Here is a scenario. You have a product or service that you want to advertise to the world by launching its website. Or you simply want to have your say through an online blog. In such a case, the very first question you ask yourself is, how to make a free website that encompasses all the features that you need and all the attributes your readers or visitors will be looking for.
One of the best ways to create a website in today’s world is through an online website builder. Especially for the novice in the field, a website builder takes much of the hassle and expenditure of time and money from the process of creating a website. But, the story doesn’t stop just here. The Internet is inundated with so many website builders that may or may not come up to your expectations.
So in this post, I would highlight all the aspects that one should look for while choosing a website builder. This write up is especially aimed at beginners who want to teach themselves a lesson or two about online website builders and their specific features.
1. How much will it cost you?
Price is the very first point of concern for almost every potential website creator. I think that it is quite reasonable to look for the price because if a website builder charges you the same as professional development and design services, then what’s the point of going for a website builder in the first place?
Different website builder have different price options, and there may be a few that offer free website creation. However, remember that it’s just a cliché that if something is pricy, it better be good too. I have seen some paid website builders that mess up with your website creation project, and I have also seen some free ones that offer Html5 website templates and a bundle of features for creating a stunning website.
All in all, I would recommend to go for a free website builder for the very first version of your website till you test the waters or get used to the whole concept. Once you know your niche and the features that are important for your kind of business, try the paid website building service for more professional or heavy-duty website.
2. What are the possibilities of modification and customization?
The biggest disadvantage of creating websites through a website builder is that they would all look quite similar to each other. Most website builders offer a set pattern or ‘formula webs design’ to its users. Even in that situation, however, there is one thing that can turn the tables for your website and make it stand out, and that is the possibility of customization.
If a website builder offers merely the option of content replacement, colors and fonts editing – take it immediately off your like, I repeat, abort! Give it up! A good builder should offer advanced options like custom background settings, a wide range of fonts to pick from, editing spacing and margins or editing the entire page design, etc. It should also allow you to preview the changes you make, which helps to avoid a number of mistakes and save your time.
3. Is it search engine optimized?
Creating a website is just half the story, promoting it online covers the second half. To get much visitors and traffic on your website, it’s important for it to be search engine optimized. It gives you a push to get your site higher in search engines and help you beat your competitors. A website that is SEO optimized facilitates your communication with users, builds your brand awareness, and above all, it enables potential users to find you on the web easily.
When you start making your website with the help of a website builder, you should check if the website they create is optimized for the search engine. There are a lot of website building services that provide features like adding keywords, meta tags, meta descriptions, activate Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools for your site, as well as generate a sitemap in the websites they create.
If you don’t have an extra budget for professional SEO services, the SEO feature offered by your website builder may be enough for you to at least to get started with your online presence.
Do they create responsive websites?
This is the era of multiple digital devices. Therefore, it is important for your website to be responsive in order to look good on all the devices. Especially for mobile screens, your website needs to be responsive in order to cater to all kinds of users.
If your website builder does not provide ‘completely’ responsive website, then at least it should be available for desktop and mobile phones. But I would recommend you to look for a builder that makes everything work, i.e. customize your desktop design to mobile automatically.
Conclusion
To choose the most suitable website builder is not a difficult task and even the beginners in the field can do it themselves. You just need to see which things to look for and what can be the deal breakers, and hopefully this article will help you do just that.
