Building a website for your business used to be an expensive proposition, not to mention a major headache: hiring a reliable web designer, determining the budget, dedicating no small amount of time to develop it, additional time to run it (or adding the expense of other professionals to run it), etc.
Fortunately, times have changed, and designing a website is no longer a Herculean operation, with several prominent companies offering website construction services for every level, from novice to professional.
Your Business Card in a Digital World
Whether you’re an individual, small business owner, or corporation, these days having a business website is not a luxury – it’s crucial for your operation: it’s where potential, and hopefully returning, customers will be looking for your online presence to view your products, find out more about you, see where you are located, what your products or services can do for them, and more.
If you have a business card, your website’s address is the first thing people will look for when receiving it. And if that’s not enough, your website also needs to look good and function well on mobile devices, because more and more searches are performed on mobile phones or tablets.
The good news is, you no longer have to spend a small fortune to build a quality website.
The Choices
So, you’ve finally decided to build your business a new website – congratulations! Only one small, simple question to answer: which website building platform should you use? There are two main types of website building platforms: Content Management Systems (CMS) and drag-and-drop website builders.
CMS systems allow users more control and flexibility with just about anything related to managing a large amount of content, while website builders focus more on simplifying the creation of websites. For instance, if you don’t have a heavy amount of content, or intend to add a forum to your website, or don’t have the time or money to invest in a large-scale website operation, you might want to consider a website builder such as Wix (see below). You’ll get a complete website, according to your design and built, only without the nuts-and-bolts of the more advanced features, such as plugins, codes, etc.
Before we dive in, ask yourself the following:
- What are my needs? for example, will the website be personal or business-oriented? more of a showcase of your professional abilities and means for contact, or do you plan to actually sell/take orders online? Is it important that your website will be optimized for mobile?
- Who is this website aimed at? Your audience type will shape the tone and language of the website.
- How much time will I have to spare for the “upkeep” of the website (freshen up texts, write blogs, etc.)?
- How much money can I invest in hosting, domain, and other website upkeep charges?
You’ll want to personalize your website name, no doubt, and it needs a hosting server (unless you have your own). There Internet is chockfull of domain and hosting opportunities at different price ranges.
The four main contenders:
WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, and Wix.
Before we begin, note that with the exception of Wix, the rest require installation on your computer.
The first three website builders are considered fully-fledged Content Management Systems (CMS) while Wix is more of a drag-and-drop website builder that is more focused on the visual presentation and implementation by less technically-inclined users, than the others.
WordPress (75 million users)
WordPress offers thousands of plugins to enhance your websites, such as creating an online store, member portal, school forum, and many more. This platform (which requires installation) offers a lot of flexibility in customizing your website, especially if you are familiar with CSS or code snippets. Its more advanced capabilities do require a learning curve or hiring a WordPress professional developer, which could somewhat spike up the cost.
As a user, you can create content in a single layout form or in multiple layouts, using plugins or themes which can be downloaded (there are over 50,000 plugins). Another thing to keep in mind is that the use of plugins or themes can be limited by the host you are using. Many global corporations and publications use WordPress for their web presence. Note that you will be required to obtain a hosting account and domain in order to create a site using WordPress.
Learning curve: Easy to steep, depends on your goals.
Joomla (2.8 Million users)
Joomla is a formidable CMS and website builder with content-heavy websites in mind, offering user management features and Multilanguage support that would require plugins in other platforms such as WordPress. However, it appears more technically challenging, less intuitive than other website builders, and offers no official basic design or theme library, although these are available online. Joomla also takes pride in a respectable list of global names using its platform.
Learning curve: Moderate to steep.
Drupal (1.1 million users)
Drupal is another robust CMS platform that can help users achieve highly professional-looking websites, but unlike other platforms mentioned here, it requires a substantial degree of technical understanding to get the most out of it. Its features include controlling the user’s ability to view or create content, full control over content layouts, a comprehensive layout panel, and much more. As in the two platforms featured above, some Well-known Companies are using Drupal, too.
Learning curve: Steep.
Wix (70 million users)
A drag-and-drop, WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get), non-nonsense website building platform, allowing users to start using their website instantly after designing it. Unlike other website building or CMS platforms, Wix’s service does not require any installation, only signing up. The options for streamlined customization are virtually boundless, and while it does not offer the number of plugins and customization options as does WordPress, it does offer hundreds of site designs and templates. You also have the option of adding apps to your website, such as chat or comments, newsletter signup, etc.
It’s very important to know that although some websites are supposedly free, there will be fees you will need to pay – such as a domain and hosting.
Learning curve: easy.
Which one is best for you?
- Cost (standard or customized domain, hosting fees, etc.)
- Ease of use
- Customization options
- Security, reliability & customer support
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- How much control do you need or want over your website?
To the above, you need to consider the type of content, website security certification (particularly if you’re planning an e-commerce site), SEO optimization tools, etc. Each website builder has its own pros and cons. And like with many other things, you could find out what works best for you by trying each one.
