Whether to use a website building site or not is a confusing topic for many people. Most of the building platforms are new and being tested by users for the first time. So, do you risk your future e-commerce site on an unproven company? To understand more about website builders, we look at the most common questions people ask about website builders.
How long have you been operating?
While new content management systems may have unique features, they fair badly in offering quality services. Most of them have inadequate resources which result in their websites experiencing downtimes regularly.
When choosing a website builder, go for an established platform. WordPress was launched in 2003 and is the largest CMS in the world. Squarespace was launched in 2004 and Wix in 2006. BiCommerce, the largest builder for online stores, was launched in 2009.
All of the ten best-rated website builders were launched before 2013. They have had at least five years each to prove their services to the customers. They provide 99% website uptimes dominate the website building industry.
Who is your target audience?
Website builders are not all the same. While they share similarities like allowing you to create a website, the companies target different audiences. Shopify and BigCommerce target people who want to start e-commerce stores. WordPress is most common with bloggers while Wix targets nearly every niche.
Find out whether the CMS suits your need in exact details. Many of the website builders put limitations on the tools you can access. You may realize that you can only arrange posts based on date and category in the free plan. If you want more features, you have to pay up your plan. In a different company, you could get all the tools you need without a hassle.
If you have to pay extra for plugins and API apps, they should be customizable to suit your needs. Avoid any platforms where you must pay for basic functionalities. You also don’t want to use tools that are not customizable or don’t suit your website.
What features are in the editor?
The Editor is what you’ll use to post, edit and review your work. It’s where you’ll upload photos, videos and anything else necessary for your website. On a good CMS platform, the Editor is an advanced system that allows you to post and publish content as you wish.
Many website builders use an Editing system called WYSIWYG. It means what you see is what you get. If the platform uses a different Editor, take time to learn about it. Some systems only allow you to edit on Google Chrome and won’t support other browsers. Others can’t upload graphs and charts.
Get an Editing panel that gives you control over its management. You should be able to publish all types of content with ease. If possible, there should be options to personalize the formats as you wish. Additionally, ask how your files are managed and the ease of accessing them. A good platform should give you easy access to your files and have important features like alt tags and Meta tags.
How do you ensure websites rank high on search engines?
Running a website involves a deliberate effort to market your website. You must keep up with trends and integrate systems that can help you rank high. But if the CMS systems you use doesn’t support marketing tools, the site will never rank high enough to get your customers.
The best e-commerce website builders have in-built marketing systems and also support additional tools. You can install plugins that help you manage keywords and use Meta tags and alt tags accordingly. Depending on your goals, choose a website with native marketing tools or one that allows third-party systems.
Are your websites mobile-friendly?
In this world where more than three billion people use smartphones, you can’t afford to have a website that is not mobile friendly. In the next five years, more than 50% of all Internet searches will be done on mobile devices.
Any worth website builder worth paying for supports mobile-friendly sites. Your customers can load the websites in a few second shares the same experience PC users do. With the help of APIs, customers who visit your site on smartphones can’t tell the difference with using a computer.
In addition to user experience, Google now pays attention to mobile-friendly websites. In fact, the giant search engine prioritizes mobile-friendly sites over other sites. Again, you reach more people when you have a website that targets all smart device users.
What customer support systems do you have?
Many paid CMS platforms offer the ability to reach their customer support staff. But that doesn’t make the support services great. Before you pay for website building services, find out what kind of support you’ll get should you need help.
The presence of a live-chat feature is important as you can easily communicate with a representative. If you have the options to call or emails them, the better. However, the support services should also be helpful to make the platform worth paying for. Otherwise, you may run into downtimes and have no help when you need it the most.
What are some of the successful websites you’ve built?
One last question you need to ask the company proves they can build a website that will succeed. That means evidence of some of the most popular sites they’ve helped grow. If the website building platform is only common with low-ranked sites, it’s probably not worth it.
Knowing that your website builder has made other businesses successful motivates you to want to work with them. It also shows the company has the required tools to drive your website forward. However, don’t rush into buying a service because famous websites use it. Ensure it meets your expectations and you can afford their services.
To conclude
With more than 15 major website builders out there, it can be confusing to choose the right one. Take time and find out what successful businesses looked for in a good CMS provider. Pick a company that can meet your needs and helps you succeed.
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