In today's digital world, it's more important than ever to have a strong online presence. One way to cement your online presence is by building a website.

In the past, to build a website, you needed to have some coding skills or hire a web developer. However, now there are platforms that allow you to build a website without any coding skills.

Enter website builders: the convenient solution for building a website without any coding required. These tools generally use a drag-and-drop interface that makes creating a website easy and straightforward.

There are many website builders on the market, so it can be hard to choose the right one. In this post, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to choose the best website builder for your needs.

Think About What You Want Your Website to Do

First and foremost, before choosing a Website builder, determine what you want your website to have or include. Will there be a blog? Do you want to showcase and sell products or services? Are you looking for a platform to host and share information about an upcoming event?

Do you want to embed videos or include a forum? Knowing what you want your own website to do will help you choose which website builder is right for you because some website builders are better equipped than others when it comes to handling different types of content.

Do you need an online store?

An online store will need to have the following functionalities:

• A shopping cart
• The ability to take payments
• Inventory management
• Shipping integration
• Automatic tax calculation

All these are essential for an online store. Hence, you'll need to choose a website builder that can provide these features.

Do you need a blog?

Some website builders come with pre-designed templates specifically for creating a blog, which can make the process of setting up and maintaining a blog much simpler. Others, however, don't have this feature built-in and require you to install a blog separately.

Do you need a portfolio website?

If you want to create a portfolio website, then you'll need to choose a website builder that offers templates or themes that are specifically designed for creating portfolios. These usually have features such as drag-and-drop page builders and image galleries to make it easy to showcase your work.

Do you need an event website?

An event website needs to be able to handle event registration, ticketing, and payments. It should also have a calendar or schedule of events, as well as map integration so people can easily find the event venue.

Not all website builders are created equally. Some have features you'll find helpful, while others don't. It's important to think about what you need your website to do before choosing a website builder. That way, you can be sure to find one that's right for you and your needs.

Determine Your Budget

Once you know what you need your website to do, it's time to determine your budget. Start by creating a list of all the features you need and want. Essentially, a website needs:

• web hosting
• domain name
• content management system (CMS)
• design
• development
• maintenance

Add up the costs for each item on your list, and don't forget to account for things like yearly domain name renewals and hosting fees. Next, get quotes from different website builders to see how their pricing compares to your budget.

If you're on a tight budget, there are plenty of free website builders. But the features a free website builder offers may be limited, and you'll likely have to use their subdomain. Also, many website builders offer a free trial period so you can test out their services before committing to a long-term contract.

Whatever you do, make sure you don't sacrifice quality for the price. A cheap website may end up costing you more in the long run if it doesn't meet your needs or perform well.

Consider Your Level of Experience and Skill

As we've mentioned, coding knowledge isn't required when using website builders because they have a drag-and-drop interface that does most of the work for you. However, that does not mean using website builders is a walk in the park.

If you're not used to web builder and design software, you might find some platforms quite difficult to navigate. Hence, you may need some time to learn how to use the platform's various features.

There's undoubtedly a learning curve when using website builders. So how do you test out if you're up for the challenge? The good news is that most builders offer a free trial that typically lasts for two weeks. Best of all, you often don't need to enter your credit card number to sign up for the free trial.

Just give them your email address and name, and create a password. Once you're in, feel free to experiment with the platform's various features. If you find it challenging or not user-friendly enough, then it might not be the right website builder for you.

The key is to take your time and explore each platform before making a final decision.

Know-How Much Support You'll Need, and Website Builders Can Offer

There will be times when you run into issues or problems when using a website builder. It's true even if the interface is as user-friendly as possible. That said, it's essential to know how much support the website builder offers before you commit to using it.

See how broad the "FAQ" or "Help" section is. Do they have a search bar so you can easily find the answers to your questions? Are there video tutorials? Is there email or live chat support? These are all critical factors to consider when determining how much support you'll get from the website builder.

So, take a look around the website builder's support options before making your final decision. It could be the deciding factor between a website builder that meets your needs and one that doesn't.

Assess The Design Flexibility and Customization Options

The best website builder should allow users to customize their website to match their specific needs and branding. You shouldn't be limited to a handful of templates or be required to use the same template as everyone else. The best website builders give users the ability to customize their website's design and functionality.

Some important things to consider when assessing the design flexibility and customization options of a website builder include:

The number of templates or themes

The more templates or themes, the better. This gives users more options to choose from and allows for more customization. Also, the design process starts with the templates the website builder provides. You don't want to invest in a site builder that only offers a handful of templates because you'll likely be limited in what you can do with your website.

