If you are a business owner in this day and age, hopefully you already have a website. If you don’t, though, you should know just how important it is to establish a space for yourself in the virtual world. Creating and harnessing an audience is a critical step in having a successful business venture, especially for anyone looking to get into e-commerce.
Taking the first step in building a website can feel like a big challenge, though. A lot of us hardly know where to begin, let alone how to create something effective that will leave a lasting impression on our visitors. That is where website creation platforms come in – if you’ve been on the internet lately, I’m sure you have heard about them.
What’s all the fuss about, though? Are they truly such a worthwhile investment, and should we use them? I’ll do my best to answer these questions and more in this article, so do be sure to continue reading if you want to know more!
Website Builders – What are they?
For some base information on the topic, you might want to look at this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4132752.stm. It provides some insight into how website design began, which I find helpful and fascinating. That being said, let us turn out attention to more recent matters at hand.
For a long time, building a web page required a lot of experience with coding, or at least knowing someone who could handle that for you. While there are a lot of people who excel at that skill, I know I personally have never been very good at coding. I’m thankful there are other options now for those like me who don’t enjoy coding or don’t have the time to do so.
These platforms exist in both online and offline formats, with the former being much more popular today. There are many different hosting websites, so we have a lot of options to choose from. Gone are the days of only having one or two choices!
Is Using One Right for You?
Before you definitely get on board, I think it’s a good idea to consider if it’s a good choice for you. If you don’t enjoy coding or don’t want to hire someone with that experience and would rather choose a simpler option for the synthesis of a web page, they are probably a good way to go. Think about who will be doing the actual building.
These platforms are nice for anyone who wants to be able to make changes without needing a lot of experience in the field, too. Sometimes we need to adjust a marketing strategy abruptly, for example, so methods in which we can do that are valuable to have around. For some insights on how this works, you can check out a complete Kajabi Review or explore the topic online.
Something you will probably want to keep in mind as well is what your budget is. Some programs offer free courses explaining how it works and what you will have access to, while others require you to pay even for that. Consider that as you choose which you want to use.
Finally, think about what sort of content you will be hosting. If you want to create an e-commerce page, finding a platform that caters to that isn’t a bad idea. Hosting videos might be a priority for you, or perhaps very fast loading times – it’s all up to your personal preference. Hopefully, this helped you decide whether one would be worthwhile to try!
What to look for in one
Not every platform is created equal. With all of the choices out there, I think it’s good to know what features should be prioritized over others. After all, if we don’t know what we want, it’s hard to make a real decision!
One of the things that I consider most important is the ease of use. If I can’t use it, it obviously won’t be something I want to invest my time and energy into. Having accessible options is a must for a lot of us due to our busy lives – especially those of us who own a business, be it big or small.
Offering tools to allow us to implement design tips for a small business, for example, is another one I think is quite valuable. You can see some examples of this within this article, if you want to get a better understanding of what I mean. Being able to execute some of this advice without too much difficulty is certainly a perk.
Of course, the pricing structure is another big one. We want to be able to know that our money is being put to good use. If a service is far too expensive without offering a lot of amenities or tools for customization, it can feel like a total rip-off. One way that I try to mitigate that potential outcome is by reading reviews for certain platforms that I might want to test.
Optimization for mobile websites is another big one. It’s no secret that many of us spend a considerable amount of our lives browsing our phones. We like the ability to use any search engine at any time and to scroll through digital content at our leisure.
So, having a clunky web page that is not mobile-friendly? It can really hurt potential traffic. I know that if I find one that doesn’t work properly on my phone, I am not likely to go to my computer specifically to check out that business’ page. Many people are like that.
If you’re still on the fence about using a website builder, I understand. It’s a big decision for your business and not one that should be made lightly. However, I hope I’ve been able to provide you with at least a small amount of guidance.
With all the choices out there, it is really in your hands. Decide what you think is most important and go with the platform that offers that!
Interesting Related Article: “What is Digital Marketing and How Does it Work?”
