In today’s digital landscape, a business's online presence is not a luxury — it's a lifeline. From generating leads to maintaining customer trust, a functioning website and sound digital marketing strategy are essential for growth and sustainability. Unfortunately, too often businesses fall into the trap of hiring underqualified individuals to manage these critical functions, usually due to internal politics, budget considerations, or a slick interview performance. The consequences, however, can be costly and damaging.
We’re currently witnessing this firsthand as this article is written.
A client recently appointed a new in-house marketing manager who, despite lacking fundamental technical skills and experience, was placed in charge of managing the company’s digital assets. As part of their role, this individual was given control of the company’s website and DNS records without involving or consulting a professional agency that had previously maintained these systems effectively for years - the agency happily walked away from the project..
The result? The website is now offline due to conflicting A records — a basic DNS misconfiguration that any competent digital agency or IT professional would have avoided. This isn't just a technical hiccup. It means lost traffic, missed enquiries, reduced brand credibility, and potentially thousands of dollars in lost revenue — all avoidable.
What’s particularly alarming in this case is the complete lack of understanding of fundamental digital concepts such as DNS (Domain Name System), A records, and server configurations. This isn't specialist knowledge — it's Digital 101 for anyone managing a website. When people without the appropriate knowledge are given responsibility for technical infrastructure, the risks are immediate and far-reaching. It’s like handing over the keys to a race car to someone who doesn’t know how to drive. Just because someone know's how to log in to Wix doesn't make them a web developer.
This situation underscores the critical importance of hiring experienced and qualified professionals or agencies to manage digital operations. Digital marketing is not just about posting to social media or designing pretty newsletters. It requires a deep understanding of web infrastructure, analytics, search engine optimisation, paid advertising, user experience, and conversion rate optimisation — all interconnected elements that directly impact your business performance.
Professional digital agencies operate with systems, accountability, and years of experience behind them. They bring to the table not only technical knowledge but strategic foresight — they anticipate risks, offer scalable solutions, and align marketing tactics with broader business objectives. Their job is not just to make things look good — it’s to make things work and perform.
When organisations prioritise short-term savings or internal appeasement over actual expertise, they gamble with their online presence. The fallout often includes broken websites, misaligned campaigns, wasted ad spend, and lost customer trust. Worse still, by the time the damage becomes apparent, recovery is usually more expensive and complex than simply getting it right the first time.
If your business relies on digital — and in this day and age, whose doesn’t? — then digital competence should never be an afterthought. Whether you choose to build an in-house team or engage a reputable agency, the key is experience. Ask the right questions. Check credentials. Ensure technical understanding. Look for demonstrated results, not just confidence in a meeting room.
The bottom line is this: when it comes to digital infrastructure and strategy, the cost of inexperience is high. Don’t hand over your business’s reputation and revenue to someone still learning the ropes. Trust professionals who’ve walked the path before, know where the pitfalls are, and have the tools and insight to steer your business toward growth — not downtime.