Key takeaways:
- A website builder helps you create a professional website without advanced coding skills.
- Website builders are a practical option for small businesses because they simplify setups.
- When choosing one, look for ease of use, customization, SEO basics, and built-in essentials like hosting and security.
If your small business or brand is coming together, the next big step ahead of you is to create a website. But what if you can’t afford to hire a developer and have no coding knowledge?
Fortunately for you, a website builder is a tool that lets anyone create a professional website for a personal, business, or e-commerce site.
In this thorough guide, we’ll answer:
- What exactly is a website builder?
- Why do people use them?
- What characteristics are found in a good website builder?
- How do I get started?
What is a website builder?
A website builder is a tool that lets you create your own website.
This platform or software is typically designed with a user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and preset styles and website templates to choose from. It allows you to build a website from scratch by using prebuilt structures.
With a bit of time invested and some tutorials, you can start creating your layout and style, then integrate your brand’s elements and content. The code runs on the backend, while the frontend features are easy to learn, allowing you to build your home on the internet.
You can access most website builders through your browser. Some can even generate a starting layout to help you move from idea to first draft faster.
Why do people use website builders?
Website builders are not only reserved for novice users. They are a practical option for many small businesses, creators, and growing brands that want to get online without taking on the complexity of a custom-built site.
Of course, if a website needs extensive coding, complex functionality, or highly specialized requirements, then a standard website builder might not be the recommended option.
But website builders are the perfect option for most small businesses and fresh enterprises. Here are some of the main reasons people use website builders:
- Faster setup
- Less room for error
- They don’t require technical know-how
- Affordability
- Low maintenance
- Support ad built-in essentials
Faster setup
Many small businesses need little more than a functional, good-looking website that is easy to navigate. A website builder can do this much faster than starting from scratch. You can begin with a template or an AI-generated draft, then personalize it from there.
Less room for error
Website builders are pre-coded, so there’s less room for error. The pieces you build, layer, and add together are designed to complement one another. You’re working with elements and layouts built to work together, rather than creating new “pieces of a website” that you hope will integrate perfectly.
Caters to low technical skill sets
You don’t need to be a graphic design guru, web dev pro, or even understand HTML to use a website builder. One facet of website builders is their template catalog. These templates come with design structure, visual editing tools, and guided steps that do much of the heavy lifting. Some builders also include an AI-assisted setup to help you get a first version of your site faster.
Affordability
It should be no surprise that it’s far cheaper to use a website builder instead of hiring a web developer to do the work on your behalf. It is a more practical starting point for many businesses that need a website, especially when the site does not require custom development from day one.
Little maintenance
Since website templates and layouts are already built into website builders, there’s usually less upkeep and maintenance on the design side. Of course, the website should still be updated with fresh content for your audience to engage with, but ongoing edits are typically easier to manage through visual editing tools.
Support and built-in essentials
Many small business owners and brand creators want to take the do-it-yourself route with their website. They want to learn how the process works and maintain creative control, and that’s understandable.
Domain.com’s Website Builder plans include access to support resources and expert help, along with essentials like hosting, security, and domain-related tools. This makes the setup simpler than managing everything separately.
Now that you have a general understanding of why people utilize website builders, when you start your hunt, what features and characteristics should you be looking for?
What makes a good website builder?
What makes for a good website builder is often subjective, depending on the user’s needs and experience. What you qualify as “good” can differ from the opinion of another. Yet, there are some good characteristics shared by website builders that most users agree are useful measurements of quality.
These important features include:
- User friendliness
- Templates and customization
- Analytics and SEO tools
- Extras
User friendliness
The entire point of using a website builder is for its ease of use. This is part of the drag-and-drop experience; little else is required to reshape your website other than dragging and dropping the prebuilt elements where you want them.
These are also known as WYSIWYG web builders, which stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” For instance, Domain.com offers a website builder that:
- Complements beginners and pros: Even beginners can learn the platform quickly, and more experienced users still have room to customize.
- Allows the user to drag and drop nearly every element: This includes text, images, video, buttons, forms, and more.
