The best website building tool for you

Many clients or potential clients who inquire about web design or development services often ask me what options are best if they would like to create a web presence. This can be a challenging question to answer. Without knowing the user’s skillset or comfort-level with technology, it is difficult to say one way or another what they should choose. Some might sway towards reputation or the popularity of the tool while others might come to a decision that is a little more rational or logical based on other important factors. These factors could be ease of use, flexibility, and/or the functionality of the platform. Other times it could really be the bells and whistles that attract. Popularity oftentimes seems to win. But, it is good to take an objective and critical look at the available platforms to ensure the website builder you choose meets your specific needs.

Quick Reference Visual Guide

I created a comparison table or “cheat sheet” while conducting my own research for my personal reference but ultimately, decided a quick-reference visual guide is often most useful when you need a quick snapshot of the best and mediocre (I don’t use “bad” as they are all extremely good!) of the website builder applications. This infographic was triggered by a great article I came across during my search (yay SEO!) titled “Squarespace vs. Wix vs. Weebly vs. WordPress: Which is the Best? This post answered many of the questions my clients and I often ask ourselves and so I set forth to create this infographic, summarized, and based on the author’s critical look at the differences of these four very commonly-used platforms. While all the 4 website builders discussed in the article are excellent in getting you up-and-running relatively quickly, you should consider their strengths and weaknesses before making your final decision. If SEO is going to be a major component in your marketing strategy and goals or, if e-commerce is high on your “Need” list, then choose wisely. You really don’t want to do your Happy Dance as you are about to hit the Launch button to your website only to discover your site falls short of what you had expected it to accomplish.

Which is the right platform for YOU?

After reading this article and viewing the infographic I am certain that you will be able to come to a decision on what is best for you and your business as you start to create a web presence for yourself. The question, then is not which is the best web building tool, but rather which is the best or right platform for you; the one that meets both your immediate and long-term needs and strategic goals.