Individuals wishing to start a business and promote their vision online, now have a plethora of choices for giving life to said vision and establishing its roots in the cyberworld. In the olden days, the only way to build a website was by hiring a costly website designer. However, as human minds evolved so did technology. Now all you have to do is hop on to a website builder of your choice and start creating. These website builders house a plethora of features that can help you get your website up and running in no time. Did we mention that some of these website builders are free of cost?
In this article we will provide you with the ultimate guide to website building. So call onto your creative spirit and get creating.
What to Expect When You Are Website Building?
When selecting a website builder ask yourself three questions:
- How much time and energy can I invest in designing a website?
- What is my budget and how much am I going to spend on a website?
- What kind of website am I aiming for?
These three questions are pivotal when you are thinking about investing in a website builder as different website builders serve different needs. Just like humans, website builders also come in different shapes and sizes, and selecting the one that best fits your needs is of major importance. Therefore, instead of getting tangled up in the web of website builders, take some time to ponder on these questions, and once you have your answers, then and only then should you settle on a website builder.
The Diverse Web of Website Builders
When you enter the intricate world of website building you will be thrust into making decisions and choosing the path that will lead you to the website of your dreams. The first decision that you will have to make is to choose the entity that will help you create a website. The internet will present you with three options:
- A professional website designer
- A do-it-yourself (DIY) website builder
- A do it for me (DIFM) website builder
Point to remember: The last two options are available on most website builders, giving you the best of both worlds.
| Time | Money | Functionality | |
| Web Designer | Low time investment required | $5,000-$10,000 | Varies |
| DIY Website Builder | Low time investment required | $100-$500/Year | Excellent |
| DIFM Website Builder | Minimal time investment required | $1,200-$2,500/Year | Decent |
Professional Website Designer
In the olden days, the only option available for people wanting to establish a website was to hire a professional website designer. This option was and to this very day still is the most expensive one on the market. People have to pay thousands of dollars to get a website that in the end won’t have a great deal of functionality. However, if you got money to burn and don’t want to waste your time and energy then this route of action might be the most suitable one for you.
However, we took it upon ourselves to guide you therefore we must give you one caveat before you decide to part ways with us: even though by hiring a professional website designer you will end up with a professional-looking website but for any other function like SEO tools or e-commerce tools you will have to pay the designer extra.
DIY Website Building
Many of us have heard the phrase “Necessity is the mother of invention” and with the advent of website builders, we have seen this phrase come to life. Website builders present an easy and budget-friendly option to create a website. Most website builders on the market are easy to use and require no coding skills. These website builders have a drag-and-drop editor in their arsenal that can help even technophobes create a fully functional website in a matter of minutes.
These website builders give you a great deal of control over your website and will also provide you with a plethora of features that will aid you in the running of your website. However, you will have to take some time out of your busy schedule and spend energy if you want to create a website with your own two capable hands.
DIFM Website Building
This option combines the benefits of the first two options providing you with an epic fusion. Some website builders will offer you this plan alongside the DIY plan. DITFM website building plan is more expensive than the DIY option but cheaper than a professional website designer. If you are unable to take time out of your busy schedule or just aren’t comfortable with computers, then this is the best option for you. When you select this option the production team of the website builder will create a fully functional website that you can modify later on to give a personal touch.
Let’s Get Creative – Lets Get Website Building
After you have selected a website builder that best fits your needs you will have to go through various stages to create the website of your dreams. Let’s explore these stages one by one and embark on our website building venture:
1. Signing Up and Choosing a Plan
Some website builders offer a free plan that allows you to tap into your creative vein and practice making a website without spending a dime. Once you know the inner workings of the builder and the features it offers you can choose a paid plan that best fits your requirements. To start the free trial, you will first have to sign in by providing your name and email address.
Once signed in you can begin your creative journey of website building. The website builder will give you prompts along the way, aiding you in every step as you create your website. There will be some advanced functions that you will not be able to use without a paid plan.
Once you are satisfied with the website builder and want to incorporate advanced features into your website you will have to opt for a paid subscription plan. Most famous website builders in the market are budget-friendly, offering top-notch features at affordable rates. Let’s take a look at the subscription plans of our top five website builders:
| Plan 1 | Plan 2 | Plan 3 | |
| Wix | $4.50 | $8.50 | $12.50 |
| Web.com | $1.95 | $3.95 | $9.95 |
| Network Solutions | $2.95 | $3.95 | $4.95 |
| HubSpot | $23 | $360 | $1,200 |
| Squarespace | $16 | $23 | $27 |
2. Choosing a Template
Every website builder offers a plethora of templates to choose from. Some website builders even divide them into various categories like restaurants and hotels, spa and salons, travel, retail, automobiles, etc. Most of these templates are mobile responsive and customizable, giving you the chance to add a personal touch to them by using the drag-and-drop editor.
Wix and Squarespace are renowned in the web-building market for offering the most beautiful templates. You can select a template that best represents your niche and modify it via the drag-and-drop editor to give it a personal touch.
3. Let’s Name the Domain
The domain name of a website is its central identifier. Some website builders don’t offer a domain name with their free plan, and you will have to subscribe to a free plan to avail this feature. When you upgrade to a free plan, the website builder will award you with a custom domain name.
However, in case you cancel your subscription plan you will have to pay a considerable sum of money to retain your domain name. Picking a domain name is an easy task. All you have to do is provide the name of your choosing to the website builder and it will inform you about its availability.
4. What About Website Hosting?
Most website builders also offer web hosting services; therefore, you won’t have to look elsewhere. Top website builders like Wix and Squarespace include hosting as part of their package. With the help of website hosting you get a secure place to store online content and build a durable online presence. Web hosting also comes with built-in benefits like back-ups for security and support.
5. Putting Content on Site
Once you’ve chosen a template, you will have to replace the existing stock images and text with content that best represents your site. Some website builders offer free photo banks from where you can select pictures that represent your niche. You can use the drag-and-drop editor to add photos of your products.
In case you are having trouble establishing a website, web builders like Wix offer an ADI or Artificial Design Intelligence. It’s an AI designer that will ask you a few questions and create a website according to your needs. The ADI will use the templates, images, and text that will best fit your niche and construct a custom website in a matter of minutes.
6. Journey of Design and Creativity
Most website builders have made it easy even for beginners to design a website by incorporating a drag-and-drop editor. The drag-and-drop editor is simple and easy to use and even technophobes won’t feel overwhelmed by it. All you have to do is select a template, select elements you want to incorporate in your website, use the tool to drag them to the desired location, and drop, it’s like taking candy from a baby, easy and efficient.
7. Turning Your Website into an Online Store
Most website builders come with an option to transform your website into an online store, where you can list the products, upload their pictures, and set up payment options. With the e-commerce and marketing features offered by the web builders, you can manage and run your online store with ease. These features allow you to manage inventory, set up payment options, add products, and even set up a comment and review section where customers can give feedback and much more.
8. Analytics to the Rescue
Once you have designed your website and it’s live, now the real work starts. Once the website is live you will have to make sure that it appears in the search engines and also monitor its progress. This is where features like SEO tools and analytics come in handy. The SEO tools will help you rank higher on google, whereas the analytics will monitor your website. The analytics will provide you with an extensive report on visitor traffic, frequently visited pages, duration of stay, and devices used. With analytics you can stay at the top of your game, monitoring your customers and changing your website to attract more audience.