Socrates once said, “Speak, so that I may see you.” It has become one of the most quoted phrases throughout history. In the digital world, the equivalent to these wise words would be, “Show me your website, so that I may see you.” Nothing makes a statement like a neat and professional website. It is now natural for any business, project, public figure, or influencer to have a website.
In the beginning, building a website was a mission that only those with a solid technical background could accomplish. As more and more non-tech-savvy people needed to build websites, a website builder became the perfect solution. In the upcoming pages, you shall find out the answers to all your questions about a website builder. In other words, we will go through all the steps to building a website for your business from scratch, regardless of your technical skills.
Why Should My Business Have a Website?
We always love to start by clarifying why we think this topic is important. Before talking about how to build a website, one needs to know why a business needs one.
Websites VS Social Media Business Pages
Ever since social media marketing became a trend, many businesses have relied on different social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, as alternatives to having their own website. Many businesses now use their business social pages as the main channel of communication and brand awareness. This happens often because social media pages are simple and effortless to manage.
Creating a business page on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn literally takes minutes. Unlike a website, even a user with zero technical background/can still manage to run the page without trouble. That makes many companies believe that a social media page can replace a website. Here are five features a website has that social media doesn’t:
#1: The Full Range
Social media pages are designed to suit the quick scroll. Users do not go to social platforms to find products or services. For that reason, business pages on social media are meant to give your audience a brief about your business but not the full range of information. In fact, many businesses have more to offer than their customers realise. Your own website allows you to showcase all your products and services: the main ones and the side ones.
Your House, Your Rules
In addition, your website is the perfect channel for creating long and valuable content. Social media users are not into long posts; they like their content, which is straightforward and short. Sometimes, you will have to sandwich your content to fit the busy newsfeed.
On the contrary, you would never have to compromise on the website. There is no limit to the amount of content you want to share or specific dimensions and restrictions. In other words, creating a business page on social channels is like setting up a booth at a busy neighbour’s house; at the end of the day, you are merely one of the guests. Meanwhile, having your own website is like being in your own house.
#2: A Stronger Brand Image
All business pages on different social platforms share the same design and look. That is why it is harder to establish a unique and distinguishable brand image on social media, especially among your competitors. On a website, however, you will have control over design, user interface, and navigation process. Everything you use in your design has something to say about your business. Therefore, a website gives you more capacity to display the identity of your company boldly.
There are many more ways to express your brand on a website: fonts, colours, display, loading time, and the friendliness of navigation, especially on mobile devices. Social media limits those options, and therefore, your own website is the ideal way to make a brand statement and tell the world what your company identifies itself with.
#3: Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing is essential in today’s marketing game. Unlike social media platforms, users go to search engines looking for products, services, content, and answers to their questions. A user searching for “running shoes prices” is highly likely to purchase a product if it meets his/her needs. Meanwhile, it is less likely for someone scrolling the newsfeed randomly to purchase something, even if the ad is relevant.
For that reason, Google AdWords, for example, have a higher conversion rate than Facebook ads. Ranking your website on Google through proper search engine optimisation techniques can open doors for your business. To reach these great results, your business needs a website. Advertising your website on Google AdWords has a high ROI, which is why these ads are in high demand
What Else?
If your business is a product-based one, then you have all the right reasons for creating a website that functions as an online store. This expands your market and opens up more opportunities for nationwide or even international sales. We shall explain later the best website builder for creating an online store.
#4: Refine Your Clients
Your business page is for everyone, and your website is for the best calibre. Think about that as a good reason why you need a website. Let’s say someone found your business page on Facebook, liked what he/she saw, and wants to know more. If you do not have a website, the only option for them would be to comment or message you a question and wait for your reply.
In either of the cases, you may find yourself bombarded with random comments and messages on different posts that may eventually get lost, and your potential leads end up as lost leads. Even if you manage to reply to every message and comment, the information provided will never cover all the details. They must be brief and short. In sporadic cases, one of your audience on Facebook ends up calling you to get the full details.
Do Not Miss a Lead
Building a website allows you to refine your social media audience. Following the last scenario, if the announcements lead to your website, the outcomes could be much more efficient. The biggest percentage of your audience on social media are window shoppers. By designing your announcements to lead those interested to your website, you can separate between window shoppers and those willing to act. Think of the website as the destination for interested customers ready to walk with you for an extra mile.
There Is a Better Scenario
Instead of leaving a comment or a message, they can give you their contact information and schedule a call-back. This will help you organise responses to each one to minimise the number of lost leads and avoid any miscommunication which often happens on social media. It will also help you create a database for those who contact you. You can use that information later for email marketing through newsletters and new offers. Moreover, it will personalise how you communicate with your audience, keeping your business unique and memorable.
#5: Be Wherever Your Customer Is
People are spending a bulky amount of time on all digital platforms. More online presence means more chances for your business to be found. A website also has the benefit of potential customers finding you at their own pace instead of interrupting their route. It gives them more time to build their trust in a business. Moreover, a website saves them the hassle of finding information about your business. All your contact information, portfolio, products, and everything they need to know are in one place. A website makes your customers’ lives easier.
How to Build a Website | Website Creation for Beginners | Simple Website Building Video – Wix Studio
Building a Website: How Are Websites Built?
You have already realised that a website is crucial for your business. Assuming you do not know a thing about building a website, we shall first explain how websites are built the traditional way. Then, we will explain how a website builder is a saviour for those who cannot afford the traditional way.