- Helps you get started quickly: It makes it easier to move from blank page to working draft, whether through templates, guided setup, or AI-assisted tools.
Templates and customization
A common fear with website builders is that the site will end up looking cheap, or that using the same builder might make it look too similar. But website builders allow you to customize a wide range of templates, so your website will look and feel unique to your business or brand.
Features should include:
- A fully customizable design stack: This can include fonts, colors, spacing, and layout options.
- A fully customizable template catalog: You do not want static, stale templates—ones that seem to have been developed without the help of a professional graphic designer. Instead, you want a solid selection of designs—each with enough flexibility to match your brand.
- Customizable images and content: The images and text on your website should be carefully selected and aligned with your business.
- Mobile-responsive customization: Your audience is more likely to view your website on a smartphone than on a computer, so it’s imperative to format your website for mobile. It is critical that the website builder you choose caters to mobile formats.
Analytics and SEO tools
One of the most important facets of a company’s growth is tracking its performance on the web. With analytical tools, you can track how people interact with your website and use that information to improve over time.
SEO tools also assist with visibility on search engines, where you have a higher likelihood of showing up for relevant searches. A great website builder should make it easier to manage the basics of SEO.
In this case, a website builder should integrate:
- Analytics tools: This helps you understand how visitors use your website and where you may want to make improvements.
- SEO tools: This should make it easy to update page titles, meta descriptions, and image text, so search engines can better understand your site.
Extras
If you plan on shifting your business into e-commerce—or if it’s one from the start—then be sure that the website builder you choose includes tools to support your transactions.
This includes but is not limited to:
- A shopping cart: You’ll want your website to support the shopping cart feature, as that’s the easiest way to purchase a product.
- Inventory management: You’ll want your backend to provide a one-stop shop for tracking your inventory and stock.
- Payments: From digital payments to credit cards, you’re going to want your website to support online payments.
Depending on the plan, some website builders can also support appointments, email or social marketing, and other tools that help you grow your online presence.
While the e-commerce features mentioned above are standard, their integration is not. Find a website builder that seamlessly integrates each feature, as they will be the pillars of your e-commerce platform.
How do I get started?
Before building your professional website, there are a few steps to consider.
You’re going to need a domain name, which will also be your website’s name. You will want to compare website builder plans and decide what is included. Many modern website builders’ plans already bundle hosting and security essentials, so you may not need to set those up separately.
We’ll explain this thoroughly below:
- Start with the domain name
- Choose a website builder plan
- Create your website
- Customize and integrate images
- Add in analytics
Start with the domain name
If you go to Domain.com, you can search for your business name or the domain you want to check its availability. Aim for something that is easy to remember, relevant to your brand, and simple for customers to type.
Choose a website builder plan
Once you’ve narrowed down your domain, compare website builder costs based on your needs. Some are built for simple websites or logos, while others can support e-commerce, appointments, or marketing tools. Many plans also include hosting, security, and other essentials
Create your website
Now it’s time to start building your website. Explore the template library or begin with a generated draft. Then, customize from there. Try to evaluate exactly how you want to position your brand and what you’re trying to showcase, then find the base design that complements your vision.
Customize and integrate images
Create a standout website by integrating brand-specific, original images when possible. Steer clear of anything that feels like filler and use visuals and messages that further showcase your brand and add to the uniqueness of your platform.
Add in analytics
Once your website is finished, adding analytics and reviewing your basic SEO settings are key measures of its success on the internet. The data they generate can help you understand how well you’ve positioned your brand, where to make changes, and where you’re succeeding. It’s difficult to compete with other brands without some way to measure performance and improve visibility.
Build your own website!
A website builder is a tool that allows both novices and pros alike to create a professionally designed website. With prebuilt templates, user-friendliness, visual editing tools, analytical tools, SEO features, and more, it’s never been easier for someone with little technical know-how to build their own block of real estate on the internet.
You can start creating yours with Domain.com’s Website Builder. Connect your domain and manage key parts of your website in one place. You can begin with a guided setup and customize the site as your brand grows.
