Thinking about what builder to use?
Because a big part of our job is building websites, we get asked a lot about which website builder is the best one. Now, there are a lot of website builders out there, and some are better than others. Depending upon your purposes in creating a website, one of these builders may be better suited to you.
On average, we run across these three providers as popular platforms for website creation. These are Squarespace, Wix and WordPress. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each of these options may make it easier for you to choose the right one for your website.
First, it may be helpful to learn more about SEO. If you?re new to the whole website-building game, then this is a term you may not know. ?SEO? is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. Basically, it involves driving meaningful traffic to your website through the posting of content-rich articles and copy. The better your website content is, the more likely popular search engines like Google and Bing are to place it at or near the top of a list of search results.
The better optimized a website builder is for SEO, the more visible your website is going to be. While all three of the builders that I?ll review here have SEO capabilities, WordPress is hands-down the winner in this category.
Squarespace Builder
This platform is popular, and because it is fully hosted, you don?t have to worry about finding a host for your website. On top of that, you?ll have many beautiful website templates from which to choose. Squarespace gives you a great deal of latitude when it comes to customizing your website so that the finished product will look exactly like you want it to.
This platform is incredibly easy for beginners. Its point, click and type interface couldn?t be simpler. Plus, you can add e-commerce functionality. However, you won?t be able to do much integration with third-party suppliers, and the payment options that you can offer to customers are extremely restrictive. This means that you may have difficulty growing your business with this platform. Other limitations include the inability to link anchor text and the absence of on-page SEO scoring. Without these and other SEO tools, your website may remain in the dark.
Wix Builder
Like Squarespace, Wix is fully hosted so there?s no need to find a host for your site. You?ll have lots of website templates to choose from, and novice users will appreciate the ease and familiarity of drag-and-drop editing.
You also might appreciate the availability of dozens of apps, both free and paid, that you can add to your website. These apps can provide a stunning array of functionalities to your website, which can make it more versatile and useful.
If you want to give Wix a try, they offer a free plan. Its bandwidth and storage capacity are quite limited, but you?ll get a feel for how the platform operates without spending any money. However, this free plan does not include a domain name, which may mean that you need to upgrade when you?re ready to go live.
Wix has even fewer SEO features than Squarespace. This means that if you?re getting really serious about your website, then you may have to go to another platform. That is a problem, because Wix doesn?t make it easy to migrate. Accordingly, Wix might be good for getting your feet wet, but it?s not the best for the long haul.
WordPress Builder
This platform has millions of fans the world over. In fact, some people wouldn?t imagine creating a website without WordPress. Statistics suggest that nearly 30 percent of all websites are built using this platform.
WordPress is incredibly popular for many reasons. It is both powerful and scalable. You can choose from an endless variety of templates and apps, making it possible to load your website with amazing functionality. Best of all, WordPress scores off the charts when it comes to SEO capabilities.
However, it may be helpful to realize that WordPress is not the most intuitive platform for beginners. This may make the initial learning curve difficult. Once you get the hang of it, you?ll be delighted with what you can do.
That?s because WordPress has unbeatable customization options. You have total control over how your website looks and acts. You also have access to pre-built themes that can make the process easier for a beginner.
This customization and autonomy mean that you may have to take on more maintenance chores. Most of these are quite easy once you become familiar with them.
All three of these website builder platforms are easy to use. However, if you?re hoping to seriously grow a website, then you can?t beat WordPress for power, functionality and customization. Once you get past the learning curve, you?ll love what WordPress can do.
Conclusion
If you need any help building , customizing your website or just need guidance, don?t hesitate to reach out to us. We can discuss your needs and point you to the right website builder for your needs. While we are based in Oviedo, FL, we help clients all over the United States.