The Traditional Method
It is good to understand how the traditional way of building a website goes, even if you will not use it at the time. It gives you an idea about the bigger picture and can be useful to help you choose whether a website builder is suitable for your business. Ideally, you can hire a developer to support the process or a website agency, but of course, you can do this all yourself!
Web Development: Design, Code, Test, and Repeat
A website development process is a set of well-defined steps which organise the way a team works to create a website. It starts with understanding the requirements of the website. “Requirements” are the website’s functions and its intended use; these are fundamental for the execution and planning of the web development process. The requirements vary according to the nature of the business, its goals, target audience, and features. A personal website, of course, has different requirements than those of a bank’s website.
The bigger the project/business, the more complicated the development process will be because it will include more features. Throughout that process, there are three primary phases; for every phase, there is a specialist with a specific role to fulfil. Sometimes, the roles intertwine; a specialist could have multiple roles. However, bigger corporates usually have specialists for each role.
1. Design: Meet the Web Designer
The Design phase transforms ideas suggested in the planning phase into a well-structured and tangible visual representation. The goal of the design phase is to establish a shape and an interface for the website. While the features, content, and most other functions will still be missing, one can still identify the site’s visual outline.
What Does a Web Designer Do?
Basically, a web designer starts with a pen and paper, along with his/her imagination and experience. Using information gathered from the client (the website owner, in this case), the designer should create the best shape for the website to meet the objectives. This shape is called a Wireframe. A Wireframe lacks typography style, colour, or graphics, focusing only on shape as a concept. At this point, “shape” is like the website’s skeleton: its bare bones.
The next step is creating a mockup via Adobe Photoshop. A mockup is “used to represent the structure of information, visualise the content, and demonstrate the basic functionalities statically.” Unlike wireframes, mockups provide visual details, and this is their advantage. They help the designer identify any errors and allow him/her to view the design from the user’s perspective. Then, a cycle of reviewing, editing, and tweaking follows until the client and the web designer reach the most satisfactory outcome. Once the design is ready, it’s coding time.
Skills a Web Designer Should Have
A web designer’s job involves a lot of creativity, pumped up with technical skills to know how the suggested shape will serve the function. The web designer needs to master using design programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. In addition, a web designer must understand the basics of coding languages, such as HTML and CSS. We will give definitions for those later. After all, a web designer is a part of the development process, which includes both the technical and creative aspects.
Market research is also a good source of inspiration for the designer. Keeping an eye on the latest trends and the competitors’ websites keeps the designer updated with the newest user perceptions. As mentioned earlier, the website aims to deliver a strong brand image. The more appealing a website is, the more professional the brand looks.
2. Code: Meet the Web Developer
Developers are the backbone of the web development process. They are the geeky brains who write code for a living. Most of the work done in this phase involves programming and creating code templates for a website’s several pages. A website usually has different pages, including home, general, content, blog post, form, and careers. For each one of those, a template should be created. The tasks and the amount of time needed to program vary according to the nature of the website and the number of developers working on the project.
Filling the website with content is also part of the development process. Although developers do not write the content, they are responsible for inserting it into the website. A useful remark here is that developers are in continuous communication with designers, software testers, and even the client in some cases. If anything needs to be fixed, the developers are the ones for the mission.
Skills a Web Developer Should Have
A web developer is a technology expert in every way possible. He/she needs to be familiar with software programs, web applications, and programming languages, such as HTML, C++, JavaScript, Flash, and SQL.
Since technology is a vigorous industry with new additions every day, they must also be up to date with the latest technologies in the market. However, a good developer is not only a robot. What distinguishes the best developers is their ability to communicate with software testers, designers, and clients. Therefore, good communication skills are a must for any developer.
The two common types of developers are front-end and back-end developers. Back-end developers work with databases, distributed computing, and architectural solutions. Meanwhile, front-end developers work directly with what users see, but in terms of code, not design. Developers who work with both back-end and front-end development are called full-stack developers.
3. Test: Meet the Software Tester
The testing phase is the last one before launching the website. Now that the design, the code, and the content are ready, the website should be ready to host visitors. Before real users come to the website, the development team must make sure that there are no bugs, errors, or mistakes whatsoever.
The software tester’s job is to assess code and fish for bugs. To do so, a software tester must develop different user scenarios, design testing plans, run manual and automated tests, write bug reports, and document results to the development team. There are other scales to measure a website’s efficiency, such as stress testing, performance testing, functional testing, and security testing.
Skills a Software Tester Should Have
A software tester is the eye of the hawk in the web development process. He/she must be detail-oriented, problem-solving, and methodical. From a technical point of view, a software tester must be aware of using coding languages and programming.
A software tester is also prone to working under pressure, especially when working on huge and multinational projects. An undiscovered bug may cost a company millions of dollars. Therefore, software testers always look for and purify bugs throughout the project. In addition, testers must have analytical skills and the ability to document and communicate issues clearly and precisely.
4. The Pre-Launching Phase
The goal of the testing phase is to ensure that the website is in perfect condition before it launches. Therefore, the tester works with the developers to fix any software issues. Once they reach the outcome, deployment and training start, where the development team hands in the project and explains how the website is used.
Of course, if the website is basic, users will need almost no training since most of the functions will be prominent and easy to use. Deployment and training take more time if an entire system is built or a larger website is created.
Terms You Should Be Familiar With
Non-specialists who want to build a website, whether through a website builder or the traditional way, often stumble upon terms that discourage them. This sometimes leads them to abandon the idea of having their own website altogether.
