So, you've decided to build a website! You're making the right decision by opening yourself up to a world of possibilities, from sales channels and online marketing to social media promotions. However, as we all know, building a website can be complicated. It seems as if there is a new web technology every week, and it's impossible for one person to keep up with it all. Besides, you have other things to do - like run your business! Programming a website from scratch takes years of experience. However, even if you've never written a line of code in your life, you can still build an amazing online presence using a website builder.
Why Should I Use a Website Builder?
There are many reasons you might consider using a website builder over hiring a developer or building your own site from scratch. First of all, programming is hard. In order to design even a basic website, you will need to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript at the bare minimum. This becomes even more complicated as you wish to add more features to your website, such as a shopping cart or embedded video. On top of that, you'll need to constantly remain aware of the latest security threats and vulnerabilities of your system. With a simple mistake, you can compromise the integrity of your website and expose your users to spam, fraud, and worse.
Using a website builder with a reputable provider solves each of these problems for you. Companies offering website builder services employ teams of developers who are constantly adding features to their program. They keep up with the latest threats and make sure your site is protected with SSL, which means that you can add payment processing services or an online store without giving a thought to security. Instead of working with the complex rules of HTML and CSS, you'll be able to use a visual editor to build your website. Although you may not be able to make a pixel-perfect version of the website you had in mind, website builders in 2017 are equipped with a variety of drag-and-drop features that allow you to make your site beautiful and interactive. If you are not a gifted designer, you'll be able to choose from a selection of templates to build your website. Rather than starting over from scratch every time you want a new look, all of the text, links, and images from your old template will be imported into the new one.
Of course, you could always hire a developer to build your website for you. But working directly with developers requires a large investment of time and money. Especially when you hire developers remotely, there is a large disconnect between the design you had in mind and what is actually produced. If you want to get your site up and running quickly, you will probably find that it is worth it to sign up with a website builder service. Some of the most popular web builders are:
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Weebly
- Strikingly
Other services, such as WordPress, offer incredible flexibility along with free and beautiful templates. However, due to their size and complexity, they are better described as content management systems. Do some research to figure out the best platform for your personal site or business. You'll have to decide whether you're willing to compromise some flexibility for the sake of rapid design.
Building a Website Sounds Hard. Should I Even Bother?
Building a website, even with a website builder, can sound like an intimidating proposition. However, you can realize a huge payoff from having an online presence. In 2017, nearly everyone is on the internet. You need an online platform to remain competitive in your niche. Furthermore, you can gain an edge on your competition by building and maintaining an excellent website. Your search rankings will skyrocket, and your customers will be able to find you more easily. Creating a website with a website builder will allow you to get online quickly, bypass the difficult prerequisite programming knowledge, and create a site that can be accessed across devices.