You will need a website builder to help you get your business online.
There are many options available for website builders, so you must find the one that best suits your needs.
What is a website builder?
Website builders are software that lets you create websites online. The software will be hosted on a hosting company’s web server or as part of a hosted SaaS platform (software as a Service).
In other words, the software to build your website is not stored on your computer’s desktop or laptop. Instead, you will build your website online using software designed for website creation.
These are the top small business website builders:
WordPress
Wix
Squarespace
Weebly
What is the difference between “hosted” and “self-hosted” software?
A hosted solution requires that you pay a monthly subscription fee to have your software managed and housed by a third-party company. It’s not necessary to search for a hosting company and update the software.
Self-hosted website builders require you to buy a hosting plan from third parties, install the web building software from another company and perform software updates. This last sentence should not scare you. Many hosting companies will handle software updates for your company, and you won’t even have to touch anything.
The Top Tips for Choosing a Website Builder
Custom Domain and Branding – Your website deserves a unique domain. Domains are simply the URL of your website. A domain is the address of your website. It’s like a house number that the post office uses to find you. Your domain (aka URL) should be unique and memorable. Your website builder should allow this.
Easy of Use Websites should be updated regularly and used as living documents. Websites must be simple to use and offer a WYSIWYG editor.
Customization Availability Many templates that are available off the shelf won’t work well for your site. It is possible to modify the layout or colours. Check the options of your website software and ensure that you can edit the layout and design as necessary.
Multimedia Support We live in a multimedia society. People expect written content, video, images, audio, and audio files. Quality software packages will provide all these features and allow you to add them easily.
Search Engine Optimization They will come if you make it. But not exactly. To rank your website and attract search traffic, you need SEO. You should ensure that your software includes powerful SEO features in its core or allows you to add additional features via an extension. SEO-friendly URLs, headers and meta descriptions should all be possible.
Mobile Responsiveness Google made a move to a mobile-first index in 2017. This is because mobile searches are more popular than desktop searches. It is important to ensure that your website is compatible with voice-based and mobile searches. Not all website builders can master this skill, so make sure you have your preferred software installed on your phone before you begin building.
Performance and Speed – Mobile is a must-have feature. Therefore, speed and performance are important. Your website must load quickly and not consume a lot of mobile data.