While some people teach themselves programming and coding languages, most people find it challenging to do so. Today, we will not discuss coding; however, we will highlight frequently repeated terms surrounding the web development process. That will give anyone a clue whenever one of these terms is mentioned.
Domain Name
This is probably the first term you may face once you mention building a website. The domain name is the address that people type in their browser URL bar to visit your website. A good question is: how does the Internet work? The Internet is a giant network of computers connected to each other through a global network of cables. These computers can communicate with each other, each with a specific series of numbers called an IP address for identification. The problem with IP addresses is that they are hard to remember.
Domain names were made to solve that problem. Remembering a domain name like profiletree.com is much easier than a series of numbers. To build a website, you must buy a domain name. Domain names are sold by many companies, called domain name registrars, for varying prices. Two popular domain registrars are GoDaddy and Namecheap. Furthermore, domains are available in different extensions; the most popular one is .com, which is used by most business websites.
Web Hosting
This term usually goes hand in hand with a domain name, but they are not the same. Web hosting is another must-have for building a website. In the simplest form, if a domain name were like the address of your house, web hosting would be the actual house that the address points to. That brings us back to the question of how the Internet works.
All your website’s data, content, and files are stored on special computers called web servers. Supposedly, these web servers belong to your web hosting companies. Once a user enters your domain address into his/her browser, the browser translates the domain name into the IP address of your web hosting company, which is where your website’s files are stored. The user’s computer must connect to the web hosting server to view your website. In other words, web hosting is like booking a hotel room to store your website’s files and data so that users may eventually find them.
The Three Musketeers of Front-End Web Development
The three musketeers are the pillars upon which the front-end part of the website is built. Front-end development comprises the parts visitors see in a website: how the website looks and functions. In other words, these are the three languages that websites speak. A web browser is a tool that translates these three languages into the actual website that a user deals with.
1. HTML
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is one of the core technologies for building a web page, meaning it defines the website’s structure. Put simply, HTML allows the web designer to tell your web browser how to treat a piece of content. It is the type of text that a browser’s software understands. Lifewire says, “It is the primary markup language used to write content on the web. Every single web page on the internet has at least some HTML markup in its source code.”
Your browser reads a website’s content in HTML and then translates this HTML language into ordinary, readable language. It is one of the easiest languages because most of it is human-readable. The building blocks of HTML are called tags. Tags comprise words or acronyms surrounded by brackets. HTML tags look like this:
2. CSS
While HTML constructs the structure of a web page, CSS constructs its visual layout. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is the language that defines how the website will look to your browser. That includes colour, font, and layout. It was created to allow web professionals to separate the content and structure of a website’s code from the visual design. Before CSS was made, both aspects were written in HTML. That separation between design and content has allowed more flexibility during web development.
However, there is much to learn about CSS; it is more complicated than HTML. Even though it is rather complex, the results were worth the trouble. Therefore, CSS is now a widely used standard in web design, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone working in the industry today who does not have at least a basic understanding of this language.
3. JavaScript
JavaScript is the third musketeer in the web development process. It is the scripting language that allows designers to create interactions on a web page. By interactions, we mean pop-up messages, auto-complete texts (those used in Google search queries), and the ability to add new content to a page without reloading it.
In other words, JavaScript adds that little dynamic magic to a website. Without JavaScript, a website would be static, less visually engaging, and less user-friendly. JavaScript is very popular and adopted by every web browser for its support, allowing dynamic content to be executed on a webpage.
CMS
CMS stands for Content Management System. It is a web-based application that allows multiple users with different permission levels to manage web content, often without the need for HTML knowledge. However, depending on the website’s nature, some HTML knowledge is still required to use the CMS. Capabilities to manage content include creating, editing, publishing, and archiving pages, articles, press releases, blogs, etc.
For e-commerce websites, content management involves adding and editing inventory, descriptions, product specifications, prices, and photos. Through the content management system, all tasks are done on a website on behalf of the business, such as adding reports, viewing orders, and creating slips and invoices. The CMS is a major part of a business website since it is the basic system which defines the process of continuously updating and creating new content for the website.
PHP
PHP is the parallel equivalent of HTML. While HTML builds front-end development, PHP lives on the opposite side, the back-end. They both share the same role, yet they perform it in two different parts. PHP is a scripting language that allows “web developers to create sophisticated business logic that can interact with a database, conduct complex data operations, and provide information back to the browser.”
Here Comes the Website Builder
Is There an Alternative?
Now that you have understood how the traditional web development process evolves and the terms that frequently surround it, it is time to introduce website builders and answer these questions: What does a website builder do? What role do they play in the web development process? and for what purposes were they created?
What Is a Website Builder?
A website builder is a tool or application that lets users build a website quickly and without needing any coding or site design skills. It is a shortcut or alternative way for non-specialists to circumvent the dilemma of web development.
Although teaching yourself coding to build a website is a noble act, to be fair, it is a pretty long task. Furthermore, mastering all the skills needed to create a website requires resources and time. Hiring someone to do the job for you is a great option; however, small and medium-sized businesses may not afford it.
Why can’t building a website become as easy as creating a Word document? Well, it can. That is a website builder’s job. In the beginning, a website builder produced amateurish websites which did not qualify to be presented as business websites. Over time, website builders have become more reliable and more advanced.
What are the benefits of using a website builder?
There are many benefits to using a website builder, including:
Affordability: Website builders are much more affordable than hiring a web developer to create a custom website.
Ease of use: Website builders are designed to be easy to use, even for beginners with no coding experience.
