How to Build Your Site: An Overview of the Best Platforms

Business owners do not immediately come to the idea of ​​the need for their own web resource. It all starts with customer questions «How to find you on the Internet? Do you have a website?» etc. Therefore, business sites often go through many stages from a business card to a full-fledged online store with a connected CRM system and full control of all advertising channels.

The main problem is the limited budget. The fact is that small and micro-businesses are highly dependent on the volume of sales, and high-quality custom-made websites can cost several thousand dollars. Nevertheless, it is impossible to work without a website even at the start. This is awareness, an additional channel for attracting customers, a way to share contacts, describe your services and products, etc.

how to buildinng your site

So what options do small businesses have:

1. Aggregator sites. Cheap and not serious. With such success, you can invest the planned budget for the purchase of ads on advertising sites, it will be more effective. After all, the basic functionality of such sites is very scarce. Paid features are, on the contrary, very expensive, but this does not make them closer to the harsh reality. A simple example – do you know many successful companies that have done their business on such sites? There are only a few of them.
2. Buying ready-made. Another unlikely scenario. Everything here is suspicious – starting with the fact that a normal business will not sell its working website, and ending with a bunch of technical nuances that the new owner simply cannot figure out without the necessary experience (what kind of engine was used, is there a self-written functionality, what positions in looking to see if they will collapse after purchase, etc.).
3. Turnkey order. A very promising and correct way, but only if you have a sufficient budget. Therefore, microbusiness and start-up companies disappear in 90% of cases. They cannot afford it.
4. On their own based on the circulation CMS. Already closer to reality, but you need to be aware that you will have to dive into many technical details, from hosting to integrating the necessary services. The support budget is already more or less acceptable, but all the same, initial investments can reach serious sizes. Therefore, the launch of such a site should be approached very responsibly.
5. On their own, but on the basis of an online constructor. Ideal for cost and startup time. You can even completely dispense with the involvement of technical specialists. The downside is the complexity of porting to boxed platforms, if the business model requires it in the future.

reviews on your website

We deliberately did not focus on what a business website is. Large companies do not ask such a question, and novice businessmen can actually afford only small but effective projects: business card sites, landing pages / presentations, online catalogs of goods / services. These are sites for business. However, it is still worth keeping the possibility of growing your resource to a larger scale.

Which platform to choose for business websites

If everything is more or less clear with site options, then there remains an important point, which tools to use for this? We have been studying the CMS market and online constructors for several years, so we have a good idea of ​​the technical problem and the possible result. Below is our TOP of the most effective tools for creating small websites for business.

The Wix Platform

Large project with global reach. Online builder, with all imaginable and unthinkable functions. Suitable for launching a project of any complexity, not just business sites. Favorably distinguished by a huge selection of ready-made templates, excellent interface support, as well as the presence of «artificial intelligence». A special service allows you to generate a design and content of the site specifically for your topic and niche. All that remains is to correct the contact information and individual descriptions. If necessary, your site can acquire additional functionality – up to a built-in CRM system and mailings. Of course, there is the possibility of creating online stores.

Functionality

If for some reason you do not have enough regular functionality, you can activate the corresponding application from the catalog. It has everything from external services and pretty buttons to advanced analytics and split testing systems. Special attention is paid to additional services that business needs. It is an online tool for creating logos that can be used not only on websites, but also on business cards, email forms, document templates, etc. It’s paid (from $ 20 for a set of files), but you get all the rights to the logo you create. SSL certificates are connected automatically, there are all the necessary attributes for advanced SEO, any pages are adapted to the screens of mobile phones, etc. Wix will have everything that really matters.

Prices/cost

Here the platform is pleasantly surprising. You can test its functionality as long as you like – it will be free.

Paid plans run from $ 2.50 to $ 20 per month minimal means only connecting your own domain. It will not work for business tasks. To remove ads and mentions of the platform, you need to pay for the «Basic» tariff (from $ 5 a month) and above. Already here you will receive an additional advertising budget and a free domain as bonuses (for 1 year). A further increase in the tariff increases quotas and opens access to additional bonuses (including the creation of logos, advanced analytics, accelerated loading, etc.). Acceptance of payments on the site is available only on a special tariff line for business (from $ 3.5 to $ 20 per month).

