According to statistics from Website Builder Expert, it only takes 50 milliseconds for visitors to form an opinion about your website and 94% of those first impressions are linked to aesthetics and design. This means that choosing an easy-to-use website builder or hosting provider with customizable features can help maximize consumer engagement.
To make things easier, many services offer drag-and-drop editors that help you build a website without any prior experience in coding. This helps you visualize what the final product will look like. However, not all website builders are created equal. Here are some factors you should consider before choosing the best platform for you.
If you’re on a budget, trying a website builder for free can help you decide whether it’s the best fit for what you have in mind. Many platforms provide limited time trials for 30 days or less that can give you an idea of the services they have to offer.
However, many of these trials may only offer limited features, unlike paid options. Signing up for multiple platforms can help you choose the best option out of the bunch. Make sure you cancel any free trials before the payment date if you do have to enter in credit card data.
Before choosing a platform, it helps to do research on the level of customer support that each website builder offers. Some may only offer email help, while others may provide 24/7 chat support online or through a chatbot. More popular website builders might also provide access to community forums that can provide useful aid.
When it comes to things like billing and technical glitches, having a responsive support team at your fingertips is incredibly helpful for getting your site up and running in no time.
While using some website builders can typically reduce costs related to hiring an experienced web designer or coder, the truth is you still often get what you pay for. Cheap offers don’t come with a high level of service and quality, so it’s best to find the middle ground.
Expect to spend anywhere between $20-$80 per month depending on the website builder you choose, the amount of storage you need, and whether you need to invest in things like website copy or professional images to your page.
Depending on your goals, it’s vital that you choose a builder that suits your goals. If you’re mostly creating text-based content, choosing a platform like WordPress provides good blog post integration. However, those who want a greater focus on media and visuals might prefer to choose a more advanced blogging platform.
Checking loading speeds for graphic-heavy pages is also a good idea to prevent any frustration from viewers. Testing different platforms ahead of time can give you a better idea of the loading speed you’re after.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short can help your website rank higher on the results pages of popular search engines like Google. Some website builders offer SEO integration when writing a blog, which can suggest useful keywords or modifications that can make your site more attractive to search engines.
SEO functionality can help you reach your target audience on a local and international level. By optimizing loading speed, web design, and content, your website is more likely to be visible compared to your other competitors.
These days, many individuals are browsing websites from their mobile devices. Making sure that your site loads equally well on both desktop and mobile platforms can prevent any frustration and glitchy transactions from occurring.
Focusing on things like clickable buttons, legible fonts, fast loading speeds, and clutter-free pages can help improve the mobile browsing experience for customers. If a mobile site is difficult to navigate, customers are less likely to make a successful purchase.
If you’re creating an e-commerce page for your website, finding a website builder that offers e-commerce integration can help set you up for success. An easy-to-use inventory system, autofill forms, and a cart reminder feature are some things that you should look out for.
You should also double-check whether your chosen platform has limits on the number of objects you can feature in your store, offers multiple currency checkouts, and provides secure transactions.
For businesses like photography studios, graphic design companies, and more, having a full-featured image gallery is an absolute must. Showing off your work with high-resolution images can show potential clients your skills and encourage them to invest in your goods and services.
When choosing a platform that offers an image gallery, take a look at the themes and templates available and whether you require custom templates of your own. Check whether navigation, loading speeds, and menu systems are effective before making a decision.
If you’re interested in a subscription model or a member-ship only section for your website, look for the option to create password-protected pages. They’re generally easy to set up depending on the type of website builder you choose.
In most cases, password-protected areas or a membership area will be enough to suit your needs. However, creating a social network with plenty of individual logins will be more costly. Creating a private Facebook or LinkedIn group might be a better option.
One major limitation of many free website building platforms is that they don’t offer custom domain names when it comes to creating your own website. This means that you’re restricted to using these providers, and your site might look something like “yourname.providername.com.”
If you want something that looks more professional and will rank better in terms of SEO, you may have to increase your budget to purchase a domain name that is in line with your brand.
When it comes down to it, there are plenty of options out there to build your custom website. Starting out with a free option can be a good choice if you have a limit. However, if you plan to scale or grow your business in the future, investing more time and energy into a custom domain name and more advanced platform can be more cost-effective in the long run.
For more information and guidance on building your own website, domain hosting, and more feel free to contact us at Page Kits.
After conducting his fair share of research and gaining relevant experience, Gab put up Page Kits to help others who were in his position grow their e-commerce stores and thrive.