Which Website Builder Platform is Best?
Beautiful websites are great!
But what if they don’t function the way they’re supposed to?
As a web designer, a lot of people ask me about websites in general. What is the best platform? Which is better? I did it myself, does it matter?
Over the past few years, I have built sites on Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, GoDaddy, Shopify and WordPress. By the time I worked my way up to WordPress, I couldn’t believe all the features and functionality possible with various plug ins. I basically abandoned every platform that wasn’t WordPress.
But have times changed?
I’m a huge fan of WordPress, and I still believe it’s one of the best platform to use, but I have got my eye on a few others that are also worth the money.
Back in the day, additional features were not available on the simple builder sites that featured drag and drop design capabilities. They were newer companies, and it was a new concept altogether. It was ultimately the reason WordPress was considered the standard. Offering various plug ins, great themes and a lot of great designers making very successful, popular sites.
Over time, other platforms have become more competitive though by expanding their software to now integrate with various apps. Most now offer scheduling capabilities, email add-on, e-commerce, payment systems and more.
I think it would be safe to say these builders are now up to par or at least on the right track of seriously competing with WordPress.
On the other hand, when it comes to building sites, it’s important to understand the difference between web design and web development. A beautiful site is not a functioning site.
While the front end can look great, there’s another, more dictating presence – the backend. Making sure a site is formatted properly with correct media, tags, and SEO friendly techniques should always be your focus!
You can build your own website if you are just starting out with various platforms. If you are an established business or a professional entering a competitive industry, it is absolutely necessary to hire someone who understands not only design but development as well.
Best Web Builder Platforms to Use:
Squarespace
ShowIt
Editor X
Wix
Shopify – E Commerce
Large Scale Commercial Platforms:
Shopify+
Magento
Sales Force
Web Builders / Apps I don’t recommend:
GoDaddy
WooCommerce
*Newbies + Code People: If you’re a developer and love code but hate visual design and graphics, there are also several themes and templates available to buy online. There’s also a difference between designers – UX and UI. If you’re interested in web design in general, look into those!
Have questions about web design and development? Get in touch.
