How to choose the best website builder?
Today's internet users often visit a business's website before purchasing a service to learn more about the company or product. If they cannot find the website or if it appears unprofessional, the user may question the quality of the goods or services that the business sells. A website is one of the most profitable and effective tools for promoting a business and spreading the word about it. Website creation tools allow new businesses to create modern websites without the need for programming or design knowledge. However, when choosing a development tool, there is no one-size-fits-all solution suitable for every business. To select the most appropriate website creation tool, you should consider your budget and the level of functionality your website needs. In this post, we will discuss the key aspects to consider when choosing a website creation platform for your business and review the most popular tools, along with their pros and cons.
Needs assessment
Choosing the most popular website creation platform does not guarantee success for your business. To select the right website development tool, you need to consider the following key factors:
Business needs
Your business direction directly determines what features, design options, and additional integrations your website will need. Every business has different goals and different products they want to present to the customer. For example, an e-commerce website requires reliable payment systems and catalog functionality, while a service provider may focus more on reservation systems and customer management tools.Functionality selection
Each website creation tool offers different feature packages that may need to be integrated into your website over time. Therefore, pay attention and evaluate whether the website creation platform provides features for growth and site development.Technical skills
To easily update and improve your business website, it's important to consider your technical skills. Each website development platform offers different management capabilities. If your coding knowledge is limited, we recommend choosing a platform with a simpler management system or consulting professionals to handle this work for you.Budget
When choosing a website creation tool, consider your budget. Evaluate how much the selected platform might cost, and keep in mind that some tools have more than just an initial fee. While some platforms may initially seem low-cost, adding additional features or integrations can quickly increase the price.Website maintenance Evaluate how much time you will be able to dedicate to website maintenance. Some website creation tools require more attention and upkeep after the site is built than others. Regular updates, troubleshooting, and other tasks may demand additional resources. Therefore, choose website creation platforms that best suit your needs and maintenance capabilities.
After reviewing the key aspects of website creation and before diving into the work, it's essential to understand the differences between the types of website development.
Professional vs. DIY website creation
Professional website development It's like building a house from the ground up. Every part of the website's structure, design, and functionality is tailored individually. Since the website is built from scratch, it allows the realization of a unique vision. A unique design and specific functionality are created to best suit the business needs. This type of creation process requires extensive technical, design, and programming skills. The possibilities for professional websites are limitless – everything depends on the client's vision. If you want to have a professional website for users.
DIY website development. Imagine you are already moving into a newly built house, and all that's left is to paint the walls and furnish it. The same goes for creating websites with website-building platforms. You need to choose a design template and elements, create content, and voilà — you have your website. Creating such websites is not difficult; you just need to follow the platform’s provided guidelines. However, such websites come with limited capabilities and functionality.
The decision on what kind of website to choose depends on your business needs and budget. If you need a simple website with minimal functionality, we recommend using website-building platforms that offer ready-made design templates. However, if online commerce is the driving force of your business, it is worth investing in the creation of a professional website. This is a great investment even when your business is small and just starting to grow. A professionally designed website with a unique design represents your company in a high-quality manner, and as your business expands, you will be able to easily add new functionalities as needed.
Website creation tools
1. WIX
WIX is a well-known website creation platform, distinguished by its exceptionally easy-to-use interface and a very wide selection of design templates. The platform offers more than 900 different templates, allowing every business to find the most suitable option. Additionally, WIX offers a wide range of integrations, and for an additional cost, you can purchase extra features. The platform also features integrated artificial intelligence that can create a website based on your desired theme, design, and more.
However, WIX has a few drawbacks. If you plan to expand into e-commerce, it may cost more as online store features are only available with Premium plans. Another significant limitation is that once the website is created, you can no longer change the chosen template. If you later decide to update the design or theme of your website, you'll have to rebuild it from scratch.