Flexibility: Website builders offer a variety of features and templates so you can create a website tailored to your specific needs.
Scalability: As your business grows, you can easily upgrade your website builder plan to add more features and functionality.
Website builders are a good option for anyone who wants to create a website without learning how to code. This includes:
Small businesses: Website builders are a great way for small businesses to create a professional-looking website without spending a lot of money.
Individuals: Website builders are also suitable for individuals who want to create a personal website or blog.
Nonprofits: Nonprofits can use website builders to create websites that promote their organization and raise awareness of their cause.
How to choose a website builder
Many different website builders are available, so choosing one that is right for your needs is essential. When selecting a website builder, consider the following factors:
Features: What features are important to you? Do you need a website builder that offers e-commerce functionality? A blogging platform? A membership site?
Pricing: How much are you willing to spend on a website builder? Website builder plans typically range from $5 to $50 per month.
Ease of use: How effortless is the website builder to use? Are there tutorials and support available?
Customer support: Does the website builder offer good customer support?
Types of Website Builders
Building a website without coding is an easy task. However, there are two types of website builders.
An Offline Website Builder
An offline website builder is software that you install on your computer. It allows you to build your website and save its files on the computer. Once it is ready to launch, you just need to upload all the website’s files to a web host.
Although an offline website builder gives the flexibility to build a website without an Internet connection, it also compels you to purchase a web hosting account and buy the website builder. Moreover, it requires a little technical experience to upload your website to the web host. Popular offline website builders are Rapidweaver (for Mac only) and Template Toaster.
An Online Website Builder
An online website builder, on the other hand, lives and dwells on the Internet. It is a web-based tool, meaning your website will run on the provider’s service. This allows you to work on your website project anywhere and on any device. There is no need to download the website builder. Seriously, all one needs is an Internet connection and a web browser.
For these attractive reasons, an online website builder is a darling to non-specialists who have always been intimidated by the traditional web development process. Using a drag-and-drop editor, an online website builder is a wizard that makes building a website as easy as moving icons on your desktop. No coding, no designing skills—just click and drag.
Remember when we said that domain name and web hosting are the first must-haves to build your website? Nobody can escape that rule. Fortunately, many website builders can help you get that done.
If You Do Not Have One
Website builders offer different packages for providing a domain name. Some providers allow you to use a cheap domain name, such as yourname.websitebuilder.com, instead of yourname.com. Meanwhile, another website builder may offer one year of free domain name registration if you subscribe to an annual plan with them.
If You Do Have One
Then you are one step ahead; nobody can steal away your name. Of course, if you have already purchased a domain name, you can still register with it for any website builder. That gives you two options: 1) You can replace your old domain name provider with the website builder’s. 2) You could stay with your current domain name provider and forward the domain to your website builder account. Your current domain registrar may help you set this up.
Web Hosting
Next, you must shelter your files in that “room” called web hosting. That means you need a web hosting service. Luckily, most website builders come packaged with one or more web hosting plans, so you can select the one that suits your needs best.
2. Templates
Templates are ready-made designs for how a website’s visual structure will look. Think of them as the fast-food solution for the designer’s job. Each website builder has a collection of designs and shapes ready to be used. Moreover, these templates are anything but rigid; you can always change your mind about the template you choose. This can be done anytime, even after you have launched the website and filled it with content. The content you added will be reshaped to fit the new design.
If your company has a logo and a specific colour palette, you can easily merge them with the templates. That way, you would not have to sacrifice your brand’s identity. What if none of the designs are worthy of your admiration? That is no problem. You can create your custom-made template style, which will require some HTML and CSS skills.
Tip: Use the design template that matches the nature of your website. For example, if your website has exceptional visuals, select the design that highlights them the most.
3. Elements
We never agree on what separates a good website from a bad one. However, we base our feelings on similar elements that are significant in each visitor’s experience and the feelings he/she is left with.
Pages and Sections
Websites differ in the size and number of pages and sections, yet even the most miniature website needs some standard pages. Standard pages are those found on almost every website: home page, about us, contact information, and services. Some businesses include extras like portfolios, careers, products, case studies, and FAQs. You can easily add as many pages and sections as you want using a website builder.
Favicon
Excuse me? Hint: Look at the ProfileTree logo at this open tab’s corner. A Favicon is a picture that shows at the corner of a visitor’s tab once he/she opens your website. This makes a visitor distinguish your page if they have many tabs opened on their browser. It also makes a unique bookmark on the list of saved websites. A website builder does not even miss those small details to build an outstanding website.
Tip: Most businesses select their logo or something strongly associated with their brand.
E-commerce Tools
Whoever created a website builder knew that e-commerce is the latest shopping trend worldwide, and its popularity will only increase. While a website builder will not be able to create a website like Amazon’s, we will explain why, later, small and medium-sized businesses can still build a reliable website that serves their smaller circle of customers.
An e-commerce website must contain specific items that other websites do not require. A shopping cart, payment tools, and a checkout page are all essential for the visitor to order online. On the back end, inventory management is essential for knowing the products in stock, those on backorder, and the sold-outs. A website builder has all those elements to support your budding online store.
Images and Video
Every website builder delights in presenting those two. Images and videos give a website its glamour and style. One always finds the best and most appealing web designs full of motion, colour, and pictures. 360 images are also new in making a website stand out. Therefore, your website builder should have a library of high-quality images that you can use as headers and backgrounds.
