We are often promised that AI will replace developers or allow anyone to generate a perfect website with a snap of their fingers. After exploring AI-assisted programming tools like Cursor or Google Antigravity for my own projects, I wanted to test a more "mainstream" solution that is making a lot of noise right now: Lovable.
It is one of the most prominent startups in the world of AI-assisted "website builders." The promise? Transforming a simple idea into a complete web application.
I put the tool to the test with a simple and concrete use case: creating a showcase website for a local gardening business.
Here is my feedback, between good surprises and technical limitations.
The Test: One Prompt, One Site
I simply provided a message (the famous prompt) explaining that I wanted a website for a local gardening business, specifying a few best practices for local SEO.
In just a few minutes, Lovable generated a first version, which is quite impressive. The structure and design are certainly classic, but it provides a solid foundation for a real local business site.
The Good Surprise: The AI's SEO Instinct
This is the most positive point of this test. The AI didn't just content itself with making it "pretty"; it understood the business need. Without me specifically asking for it, Lovable integrated crucial sections for local SEO:
- Prominent contact info: An obvious feature often forgotten by classic themes.
- A FAQ: Ideal for answering user search intent and improving SEO.
- Service areas: Indispensable for ranking on geolocated queries.
- Good semantic structure: Correct use of headings (H1/H2/H3).
On this point, the tool acts like an SEO consultant who knows the basics.
The Limits: The "AI Slop" Syndrome
While the structure is good, the visual and technical rendering quickly shows its limits.
First, the illustrations. Lovable generates its own images to dress up the site. The idea is good to help the user visualize the result, but the outcome looks way too artificial. You can recognize the "AI touch" at first glance, which can hurt the credibility of a local artisan who needs authenticity.
Next, I encountered a few display and design bugs. This is where the tool's user experience becomes interesting via the correction workflow. Instead of digging into the code, you can click on an element and ask the AI to fix it via the chat. It’s fluid, quite magical when it works, and it makes the "maintenance" feel almost playful.
On the pure technical SEO side, the tool shows its limits: no Title and Meta Description tags generated by default, and no implementation of Schema.org markup.
My Verdict: Revolution or Gimmick?
In the end, Lovable is a beautiful piece of tech. It democratizes website creation even more than no-code tools without AI. But for a use case as simple as a local business site, what is the real added value compared to classic AI applications?
Today, with a good prompt on the standard ChatGPT or Gemini app (especially with recent models), you can obtain very clean HTML/CSS code that you can host easily.
The other question mark concerns the target audience. These tools are sold as no-code solutions, but usage by a non-technical profile still seems complicated to me, if only to write the right prompt. To guide the AI, fix bugs, and judge the quality of the produced code, you still need to have some technical and SEO foundations.
Conclusion
AI accelerates the creation of local websites; that is undeniable. Lovable is an interesting solution, especially for prototyping quickly. But for a production site, reliable and sustainable, human expertise remains necessary to transform "generated code" into a real client acquisition tool.
And you, have you already tested these new AI builders for professional projects?
If you want to create a high-performance site optimized for your business, don't hesitate to reach out for my local business website creation services!
