, I was looking to make my existing online business easier.

And Solo Build It! makes running an online business much, much easier.

Making it easier

For example, SBI! deals with much of the busywork for you. SBI! submits pages to the search engines (you used to have to do that manually), it checks your web-pages, looks for broken links, and lots more.  

The team at Solo Build It! also scours the internet marketing sites and newsletter for the latest thinking – but remove all the hype and fads, just concentrating on what you really need to know (and avoiding the tricks that can lead you into bad ways).

The key message at SBI! is “keep it real”. Create a site that humans want to create, and the search engines (Google especially) will also like it. Try to fool the search engines with tricks, and they’ll find out soon enough.

Here’s a full list of the tools that you get with Solo Build It! 

Continuous improvement

Solo Build It! constantly evolves. Their first templates were pretty basic (and ugly, to my eyes). Then they introduced “upload your own html” which allowed anyone to upload their own web pages. I changed mine as soon as I could, because I didn't like the templates.

A few years ago the templates improved (along with a completely updated site builder) and introduced responsive designs that would change depending on whether you were using a phone, tablet or PC. That was beyond my basic web-design skills, so I’ve now changed to the new templates. 

Would I recommend Solo Build It!?

In a word – yes.

If you’re seriously looking to start an online business, then I thoroughly recommend Solo Build It! Even if you decide it’s not for you, you’ll learn so much about how to set up and run an online business (from the Action Guide, the many tips, the friendly forums) that that alone is worth the price.

Are there times that I wouldn’t recommend SBI!? Yes there are. I don’t think SBI! is for you if you:

• Just want a personal site – there are many free websites around where you can do that.
• If you have a large team of IT professionals who can sort that out for you (that’s why SBI! rebranded as Solo Build It! – it’s aimed at solo entrepreneurs rather than large organisations).
• You like messing around with database driven websites and want to tinker around with the guts of the site. (Even then, I personally think you’d be wise to sign up to Solo Build It! because of what you’d learn.)

Wrapping it up

I'm not going to say that Solo Build it! will bring you instant fortune. Like any business, you have to put the work in. But if you follow the SBI! Action Guide you will have a better chance for online business success than any other system. 

Recently SBI! undertook a large study comparing it to its nearest competitor - you can see the results of the study here (but be warned, it’s a long read!).  The overall summary: you are 33x more likely to succeed with SBI! than with its nearest competitor.

Anyway, that's my Solo Build It! story.