Tip: On your side, you should prepare an HD video, a 360 photo, or a virtual tour for your business if you have a unique one and embed it on your website. Videos for product tutorials, events, or customer reviews are a great way to market your business online. In addition, they also enhance your SEO score, so your website ranks higher in Google results.
Social Media
We have mentioned earlier that social media business pages should go hand in hand with your website. None of them alone is enough to establish strong brand awareness. For that reason, a website builder allows you to connect your social media page to your website. You should later add your website to all your pages on different social platforms. Combining the two helps achieve the marketing goals we mentioned earlier when we drew that comparison between a business page and a website.
SEO and Analytics
SEO is the lifeblood of your website. This channel will get you the best visitors with the highest purchase potential. It is a fact that effective SEO does not rely solely on the website builder you are using; however, it does play a part.
Any website builder empowers users with the right features for better SEO results. A good website builder will provide features such as an SEO title, meta descriptions, page-level heading tags, backlinking, and mobile optimisation. Some of these benefits include connecting to Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
SEO is an essential ingredient in building a website. If you pay enough attention to it, it will greatly impact your number of visitors and sales.
4. Editor
The editor in any website builder is the tool that allows you to edit or add new content whenever you like. It is as easy as using a Microsoft Word document. You do not need to write text in HTML. It gives you the same options of linking to another page and reshaping your text differently.
5. Tech Support
A treasure that people simply overlook is tech support. Choosing to build a website through a website builder means you do not have enough technical experience to do the whole thing independently. Now, the best part is that with a website builder, you would not have to be alone. Website builders have a tech support team you can contact for questions and inquiries. They also have FAQs and articles on how to build a successful website. You get to share experiences with people who have gone through this process successfully before.
The Pros and Cons of Using a Website Builder
So, is a website builder perfect? No. We will later give examples of the best cases where a website builder makes a great solution. Let’s briefly review the pros and cons of a website builder.
Pros of a Website Builder
Easy to use: You or your staff need not have technical or programming skills to build, work on, or update it.
Walmart for building a website: Your domain name, hosting space, email address, etc., are all in one place.
Cost efficiency: A website builder is much less expensive than hiring a web designing team.
Security updates: Your website builder will automatically install all necessary updates. You would need to worry about security, which is a great feature.
Timesaver: You will not waste time dealing with bugs, compatibility issues, or broken functionality.
Tech support: As mentioned earlier, if you face any issue, you can easily find plenty of support and tips.
Cons of a Website Builder
Not suitable for large business websites: Website builders are not designed to support a complex web design. Businesses that need full-functioning websites that perform complex tasks must stick to the traditional web development process.
Limited flexibility: Some people cannot give up flexibility. After all, a website builder will only provide you with limited layouts. Depending on the nature of the business, some cannot sacrifice to limit their choices in return for ease of use.
Relying on one provider: Building a website through a website builder means their business is yours. If the website builder is unstable or, for any reason, shuts down, then your website will go with it, too. Some companies cannot tolerate being independent.
Poor SEO, ranking, and Traffic: A website would not be able to handle higher traffic levels as the website would have poor ranking on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
Is a Website Builder the Right Choice for Everyone?
It may sound a little more confusing now that we have stated valid pros and cons. The question is, “Which is better: the traditional method or the website builder?” It is rather about the objectives of your website. Here, we will demonstrate some website objectives and how a website builder works for them:
1. Portfolio and Small Business Website
Let’s say you are trying to build a relatively small online portfolio for your work, an essential website for your business, or a simple online presence for an event or a project. A website builder will be the best tool for that mission. With little experience, a website can be a lifesaver for beginners. It guarantees that your website will have a fantastic appearance and will take the least time to launch. In addition, you will be able to adjust the site’s SEO score to reach a more relevant audience.
Recommended Website Builders
With an insightful drag-and-drop editor, Weebly and Jimdo are the best choices for beginners. Their simplicity and a broad range of features can be the oasis for creating a portfolio or small website to introduce your business. For firms or photographers relying on captivating visuals, Wix is known for its artistic touch.
As we said, a website that functions as an online store has features that differ from a regular website. For that reason, a website builder is a great way to start a small—to medium-sized e-commerce platform. A big content management system, such as Magento or Prestashop, is traditionally required to create an e-commerce-focused website. In that case, a website builder is an excellent alternative since the traditional method is technically demanding and expensive.
Recommended Website Builders
Shopify is a powerful e-commerce builder that combines all the features to create a functioning e-store. It allows you to process online payments, take orders, display products, and manage tax options hassle-free. Weebly is another good option. While it offers fewer features than Shopify, its advantage is that it is much simpler.
3. Blog
Compared to professional blogging platforms, such as WordPress, a website builder can have limitations. Although a powerful blogging tool, beginners find WordPress too complicated. Therefore, it is not always a suitable choice for all. On the other hand, the best website builder will allow you to schedule posts, enable comments, create post categories, and tweak SEO.
Recommended Website Builders
Squarespace is the best website builder for blogs. It provides all the features to make a good-looking blog that engages your audience. Compared to Weebly, which is known for being the most straightforward website builder, it is slightly complex. However, it is still less complex than WordPress, and it puts your blog on the right path.
4. Directory Websites
Directory websites deal with lists and catalogues. Usually, these are associated with real estate websites where people search for properties or job advertising websites where many parties share data and forms. For that amount of data, these websites require a proper database system. Unfortunately, a website builder is not made to handle similar websites; they need a more advanced management system.
Recommended CMS
To create this kind of project, you had better look into more traditional web designing methods. WordPress is a pretty good option if you need to minimise your expenses. WordPress is a powerful platform that can do the job while requiring minimal technical assistance. Yes, you may need to hire a developer for customised tasks, but it is still a flexible tool.
