Using one of the website builders available on the internet may be the solution you were looking for to have your own website without spending much. If you thought creating a website was only possible for people who know how to code and have design experience, website builders are here to show you the contrary.
With easy-to-use interfaces, drag-and-drop editors, and customization tools, those platforms have simplified how to make pages. They offer an opportunity for businesses from different sectors and sizes to have their domain, promote themselves, and sell online. Besides, having a website adds credibility to a company, and makes it easier for customers to find you online.
What Is a Website Builder?
A website builder is a service offered by many software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies that enable people to create their own pages online without having code or design skills. It usually offers multiple tools in a single platform, where the website will be hosted and you can have access to a page editor to customize every sentient of your website and, and update it regularly.
Many website builders provide pre-made templates with different themes, for example, for online stores, restaurants, hotels, businesses, portfolios, and blogs. You choose the template that suits you better and personalize the page according to your needs by adding text, selecting the color palette, placing and sizing images, and much more.
To start using a website builder, you need to access the platform of your choice, create an account, and choose the plan that fits your needs. Then, you will have access to the necessary tools to start making your pages. If you don't have the budget for a paid plan, there are many free wesbsite builders to enjoy.
How Does a Website Builder Work?
A website builder functions as an online platform where you have the tools to create web pages with intuitive editors, often using pre-built templates. Instead of having to use computer codes to make a website from scratch, all you need to worry about is the content and how you wish your pages to look.
Most website builders take care of the coding part, however, some of them allow you to customize this part as well. Those platforms also enable you to not only create pages but also manage and monitor them, so you can update them when you find necessary, like adding more sections to your website at any time, and check the performance through analytics reports.
Key Features to Look For in Website Builders
There are many website builders for you to choose from, which may bring doubts about which is the best one for you. To facilitate the selection process, start by analyzing which platform offers the essential features that are listed below.
Easy-to-Use Interface
A website builder must be easy to use. You should be able to quickly learn how to navigate through it and enjoy all its tools. This type of software is meant to simplify the process of creating and customizing pages. Use the free-trial periods to test the website builders, and make sure you and your team won't have a hard time using them.
Customization Tools
Adding your brand's identity to your business website is fundamental to having successful pages that convey credibility to your company.
The visitors must be able to associate your brand with the page they are accessing right away, for instance, by visualizing the logo, and other elements that represent your company. The website builder must provide tools that allow you to add those elements.
Hosting and Domain Services
To make it easier to create and manage your website, it's recommended to look for a website builder where you can create or transfer your domain and host your website too. This way you don't need to use other platforms, and can keep control of everything in a single place.
The hosting service is the one responsible for keeping your website live, accessible on the internet without any problem. Most website builders have their own hosting services, so you don't need to use a third party company.
SEO Tools
Counting with SEO tools is a great asset for getting more organic traffic because they increase the chances of having your pages appear on Google's first search result pages. This means when someone looks for a keyword related to the topics you approach, one of your pages can be shown on the results, leading more visitors to your website, which enhances your visibility as a consequence.
Third-Party App Integration
Pay attention if the website builder of your choice allows you to integrate it with software that you like to use to manage your website. For example, it's interesting to have the option to integrate the website with SEO and ecommerce plugins.
Scalability
Choose a website builder that can meet your needs as your company grows. For instance, imagine you intend to receive around 1.000 visitors a month at the beginning of your website, and grow this number at least 10% in 3 months.
The platform needs to support the increase of traffic to prevent problems such as slow loading time, or unavailable pages.
Responsive Design
According to Statista, 60% of the internet population worldwide uses a mobile device to go online. Having a website that is mobile-friendly has become essential, otherwise you can lose considerable traffic.
People should be able to access your pages on desktop computers and mobile devices without losing user experience quality, and this requires responsive layouts. The interface of your website must automatically adapt to mobile devices without you needing to take any extra action to ensure that.
Customer Support
Unforeseen problems such as slow loading time, or broken links can affect your website performance considerably, therefore they need to be fixed as fast as possible. To do that, you must count on effective customer support from the website builder company. Pay attention if they offer 24/7 support, and read the customer reviews to check if they provide good assistance.
5 Best Website Builders
1. Wix
With Wix, you can create your website, manage and develop content to keep enhancing it. You will find hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from, which can be customized using the drag-and-drop editor.