2. Shopify
Shopify is fully focused on creating online stores. Setting up a store is extremely simple, and the platform offers all the essential features needed for e-commerce, including an integrated payment processing system and more. Similar to WIX, Shopify provides the option to purchase additional apps that expand the store's functionality. Moreover, the platform offers SEO tools that can help optimize the store for search engines.
However, Shopify also has certain drawbacks. One of them is that there is no free plan, so you will need to invest in creating an online store. Additional disadvantages include high transaction fees, especially if third-party payment systems are used. The platform may also be unsuitable for businesses requiring specific features, in which case you may need help from developers. Furthermore, many additional apps are paid for, which means that the maintenance costs of the shop itself can quickly increase.
3. Squarespace
Squarespace is another website creation platform that allows you to easily create a website or online store independently. This tool offers 178 aesthetically pleasing design templates suitable for various business areas, all of which are mobile-friendly. Squarespace provides all the services needed for a new website, from hosting and domain acquisition to a wide range of integrated features such as SEO optimization, e-commerce capabilities, and more.
Although Squarespace offers aesthetically pleasing and high-quality designs, its selection is significantly narrower compared to other platforms like WIX or Shopify. Additionally, Squarespace plans tend to be more expensive, especially if you need e-commerce features. While this platform has integrated SEO tools, websites created with Squarespace often achieve lower search engine rankings compared to other platforms.
4. WordPress
The WordPress platform can confidently be called a legend. Although it was initially designed for blogging, today, it is one of the most powerful website creation tools, offering more than 59,000 plugins for added functionality. With this platform, you can create any type of website—from a personal blog to a complex e-commerce store. Moreover, WordPress is SEO-friendly, and with additional integrations, you can further improve your website's visibility on Google search. An important advantage is that the platform itself is free, and many plugins can also be used at no additional cost.
Although getting started with WordPress is not difficult, some of the more advanced features may require technical knowledge. It's also important to properly manage installed plugins—having too many or incorrectly configured ones can significantly slow down the performance of your site, negatively affecting SEO and user experience. Unlike some other website creation platforms, using WordPress requires separate hosting and ongoing website maintenance.
5. GoDaddy
The GoDaddy platform is an excellent choice for beginners – it is easy to use, and if questions arise, you can receive assistance from GoDaddy's customer support specialists. This platform provides both hosting and domain registration services. GoDaddy is one of the largest domain registration companies in the world, so when creating a website, you can easily purchase and manage your domain directly through this tool. Another advantage is that GoDaddy's servers are optimized for fast website loading speeds, allowing your visitors to enjoy smooth and fast browsing.
However, the GoDaddy platform has some limitations. For example, its design options are limited, so if design flexibility is important to you, it may be worth considering another website creation platform. Another drawback is that you cannot change the type of website once selected. If you create a website and want to change its theme, you will have to start from scratch. Compared to other platforms, GoDaddy's website creation tools may offer less flexibility and functionality options.
6. Hostinger
The Hostinger website builder is an excellent choice that doesn't require technical knowledge to ensure your website runs quickly and is user-friendly. Although Hostinger offers over 150 templates, the selection is not particularly vast. However, all templates adapt well to various mobile devices. Additionally, Hostinger provides an AI website creation service, where you only need to answer a few simple questions, and you'll have your website. This tool is also SEO-friendly, offering tools to help your website rank higher in search results.
The platform's starting price is very attractive, but the cheapest plans come with limited storage space, data traffic, and other features. One of the challenges is that not all plans offer free daily backups, so users must take care of website security themselves or invest extra to access this service.
In conclusion
Choosing the right website creation platform can have a long-term impact on your business's success online. Before deciding, evaluate your business goals, technical abilities, and budget to find the solution that best fits your needs. While each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, the most important factors are flexibility, growth potential, and ease of use for both you and your website visitors.
Remember, your website is not only a reflection of your business online but also a crucial tool for attracting new customers and strengthening your brand.