5. Social Network
Social network websites are enormous projects. Companies like Facebook and Twitter have an army of the best developers, designers, and testers worldwide to achieve these considerable networks. A website builder would not be able to have your back in this case.
Recommended CMS
BuddyPress, a WordPress plugin, would be a reasonable solution if your goal is to create a smaller social network. Like its cousin, it requires a degree of technical knowledge, yet it does a good job of building a small social network.
6. Multilingual Websites
Many medium-sized businesses serve more than one location across the globe, or sometimes, one multilingual location. They all find it crucial to build a multilingual website. Online stores also need to be multilingual since e-commerce often targets customers beyond borders. This is another area where a website builder may fall short.
Most website builders ask you to create separate websites for each language you want to translate. This is quite expensive and not as efficient as having all your visitors in one place. While there are workarounds to overcome this issue, a website builder remains a less appealing option for this mission.
Recommended Website Builder
Duda is a website builder which gives you the ability to create a “built-in” multilingual website. So, if your goal is to build a website with more than one language, Duda is the right builder for the mission. However, Duda cannot create a multilingual online store. To do so, you will have to go back to Shopify. Shopify cannot build a built-in multilingual store; however, a third-party app interferes with saving the day. Other than website builders, WordPress’s plugin, WooCommerce, is a more traditional alternative.
How Much Does a Website Builder Cost?
We have demonstrated the pros and cons of a website builder and what it can and cannot do. The cost is one factor that affects your choice of a website builder. That is why we will go through a quick review of the cost of some website builders.
The traditional web development process has a reputation for being expensive, long, and complicated. Meanwhile, the rule where you get what you pay for applies. Endless features, functions, and a unique website that truly stands out come with a price.
On the other hand, a website builder is much more efficient regarding cost, but it gives you less control over the website. Getting a completely ad-free site with a proper domain name and email account for at least 5 dollars a month is possible. Here is a brief about the packages different website builders offer:
Wix is the Master of Design. Therefore, it is often recommended for businesses relying on visuals, such as fashion, photography, and restaurants. Prices start at $4.50 monthly for the Connect Domain plan. It costs $24.50 a month if you opt for the VIP upgrade. As the price goes up, additional features are added.
When creating an online store, Wix’s monthly fees are at least $17.00. Wix also has a free plan for using a subdomain. A subdomain is, for example, profiletree.wix.com instead of profiletree.com. Of course, a subdomain is less professional than a stand-alone domain.
Weebly is known for being a diverse website builder fit for many project types. Its tools are also affordable and easy to understand. Like Wix, Weebly’s free plan restricts you to a subdomain and displays an ad at the footer of your website. To get your domain, you must purchase a plan. These are their paid packages and each one’s best function:
The Personal costs $10 monthly, billed annually, and is excellent for basic projects.
The Pro costs $12 and includes extra features such as phone support.
The Performance costs $26 and is suitable for a bigger online store with better options and higher stability.
Jimdo is known for its simplicity and good SEO features. For that reason, we have recommended it for small projects and portfolios. The free plan is similar to Weebly and Wix’s; it restricts you to a subdomain. The paid packages are the Jimdo Website and the Jimdo Online Store. Jimdo Website is for websites which do not need an online store, and it costs $9 per month for the Start plan, $15 for the Grow plan, and $39 for the Unlimited plan. Jimdo Online Store is for relatively larger websites and e-stores, and it costs $15 for the Basic plan, $19 for the Business plan, and $39 for the VIP plan.
Duda
Duda is the website builder recommended for multilingual websites. Although more expensive than the others previously mentioned, Duda solves problems for multilingual businesses. Duda is also unique because its creators were visionary about the importance of mobile websites. When they created this website builder, they made sure it built responsive websites. Responsive websites are those where visitors will see an optimised site whether they are looking at it on a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.
Duda offers a free trial plan with a subdomain and limited support that can be upgraded. The Basic plan costs $25 per month, the Team plan costs $39, the Agency plan costs $69, and the White Label plan costs $199. Uniquely, Duda offers a Site for Life package, where you can purchase a lifetime subscription to Business+ for $299. To build an online store with more than ten products, subscribe to the Native E-commerce plan for at least $8 monthly.
Shopify is the one-stop shop for online retailers. More than 500,000 retailers rely on the platform to reach their target sales. For a business with the objective of building an e-commerce website, Shopify is the best website builder for the task. Well, unless you are aiming for a multilingual store, in which case Duda would be your friend.
Shopify has all the tools to build a robust online store; it is even unfair to compare those built by Shopify to those built by Weebly. Shopify gives you more features and higher quality. Indeed, quality comes with a price. The first look at Shopify’s price list may give the impression that it is overpriced. However, considering that it is designed specifically for e-commerce functions, Shopify assumes that all its users are established retailers willing to invest in their business. That resonates with the fact that it does not have a free plan, only a free trial. Here is a list of Shopify’s prices:
The Starter plan costs $5 per month.
Basic Shopify costs 32 dollars per month. It will allow you to sell unlimited products and charge a 1% transaction fee up to a total maximum of $99 a month.
The Shopify plan costs $92 per month and offers more e-commerce features, like gift cards and abandoned cart recovery. Transaction fees are 1% up to a maximum of $99 per month.
The Advanced Shopify plan costs $399 per month. It gives you advanced reports and automatically calculated shipping rates, with transaction fees of about 1% up to a total maximum of $99 per month.