You can resize, rotate, align, and add new graphic elements. It's possible to have a website with different sections, like a blog, online store, portfolio, and online scheduling. Wix also helps you to make sure your website looks great on desktop and mobile devices by using responsive design.
Key features:
- Pre-built website templates
- Drag-and-drop editor
- SSL certificate
- SEO tools
- Analytics
- Responsive design
2. Wix AI
Website builders - Wix AI
When you access the WIX AI website builder you will be required to write a brief about how you want your website, in terms of design and features. Then, the platform will generate a website based on the guidelines you gave. With just a few clicks, you will have an entirely customized layout to fit your content.
Once the AI generates the website, you can modify its details as you wish, changing the colors, and fonts, inserting images and videos, and much more.
Key features:
- AI-powered
- Easy to use
- Responsive design
- Suffle layouts
- Customization tools
- Built-in business solutions
- Optimized to load fast
- Escalable and reliable web hosting
- Business growth solutions
- 24/7 customer support
3. WordPress
Website builders - WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular website builders around the world, with more than 10 million users. You can choose among thousands of customizable themes, and have different types of pages, a blog, portfolio, and an ecommerce, for example.
Use the drag-and-drop tool to add images and other graphic elements on each page. You can create photo galleries, and upload audio and videos too, using your desktop computer or mobile devices. Enjoy the analytics features to keep track of your website performance, and get to know more about your customers' behavior.
Key Features:
- Customizable themes
- Mobile-friendly design
- 24/7 customer support
- Search engine optimized
- SEO tools
- In-depth stats
4. SITE123
Website builders - Site123
SITE123 offers multiple features such as responsive design, an intuitive website editor, SEO tools, and free hosting. You can also create an online store and sell globally.
Select a pre-built template, edit it to fit your brand, upload the content, review, and publish. If you have any questions or problems, you can count on the 24/7 customer support offered by the platform.
You will also have the advantage to use a website builder that creates SEO- friendly pages, so they can be visible and indexed by search engines.
Key features:
- Intuitive website editor
- Responsive web design
- Free hosting
- SEO tools
- Sell online
- 24/7 customer support
5. HostGator
Website builders - Hostgator
With a 45-day free trial, HostGator provides solutions not only to create your website as you wish but also allows you to choose the shared hosting plan that suits your company better. To design your website, you just need to answer some questions and Gator Builder will automatically make your pages using an optimized and industry-specific layout .
It also offer management tools for inventory, shipping, and taxes, to create your ecommerce. HostGator has analytics features as well, which enable you to measure and keep track of important metrics, and know your audience's behavior.
Key features:
- Intelligent builder
- Easy analytics
- Image Library
- Mobile responsiveness
- LogoMaker
- Search optimized
- 24/7 customer support
Website Builders: FAQ
How much does it cost to create a website?
It depends on several factors, therefore it isn't possible to define a price for every website. There are different needs and priorities depending on the type of website, the domain, and hosting options too. It's also possible to create a website for free.
What is the best website builder?
There isn't one best website builder for everyone, it varies according to your criteria and necessities. It depends on what you value most about a website builder. It's important to analyze each case to determine the best website builder according to it.
Are website builders secure?
Yes, they are. The best website builders follow security measures and offer tools to assure user data is stored securely, and that people can browse through your website and provide personal information without risks.
How long does it take to build a website?
It depends on the website builder you choose, and what you intend to insert on your website if you wish for a more personalized design or have the need to install several plugins before launching. But, in some website builders, following their step-by-step guide, it's possible to have a website in 30 minutes.
Is it worth it to use a free website builder?
Using a free website builder may be worth depending on your needs or if you want to just make the website to test and then invest in a paid plan as it grows. The free plans have some limitations, such as having the CMS name as your domain name. Check all the resources the free website builders offer and what is essential for you, in the beginning, before making the decision.
Choose The Best Website Builder For You
Now that you have met some of the best website builders available on the internet, it's common to feel indecisive about which one to choose. To help you with that, make a list of what you are looking for in this type of platform, and set a budget.
Then, filter the options and select the top choices according to your priorities. It's also important to define the domain name, the type of website you will have, and how you wish to host it. All of those characteristics will help you to decide among the best website builders. Remember that it's essential to provide a great user experience.