The ability to customize templates or themes

You should be able to customize the templates or themes to match your specific needs. This includes things like changing the color scheme, adding or removing features, and changing the layout. The best website builders give users complete control over the look and feel of their website.

The ability to create a custom design

The best website builders also allow users to create a completely custom design. This means that you can start from scratch and create an entirely unique website. And this is important if you want your website to stand out from the crowd.

Mobile responsiveness

Another thing to consider is mobile responsiveness. This means that your website will look good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets. The best website builders make it easy to create a mobile-friendly website. Their templates should be designed to be responsive, and they should offer features like mobile menus and contact forms.

Third-party integrations

Finally, you'll want to consider the available third-party integrations. The best website builders will offer various integrations, including social media, payment processors, and email marketing platforms. This allows you to add a variety of features to your website, and it makes it easy to connect with your audience.

Look for SEO Features

The main reason for building a website is to be found online. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving the ranking of a website on search engines. The higher the ranking, the more likely people will find the site.

Many website builders offer features that help with SEO. For example, WordPress (the most popular website builder) offers SEO tools or plugins that can be installed to help with ranking. Wix also offers an SEO Wiz that guides users through the process of optimizing their website. Godaddy website builder offers an SEO Checker that analyzes a website and provides tips on how to improve its ranking.

Important SEO features to look for in a website builder software include:

• The ability to add page titles and descriptions
• The ability to add keywords
• The ability to create sitemaps
• The ability to submit your website to search engines
• The ability to create 301 redirects
• The ability to add a free domain or free custom domain

If you are serious about ranking high on search engine results pages, you need to make sure that the website builder you choose has the SEO features you need.

While most website builders will offer SEO assistance, not all website builders are created equal. Some website builders have more robust tools and features than others. If you want to ensure that your website is as search engine friendly as possible, you need to look for a website builder that offers all of the SEO features listed above.

Don't settle for anything less than the best if you want your website to succeed. Choose a website builder that will give you the tools and features you need to rank high on search engine results pages and bring in more traffic to your website.

Building a website without considering SEO is like building a house in the middle of nowhere- sure, it might be beautiful, but no one will ever see it. So instead, take advantage of features that will help your site rank higher on search engines and get seen by potential customers.

7  Best Website Builders

Now that we know what things to look for in a website builder let’s take a look at some of the best website builders out there. Here are our top seven picks:

Wix

Wix website builder is one of the best on the market. There's a free plan to get started with, and paid plans start at just $14 per month. The standout feature of this site builder is the massive template library. In fact, there are about 900 professionally-designed templates to choose from. Wix is an excellent option for small business owners or those who want to run an ecommerce store.

WordPress

Another popular website builder is WordPress. There are two different versions of WordPress: the self-hosted version and the hosted version. The self-hosted version is free to download, but you'll need to pay for hosting. Hosted WordPress plans start at just $39 per month. WordPress is a great option for bloggers or those who want to create a complex website.

Webflow

Webflow is a full-fledged website builder that gives you complete control over the design and development process. It's flexible and easy to use, and you can create any kind of website you want. Plans start at just $12 per month, making it a great option for small businesses or those on a budget.

Shopify

Shopify is one of the best ecommerce website builders out there. It's easy to use, has tons of features, and plans start at just $29 per month. Shopify is an excellent option for those who want to open an online store. However, only serious entrepreneurs should consider using Shopify because the platform is meant for businesses looking to scale.

Squarespace

This website builder is known for its professionally-designed and beautiful templates. While its template library is small than Wix, the designs are specifically-targeted and visually appealing. The most standout feature of Squarespace is its blogging features like creating content from mobile devices or adding multiple authors. Other impressive features include an advanced analytics portal and SEO tools. Best of all, plans start at $12 per month.

GoDaddy

Another famous site builder is GoDaddy. While it's known for its hosting services, it also has a website builder with plans at just $9.99 per month. The standout feature of GoDaddy is that it's easy to use with no add-ons or upsells. It's an excellent option for those who want to create a simple website without any frills.

Weebly

Weebly is yet another website building platform with plans that start at $6 per month. The most significant selling point of Weebly is ecommerce features like an integrated shopping cart, inventory management, and coupons. It's also one of the most uncomplicated website builders with a drag-and-drop interface and simple templates.

Conclusion

So, how do you choose the best website building platform for your needs in 2022? The answer is not as simple as it may seem. You need to consider various factors, including your budget, the features you need, and the level of support you expect. But with so many website builders on the market today, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this guide – to help make the process easier for you. We hope you find it helpful! Have you chosen a website builder yet?

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