Squarespace is the only website builder that qualifies to be a rival to WordPress. The platform introduces itself as the hub for all creatives: photographers, musicians, artists, and designers. Although it is not the easiest website builder, it has fresh and dynamic features that make a blogger’s life easier.
With Squarespace, it is possible to edit content live without switching back and forth between the site manager and preview mode. It also has suitable SEO parameters and great templates from which to choose. Moreover, you can build an online store through Squarespace if your creative business sells products. Squarespace offers four different packages:
The Personal plan costs $23 per month. This package is good enough to create a good portfolio if you do not need an online store.
The Business plan costs $33 a month. It offers an online store with a 3% transaction fee.
The Basic Online Store plan costs $36, and it allows you to build an online store with no transaction fees.
The Advanced Online Store plan costs $65 and is only recommended for those who need advanced e-commerce features.
Steps to Build a Website
So, now that you have gathered all this information and decided to build a website, you may be wondering, “Where should I start?”
1. Planning Phase
This is your starting point. Good planning is key to success, especially when building a website. This phase should take more time than the execution phase. That is because the decisions you make during planning will be the basis for the outcome.
#1: Set Goals
This scale will measure your website’s success after it is published. How can you determine a website is a success if you do not know what it should achieve? Ask yourself: what do I want my website to achieve? The more precise your answers are, the more successful your website will be. Besides, you will never get lost in the process if you know exactly what you want.
A business website can have different goals to achieve depending on the nature of the business and its position in the market. It could be set to attract new customers, increase the number of customers during quiet seasons, or create a new stream of online sales to boost your profit. Meanwhile, a portfolio’s goals may include creating presentable work samples to encourage managers/clients to hire you.
These goals are called “business requirements” in the web development dictionary. Each goal corresponds to a solution or the means to achieve it. These requirements will be translated into your website’s features, pages, and sections.
#2: Come up with Original Ideas
An average website means an average business. That is a problem because nobody on the web is looking for an average company. Every user starting a search query wants to find a trustworthy business that meets his/her needs and fits the budget. To stand out among thousands of companies, you need to build a website with a story, in other words, a strong brand that gives an unmatched vibe of trust, creativity, and professionalism.
To build a website with these qualities, you must establish a personality. The tone, the design, the sections, the pages, and the titles all should express one theme relevant to your brand. It should all be consistent and exclusive. You must consider all those aspects in advance to have a clear vision of how your website will look. That will make the execution phase more organised.
#3: Look for Inspiration
Where should you find inspiration? Other business websites, in particular, your competitors’ websites. Your competitors and other impressive websites are a great source of inspiration. You can get great ideas from their pages, sections, titles, and designs. You can add those ideas as they are or do some tweaks and touch-ups to make them match your theme. This review also keeps you updated with the latest web design trends.
It is worth mentioning that we have intentionally listed that step as the third. Many people rush into that step before creating their vision. They may copy ideas from here and there, making their website less genuine and unoriginal. While keeping an eye on businesses with a strong online presence is beneficial, you should not let that limit your own version. Look for inspiration, but do not copy-paste concepts.
#4: Create Mind Mapping Samples
Mind mapping is a brilliant way to boost creativity during brainstorming and planning. It is often used in the web development process. Mind maps are useful for filtering the best thoughts about how the website should look.
As shown in the picture, mind maps start at the centre of the page, with the central theme highlighted. This is the cornerstone around which all other elements revolve. Surround that theme with all the website’s categories, menus, pages, galleries, subpages, and sections.
Create this mind map after the first two steps in the planning phase. As you review other websites, add new ideas and refine your website’s mind map. Remember that your mind map should cover all the requirements you have set for the site.
#5: Select the Right Solution to Your Business Requirements
Once you settle for the best outline, it is time to select the proper method to build a website. If you realise that a website builder will not be sufficient to fulfil your website’s requirements, you should go for the traditional web development process.
On the contrary, if a website builder is good enough to meet your needs and, at the same time, minimises your expenses, then it would be wiser to go for website builders. The best website builder is the one that fulfils all of the most important goals. By now, your goals would have been translated into qualities and features. Here is an example:
Goal/Requirement
Solution
Attract new customers
– A website builder with a visual appeal and excellent graphics for high-quality photos.
Increase the number of customers during quiet seasons
– A website builder that makes newsletter subscriptions easy and appealing. – An online store with advanced e-commerce features, like gift cards and promo codes.
A portfolio with a gallery of photos of your previous work
– A website builder with a visual appeal and amazing graphics for high-quality photos.
The right website builder should be the one that offers the best solutions for your requirements.
2. Execution Phase
After planning how to build a website, it is time for execution. Let’s explore the steps to execute the plan.
#1: The Building Process
Design: Design is the silent soldier in any website. Think of the website as an actual store; how do you want visitors to feel when they enter it? Comfortable, friendly, and hyped? Formal, professional, and classic? That all depends on your business’ vision, the kind of product you sell, the audience you target, etc. Choose the background, font type, size, and colour under your website builder’s layout or style menu. Try out several ones until you find the perfect one.
Navigation: Navigation creates menus for visitors to move from one place to another. From your mind map, you should be able to see where these menus will lead. A website usually has a main menu and sub-menus. Make sure the navigation menus are clear and easily understood by all types of visitors.
Outlined Pages: After building the structure, it is time to add bullet points and short sections to each page. These are called outlines. Outlines do not comprise content yet, only the main headers and sub-headers. You may also add image ideas, even if you do not have the images yet.
