What is a Website Builder?
Once upon a time, to have your site, coding knowledge was required.
Thanks to website builders, creating your own website has always been challenging.
A website builder is a tool that can help you efficiently create your own website for your small business.
These tools simplify the site-building process because they don’t require coding knowledge or advanced tech expertise.
They combine domain registration, web hosting, and site design into one platform to get your site up quickly and without complications.
Website builders are great options for small business owners who need more experience creating websites.
Most website builders also offer free trials or free plans so that you can test out their functionality before financially committing.
These free options are a great way to learn how website builders work and figure out how you want to represent your small business online.
Many website builders feature a drag-and-drop editor to make designing your web pages especially easy.
Choose from templates with customizable options to do everything you need to do independently without a developer or coding expert to help you.
How to Choose a Website Builder
Do a Demo
How do you know which of these website builders is best for you?
Doing a demo is a super easy and fun way to get to know a site builder.
You don’t even have to design for your small business.
Using a website builder’s interface can tell you everything you need to know about whether it will work with your needs.
This is a viable option since most site builders offer free trials.
Compare Pricing
When it comes to running a small business, finances can be tight.
Comparing pricing is a great way to decide on a website builder.
You don’t want to break the bank building your site.
Extra features and high-level customizability can be fun but need more work offsetting your business’s budget.
Always check out the value of whichever price plan you examine before committing.
Review Hosting Plans
Hosting is a super underrated part of choosing a website builder.
You might choose a builder with unique features and design the most beautiful site you’ve ever seen, but what’s the point if the web host is subpar?
Make sure you commit to a website builder with a reliable web host to make your site accessible to your customers.
Web hosts can also influence loading time, security, and SEO.
If you want more information on the importance of web hosting, check out our article about traditional hosting here!
Talk to a Designer
Although a benefit of choosing a site builder is avoiding paying someone to create your website, designers often have great input on what you should look for.
Asking for professional advice is an invaluable resource method.
Take advantage of this step!
What to Look for in a Small Business Website Builder
Ease of Use
The best website builder is an easy and intuitive website builder.
If you don’t understand how to navigate your editor or themes, your website isn’t going to turn out as envisioned.
If you’re a beginner in web design, opt for an accessible builder to get the most out of the tool.
Price
As I said, overspending with a small business budget is dangerous.
With the high volume of free website builders, it’s hard to justify dropping a ton of money on optional features to achieve your small business goals.
I know you want your website to look stunning.
But, with tools like the ones available at Weebly and Square, you can accomplish this for free.
Features
When paying for a website builder, you’re paying for a comprehensive feature list.
Make sure to opt for a site builder with good hosting, security, and all the features you need to fit your small business.
Customizations
Customizability is essential when it comes to making sure your website matches up to brand identity.
For this reason, I made sure to include only site builders that allow you to make your site your own.
That way, your website will be noticed among a bunch of others that look and feel the same.
Remember, your site can be completely different from others in your niche.
It must represent your uniqueness in some way, shape, or form.
Small business websites often follow specific formats simply because those formats work.
To better understand this balance, you can read about the similarities between small business websites here.
Integrations
The best website builders work with other services that are the best of their kind to ensure all of your features are top-tier.
Integrations with social media, alternative payment methods, etc., can boost the professionalism of your website.
Support
If you’re looking into website-building software, chances are you need to be more advanced when it comes to tech.
For this reason, it’s essential to look for good customer support.
That way, you’ll always have a backup if you have a problem or question regarding your website.
Conclusion
Well, that’s about it for my list of the best website builders to take your small business online.
This building software is my favorites of all the ones I’ve tried.
I hope they’ve given you a solution to your small business needs — or at least the next step in finding it.
Best of luck building your site!