A website builder is a tool you can use to build a website without needing to know how to write website code. With a website builder, you use a drag-and-drop interface to create and arrange your website pages. Behind the scenes, the website builder generates the code for your site. Regardless of your coding experience, a website builder can speed up and simplify the process of building and managing a site.
All websites require domain hosting, the process of storing your site files and making them available to visitors. Websites also typically have a domain name (e.g., mycompany.com) people use to find and visit your site. All-in-one website builders, such as Wix, often include domain hosting and domain names as part of their service, alongside picture and video storage. Wix is considered among the best domain hosting services and offers free domain registration in its packages. Some features can cost extra, however. Other website builders are standalone drag-and-drop design tools you use on top of existing domain hosting and an established domain.
Website builders are an excellent way to get a new website online, and there’s no shortage of choices. We recommend thoroughly researching and testing out website builders before building your site, as some don’t make it easy to transfer your site to a new provider. Below are some of the top things to consider.
The goal of a website builder is to make the creation and management of a website easy and quick. Each website builder offers an interface you use to design and edit your site, which creates your site’s code. Most website builders offer a free domain trial, so consider using them to test out a few and find the best domain registrar for you. If your goal is to buy a domain, looking for the best place to buy domain name options is essential.
Another advantage of website builders is that they offer a range of template designs. Typically, you’ll choose a design and edit certain on-page elements such as images and text to personalize your site. A website builder with a large library of template designs will be more likely to offer templates that closely match your preferred branding.
If you plan to sell items through your website, you’ll need a website builder with e-commerce features. Website builders often charge a premium for e-commerce, reserving online store features for higher-tier plans. Consider the cheapest domain strategy by comparing domain hosting costs across providers.
Many website builders offer a free domain plan you can use to get started. Free domain plans are great for testing out a website builder, but they are usually limited in their features. You may not be able to use your own domain name, for example, or create many pages. Using a free domain website builder or a free domain website creator trial can be a good introduction to these kinds of tools for your business.
According to the 2022 HubSpot State of Marketing Trends Report, a typical website will receive around 26% of its traffic from search engines like Google, compared to 16% from social media and 14% from email. It’s important, then, to have a website that performs well in search engine rankings. Many website builders include features to make your website’s pages appear in relevant search engine results.
Some website builders offer special features that may be helpful to you. Tools for sending email newsletters can be useful for building brand loyalty, and social media marketing tools can help you bring people to your site from platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Some website builders offer a marketplace of professional website developers who can help you perfect your website, for an additional fee.
A website builder is an excellent option for anyone who wants to create a new website, whether or not they have prior coding experience. Using a website builder means there are typically fewer moving parts. With all-in-one website builders, you usually don’t need to worry about setting up a separate domain host, hosting provider, email provider, or software programs.
By using a website builder, your site will stick to industry-standard, tried-and-tested design principles. Your visitors will appreciate your easy-to-navigate site, and if your website builder of choice uses responsive design, visitors will be able to use it on mobile devices without issue.