Should I use a website builder?

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Introduction

In this article, I will be answering some common questions people ask before they subscribe to a website builder plan. Additionally, I will elaborate on the benefits of using a website builder and the next steps you can take from there. Let’s get started!

Do I need a website?

Many people conduct online research before making an online purchase. A website can help you improve your brand in many ways. These include:

  • Improve credibility and trustworthiness of your brand or business
  • Improve sales as you can sell online
  • Reduce the cost of marketing and improve marketing via targeted advertising
  • Reach more potential customers or followers locally and globally
  • Increase customer engagement and brand loyalty

Just before we go into detail about why you should use a website builder, let’s talk about what a website can do and the common types of websites you can create.

What can a website do?

There are different kinds of websites. These websites have their purposes and are capable of providing varying solutions. Let’s consider some of the most popular websites, some examples, and what they can do.

Informational website

Share company product information with an informational website. An example is a corporate and nonprofit website that displays the information of a company. Information such as maps, services provided, company profile, awards, and so on.

Blog

Share text-based content with a blog. An example is a content marketing website or hobby blog. This kind of website use text-based content to drive traffic from search engines. Traffic from search engines is then used to drive up sales of a product or monetized via adverts or affiliate commissions.

Forums

Share your interest with a forum. A popular example is Reddit. Forums are modernized chatrooms where people who share the same interest can meet and interact. A forum website can help you meet to network with like-minded people.

Ecommerce

Sell digital and physical products online. A popular eCommerce website is Amazon. An eCommerce website is a platform where you can buy or sell products. An eCommerce website can help you sell your products online both locally and internationally.

Social media

Connect people together. A popular social media website is Instagram. Social media websites are a platform where people can meet, communicate and share experiences.

Custom websites

Solve common problems with innovative web applications. A website can be designed to solve a common problem. These kinds of websites could grow into a full-blown company with thousands of staff and billions of dollars in revenue. Examples include Airbnb, Roblox, and Wix.

Now that we know what a website can do, let’s discuss how a website builder can help you create your website.

Why use a website builder?

To answer this question, lets discuss the benefits of using a website builder.

Benefits of website builder

1. No coding skills needed

To create a static website you need to have knowledge about HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Stylesheet (CSS). To create an interactive website, you need to have knowledge about frontend scripting languages like Javascript and a backend scripting language like Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP).

Learning one of these programming languages is a feat that requires utmost dedication and time. With a website builder, you can create a website without any programming knowledge or skill and deliver a stunning website.

2. Save time

Good website designers have other clients which means you may have to wait for weeks or months before your website is ready. Save that time by using a website builder.

Other alternatives such as hiring a web developer or designer, or hiring an agency, or using a content management system take a considerable amount of time.

Web development consists of writing code, testing code, deploying code, and maintaining code. Good agencies and web designers have many clients and are often busy. This may even compound the dilemma.

Website builders help you save time. You can work at your time and pace and make updates on your websites without waiting on a web designer for help.

3. Save Money

Hiring a freelancer or agency to design your website can get expensive real quick. It doesn’t end there, you have to pay for hosting and maintenance. This is why using a website builder can be a smart choice with your money.

I always advise friends and family who want to start an online business to do so with a free website builder. If they fail, they can walk away without losing investment in their websites. If they are fortunate and their business grows, they can either upgrade their website builders or simply hire professionals who can help take their business to the next level.

This way they can save time and resources at the start of their business or online endeavors. And if they change their mind along the way, no worries. They can create multiple websites with website builders without spending so much money or even create another free website.

4. Get Free Stock Images

Have you ever tried to find a free stock image? This can be really frustrating and you almost never find a totally free license image on Google for your website. Website builders provide unlimited stock images you can use on your website.

Give your website a boost with professionally-taken photos and designer-made graphics. This is a great stress-reliever for many website owners as it removes the need of taking photos or looking for professional graphic designers. You can create stunning landing pages and other web pages you’d be proud of.

5. Easily make website updates

Save time making edits on your website with the drag and drop features. A static website is bland. Visitors may not return if your website doesn’t change.

Adding news, features, products, new information. Drag-and-drop editors help add these features and content to give your website a refreshing look and make your visitors return for more.

6. Jumpstart with templates and addons

Web design is time-consuming and requires some level of creativity. If you know you do not have time or this form of creativity is not your forte, website builders’ pre-built templates can be quite helpful.

Pre-built templates can save you time and also save you from having an ugly website. website builders can help you create attractive websites with their library of designer-made templates.

You can change font properties, colors, media files, content, and brand the template into a website you’re proud of. The drag and drop feature available on website builders would make your website ready in no time.

7. Supercharge your project with extensions

Imagine you hired an agency to create your website one year ago. Now your website is gaining traction and you need to sell an info product or add a newsletter to your website. You are going to face one or more of the following challenges:

  • The agency will charge an arm and leg to add that functionality.
  • It will take some time to write, test, debug and deploy that functionality.
  • The agency may even be out of business and you’re stuck with a website no one understands the codebase. Now you have to look for another agency to start afresh.
8. Your website is always available

Website builders have high availability so you can make updates to your websites anytime and anywhere.

9. Stay secured

Website builders provide enterprise-level security for their platforms. Your website automatically benefits from these maximum security features such as SSL security and malware protection.

10. Start with a free website

Website builders give you room to experiment with free websites. This can give you time while you decide on a domain name. You can get your website up and running even before you decide on a business name with a free website

11.  Be found on Google

Website builders offer essential SEO features such as title, description, heading tags, SEO-friendly URL, and image alt text.

Learn more: Are website builders worth it?

FAQs

How can I get a website?

You can get a website using a website builder, coding the website yourself, hiring a web designer or agency, or using a content management system.

What is a website builder?

A website builder is a software that makes it easy for anyone to create a website without any knowledge of web design or graphics design.

Learn more: What are website builders?

Should I use a free website builder?

Yes. Free websites come with limitations but if fits your website needs, use it.

Website builders offer you an opportunity to test and familiarize yourself with the platform and what it offers. You may need to upgrade your plan to fully enjoy the benefits of what the platform offers.

How much do website builders cost

You can get a free website builder like Square Online will costs you $0. While a Wix VIP plan can cost you around $39 per month.

Conclusion

Should I use a website builder?

A website builder is a good option if you want to create a website easily and quickly without any coding skills.

I encourage you to try a free website builder and upgrade your plan if it meets your needs.