It should be borne in mind that subscription to a tariff is not the only category of expenses. Individual apps in the market may require their own subscription and cost additional funds.

Disadvantages

The abundance of functions can plunge novice users into a stupor. But as you become familiar with the platform, it becomes easier to navigate. The most significant disadvantage is the virtually unlimited subscription cost. As the functionality grows, so does the price. It is added not at the expense of basic plans, but at the expense of paying for applications from the catalog.

Tilda platform

One of the most popular constructors nowadays. Excellent interface, maximum functionality and the ability to create a website of any level: from a simple one-page to a multi-page corporate website with the necessary service for ease of use.

Benefits:

• Wide functionality. The platform includes domain and hosting, as well as the ability to transfer the site to your host;
• A wide selection of top-notch design templates;
• Very responsive support service – quick response and prompt solution to any problem.

Disadvantages:

• Not perfectly clean source code;
• The functionality is practically not aimed at the English-speaking market. This is felt in everything: in the interface, in the integration of payment systems, payment methods, etc .;
• The cost of tariff packages is higher than that of competitors. Prices start at $ 25 per month.

WordPress

WordPress is the most popular boxed content management system, it is open source, actively supported by the community, suitable for building any type of site (from blogs to online stores).

There is a 50% chance that any site you visit on the Internet runs on this CMS. Half of all sites in the world are built on this engine.

An important nuance – it does not work without hosting (and this is a separate category of expenses).

Functionality

It’s hard to imagine functionality that WordPress doesn’t have. Even if something is not implemented the necessary capabilities can easily be added by extensions from official and third-party catalogs. At any time, you can contact the specialists for the development of non-standard functionality.

Many hosting providers offer one-click installation of this CMS from the hosting panel, which can be called a definite plus for beginners. Some add-ons, such as Elementor, can turn this engine into an analogue of an online builder. And you will be able to assemble your pages from ready-made blocks with a simple drag and drop. Therefore, the threshold of development can be reduced to a minimum.

Prices/cost

As for the engine itself, it’s pointless to talk about cost. It is distributed completely free of charge. But you can’t do without quality hosting. In order for the engine to work without failures and any restrictions on the part of the provider, you need to choose the right hosting provider. Number 1 recommended by WordPress developers – Bluehost.

All tariffs are designed specifically for this CMS, there is a one-click installation and a lot of related services. Tariffs – from $ 2.95 / month, if you pay immediately a year in advance – a domain for free. If you need a beautiful and high-quality design, the most profitable option is to purchase a ready-made theme (from 20 to 80 USD on specialized sites or in the official catalog). The required plugins can usually be found for free.

Disadvantages

To create a high-quality business website, you have to sort out many technical issues or involve a specialized specialist. This is the only significant drawback of the engine. Many people talk about low security and resource requirements. But in fact, it is enough to correctly configure the CMS and add-ons to it. Then there will be a minimum of problems.

To create a website in just a day based on the WordPress platform, you can contact Nixwood. They are real professionals who did the impossible and entered the market as the fastest company that creates a functional, high-quality website in just a day. Pricing starts at US $ 199 that includes a one-page site, hosting, graphic design, web design, a blog, an SSL certificate, updates, and a domain. It also features SEO Optimization, Analytics, and support.

For $ 399, you get all these features, but you can have a 3-page website, and you get 30 royalty-free images for your site.

Features:

• Custom built website;
• Hosting;
• Graphic design;
• Web design;
• 24/7 support findings.

Even a cursory review of the technical solutions available on the market suggests that creating a website for business you can do it yourself, without involving specialized specialists.

Somewhere you have to sacrifice time, and somewhere you just have to prepare for additional expenses.

The principle «time is money» has not been canceled.

You either master the tool yourself and save on start-up investments, but at the same time spend time learning and mastering the toolkit. Or you pay for a more comprehensive approach and hire a company that will save your time and create a high-quality product as soon as possible.