#2: Content Creation
Content is like cheese; everyone loves extra cheese on their plate. You can add it to almost any dish, which would taste great. Content starts with filling the blank spaces under all sections, bullet points, footer, and headers with text.
For bloggers, this will be the deal breaker of your website. You need to show off your style throughout your blog. For others who know that writing is not their strong suit, consider hiring a copywriter for that project.
Content makes all the difference. In addition, creating content only starts before publishing, but it is the one aspect that you should always update and enhance. By that, we mean regularly adding more valuable posts, articles, and news to your website. This is the way to gain loyal visitors to your website.
Now, everything should be ready for publishing. The last thing you should do before publishing is go through every detail on your website.
Proofread your website for spelling and grammar errors.
Ensure all the pages and buttons are working; there are no bugs or broken links.
Test your contact form and make sure it is working correctly.
Make sure you have included relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions.
Open your website from computers, tablets, iOS and Android devices.
Ensure you fulfil all the legal requirements by clarifying your site’s policies. Those legal requirements differ from one country to another.
#4: Publishing
The website is now ready to join the World Wide Web. Register your website with search engines Google and Bing. Search engines are like the stage for an artist. If an artist has never been on stage, his/her art will never come to light. The same rule applies to a website. Secure that with good SEO techniques to guarantee a steady flow of potential customers.
On a side note, installing Google Analytics would be a good advice. It’s a free tool that gives insights into your website’s visitors. These statistics are essential to determine what is paying off and what is not. Google Analytics tells you the number of visitors, page views, and where your visitors are located. One significant insight the tool gives you is the number of people who have visited your website via search engines. That provides a good indication of how well your SEO is doing.
Unlocking the Power of No-Code: A Deep Dive into Functionalities
The no-code revolution is reshaping the landscape of website creation, empowering individuals and businesses to build stunning online presences without a single line of code. But how do these tools work? Let’s delve into the key functionalities of no-code across different systems:
1. Content Management Systems (CMS):
Drag-and-Drop Interfaces: No-code CMS platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow offer intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, allowing you to visually arrange pre-built elements like text, images, buttons, and videos to create your website pages.
Pre-Designed Templates: Choose from a library of professionally designed templates catering to various industries and purposes, and personalize them with your content and branding.
Content Management Tools: Edit text, upload images, manage blog posts, and easily schedule content, often through intuitive WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors.
Content Collaboration: Share editing access with team members and clients, facilitate feedback loops, and ensure seamless content management workflows.
2. Drag-and-Drop Editors:
Pixel-Perfect Control: Tools like Adobe XD and Figma offer advanced drag-and-drop functionality for precise design and layout adjustments, which is ideal for complex web interfaces and mobile apps.
Prototyping and User Testing: Create interactive prototypes of your website or app to test user experience and gather feedback before development, streamlining the design process.
Component Libraries: Build and reuse custom design elements like buttons, forms, and navigation bars, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
Integration with Development Tools: Export your designs directly into code, making them ready for development by professional engineers.
3. Form Builders:
Intuitive Form Creation: Platforms like JotForm and Typeform offer user-friendly interfaces for building contact forms, surveys, questionnaires, and registration forms easily.
Conditional Logic and Validation: Utilize conditional logic to personalize user experience based on their responses and implement validation rules to ensure accurate data collection.
Payment Integrations: Integrate with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe to accept online payments directly through your website forms.
Data Analytics and Reporting: Analyze form submissions, track user behaviour, and generate insightful reports to understand your audience and optimize your website performance.
4. Payment Integrations:
Seamless Checkout Experiences: Integrate seamlessly with payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree to offer your customers secure and convenient online payment options.
Subscription Management: Manage recurring subscriptions, memberships, and billing cycles with automated processes, streamlining your business operations.
Fraud Prevention: Utilize built-in fraud detection tools to protect your business from fraudulent transactions and maintain secure payment processing.
Data Security Compliance: Ensure your chosen payment integration meets industry security standards and data privacy regulations, building trust with your customers.
Remember:
No-code tools are not a magic wand; they require basic design skills and an understanding of website functionality.
Choose the platform that best aligns with your specific needs and technical expertise.
Explore advanced features and integrations to unlock the full potential of no-code and build robust online solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Is no code really for everyone?
While no-code offers accessibility, some basic understanding of website design and functionality is helpful. If you’re starting fresh, most platforms offer helpful tutorials and resources to guide you.
2. What are the limitations of no-code tools?
While powerful, no-code platforms may have limitations in customization and advanced functionalities compared to traditional coding. However, many offer developer API access for more intricate customisations.
3. Do I need to purchase additional plugins or integrations?
Some platforms offer additional features and integrations for specific needs through paid plans or individual purchases. Evaluate your needs before investing.
4. How secure are no-code websites?
Reputable platforms prioritize security and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations. Always choose trusted platforms and implement recommended security practices.
5. Can I switch to traditional coding later if needed?
Most no-code platforms allow exporting your website/app design into code, enabling a seamless transition if needed.
Final Thoughts
You will have much information about building a website if you finally reach this part. You have understood why it is crucial to have a business website, and it can be a massive milestone in your business’s progress. It is also clear that social media pages and your website go hand in hand and should build each other up.
The question of whether to use the traditional method or a website builder depends on your website’s business requirements. Large businesses prefer the conventional method because it offers the best and most stable websites. However, start-ups should start their web projects using a website builder because it is faster, easier, and cost-efficient.
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