Ecommerce is one of the most efficient ways for startups and small businesses to spread their brand and reach new customers. And with the use of website builders, it makes it possible for these businesses to start a website without the need of a developer.
There are a lot of beginner-friendly website builders in the market that can help you create your site even if you don’t have any prior experience.
But which of them is best for small businesses?
In this article, we’ll show you the different types of website builders and see which one of them fits your business.
Why you need a Website for your Small Business
Better customer access
One of the biggest benefits small businesses can get from having a website is that you can provide better access to customers, compared to physical stores where they need to be physically present to purchase your products.
With a website, customers can simply use their phones and head to your site to pick whatever product it is they want or need. Your site is also available 24/7, so you don’t have to worry about opening or closing times.
Wider market reach
Another nice thing about having your own business site is the unlimited market reach. This means you can acquire more customers because you aren’t limited to a specific place or locality. You have a global audience, which means you have a higher chance of earning more.
Cost-efficiency
Having a website for your business means that you can reduce operational costs because you don’t have to spend money on inventory and storage as well as employees.
You can simply run your whole business virtually and keep all your products in your home. You don’t have to pay for rent and utility bills because everything is done virtually. The entire business process is simplified.
Branding
Branding is an important factor to consider, especially for startups and SMEs. This helps small businesses to effectively compete with the bigger rivals in the industry, especially that the majority of the consumer population are hooked to the internet.
It would make sense for you to improve your online presence by creating social media accounts in Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter, to utilize the market fully.
Should you build your website yourself or not?
Building your website yourself or with the help of a professional web developer has its own pros and cons.
First off, you can save a great deal of money if you were to build it yourself. But that means risking the quality of your website, especially if it’s your first time. You don’t have to worry about the design, features, responsiveness, and overall quality of your site if you hire a professional web developer.
However, you have to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Nonetheless, it’s totally worth it as a well-built website equates to higher traffic, which eventually leads to more excellent conversion and increased revenue.
What to look for in a website builder?
Finding the right tool that you need for Website Building will depend on what you need to create the website that you want.
A website builder that’s easy to use and learn can lessen the time you need to build your site. The platform should give you less hassle to add other elements such as website pages, videos and images, and other business needs.
You also have to take into account several factors, such as affordability. Small business owners will usually have a limited budget when creating a website. Your website will continually evolve as your business grows, so find a builder that can accommodate your budget.
Top 6 Website Builders to Choose From
Wix
Wix is packed with customizable templates where you can choose your preferred design. The platform contains a number of paid apps that can be installed on your site so you can add new features with different functionalities.
Pricing on this platform is at £9.16 a month, and you can also add a free domain name as a freebie.
Weebly
Weebly is the best-for-value website builder as it only costs $6 per month. It gives you the flexibility to create a fully-personalized website thanks to its customized layout features.
There are over 300 apps to choose from and different membership options, from professional to performance plans and even basic packages for budget-conscious users.
Squarespace
Squarespace is another great option if you’re in for immediate business expansion. It includes an SEO customization feature which improves the site’s visibility in Google’s search engine.
The social media integration of the site allows for a better online presence that increases engagement. With a £12 per month plan, you can enjoy unlimited bandwidth storage, 24/7 customer support, and a free custom domain.
Webflow
Webflow is a beginner-friendly web builder platform that features an array of customization settings. You’ll find a number of video tutorials once you’ve subscribed. This makes the entire web designing process easier for you.
It also includes a range of templates that are ideal for eCommerce websites and blogs. With a plan of £12/month, you can unlock custom domain deployments, CDN, and automatic SSL.
Carrd
Carrd is an easy to use website builder that has a wide variety of elements to customize your page with. The platform is simple to use as it gives you a straightforward way of creating and designing your website according to your own preferences. Carrd’s standard plan costs $19 a year, which includes the necessary web builder tools.
WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular website builders because of its open-source nature. It’s also available in most web hosting platforms. It offers a variety of site functions that gives you the freedom of customizing everything on your site
With a pricing of $2.75 per month, you’re given a free custom domain and the ability to accept online payments. It also is one of the cheapest options out there.
Overall best Website Builder for Small Businesses
Out of the six reviewed website builders, the one that stood out is Wix. It includes a ton of customization features that make the designing process much easier for beginners.
However, it also offers advanced personalization settings that makes it ideal for advanced users as well. And it’s not that expensive as it only costs $9.16 monthly.
Conclusion
With this, you can clearly see that small businesses need to invest in a professional website builder to compete with the bigger brands effectively.
Not only does this bring in more sales and revenue, but it also secures more long-term customers who will regularly purchase your products. It might hurt your pockets a bit, but the costs are totally worth it.
Because that’s what businesses are for, right?
It’s all about taking risks — but smartly.