Choosing the Best Website Builder for Your Small Business

There are so many website builder options on the market, it can be challenging to determine which one is the right fit for your small business. Having a professional website is absolutely crucial in today's digital landscape, which means this challenge must be tackled head on.

(I don't mean physically.)

A well-designed, user-friendly website serves as the online face of a company, allowing it to establish a strong online presence and connect with potential customers around the clock. A professional website also enables you to expand your reach beyond your immediate geographic area, opening up new markets and driving sales growth. Far beyond just a static digital brochure, an effective website should be dynamic and engaging, showcasing your company's products or services in an appealing and informative way. Detailed product pages, intuitive navigation, and a clean, modern aesthetic all work together to build trust and credibility with your visitors, making them more likely to convert into paying customers.

Perhaps most importantly, a quality website gives small companies the tools to compete with larger competitors on a more even playing field - levelling the digital playing field and allowing them to make a strong first impression. In an era where consumers increasingly turn to the internet to research purchases, having a polished, high-functioning website is no longer a nice-to-have, but an absolute necessity for small businesses that want to thrive.

With so many options available, each promising a seamless and user-friendly experience, it has become increasingly crucial for anyone looking to create a website to carefully evaluate and choose the right website builder for their specific needs. The decision-making process must take into account a multitude of factors, from the level of customization and design flexibility to the ease of use, e-commerce capabilities, and scalability of the platform.

Some website builders cater more towards novice users, providing intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-designed templates, while others empower experienced developers with more advanced coding and optimization features. The sheer number of website builders, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, can be overwhelming, making it essential for prospective users to thoroughly research and compare the available options before committing to a particular platform.

Ultimately, the right website builder is the one that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity, functionality, and the ability to bring the user's vision to life in the digital realm, catering to their specific requirements and goals. Choosing wisely can mean the difference between a visually stunning, high-performing website that effectively represents a brand or individual, and one that falls short of its full potential. So, let me set you in the right direction.

Assessing Your Business Needs

Determine your website goals

Whether your website's primary goal is to drive e-commerce sales, generate high-quality leads, or simply establish a strong brand presence, clearly defining your objectives will provide critical guidance throughout the project.

For an e-commerce site, the goal may be to create a frictionless, intuitive purchasing experience that maximizes conversions and revenue. In contrast, a lead generation website would prioritize capturing visitor information through contact forms, newsletter signups, or gated content downloads. Branding-focused sites, on the other hand, are designed to showcase a company's unique identity, values, and offerings in a visually compelling way that resonates with the target audience.

Beyond these common use cases, some businesses may have hybrid goals, seeking to drive both online sales and lead generation, or to position themselves as industry thought leaders through informative, educational content.

Regardless of the specific objectives, aligning the website's functionality, design, and content with these overarching aims is essential for ensuring it delivers meaningful value to users and achieves the desired business outcomes. Taking the time to thoughtfully define your website's purpose will pay dividends down the line by providing a clear roadmap to guide all subsequent development and marketing decisions.

Consider the size and complexity of your website

Carefully consider the size and complexity of the website you need to create. For a small, simple website with just a few pages, a basic drag-and-drop website builder with limited customization options may be sufficient. These user-friendly platforms make it easy for beginners or non-coders to quickly throw together a clean, professional-looking site without needing any coding knowledge. However, for larger, more intricate websites with numerous pages, feature-rich functionality, and a desire for greater creative control, a more robust website builder will likely be required.

Enterprise-level website builders provide advanced tools for building complex site architectures, integrating e-commerce capabilities, implementing sophisticated animations and interactivity, and extensively customizing the visual design. While these comprehensive platforms have a steeper learning curve, they give experienced web designers the flexibility to build virtually any type of website to meet their specific needs.

Assessing the scale and intricacy of your project upfront will help ensure you choose a website builder that has the right balance of ease-of-use and advanced features to turn your online vision into a reality.

Evaluate your technical skills and resources

It's important to carefully evaluate your own technical skills and available resources. This assessment will help you determine which website builder is the best fit for your needs and capabilities.

For those with limited coding experience or web design knowledge, an intuitive, drag-and-drop website builder may be the ideal solution, as it allows you to create a professional-looking site without needing to get your hands dirty with complex programming languages or layout design. These user-friendly builders often come with pre-made templates and visual editors that make it a breeze to customize your pages, add multimedia content, and publish your site live on the internet.

Conversely, if you consider yourself more tech-savvy and want greater creative control, you may prefer a platform that offers more advanced features and the ability to hand-code certain elements. These robust website builders typically provide access to the site's underlying HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, empowering you to truly bring your vision to life through detailed customization.

It's also important to consider the scope of your project and whether you'll need to integrate e-commerce functionality, a content management system, or other specialized add-ons - some website builders are better equipped to handle these requirements than others. By thoughtfully assessing your own skills, resources, and project needs, you can make an informed decision and select the website builder that will enable you to create an exceptional online presence.

Comparing Top Website Builder Platforms

Here is a comparison of a few of the worlds most popular and reputable website builders for small businesses of all industries to get you started with your research.

Wix

Key Features

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: The Wix website builder's intuitive drag-and-drop feature is a game-changer for those looking to create a professional-looking website without the need for extensive coding knowledge. This innovative functionality allows users to simply click on any element on the page - be it an image, text box, video, or pre-designed section - and effortlessly drag and drop it into their desired location. With just a few clicks, users can rearrange the layout, resize elements, and experiment with different placements until they achieve their desired aesthetic. The drag-and-drop system is remarkably responsive, providing visual cues and snapping features to ensure perfect alignment and spacing between components.

• Hundreds of templates: With hundreds of templates spanning a diverse range of industries, styles, and functionalities, the Wix platform provides an unparalleled level of customization and flexibility. From sleek and modern portfolios to vibrant e-commerce stores and informative business sites, the Wix template library caters to virtually every niche and use case. Users can browse through the extensive catalog, filtering by category, color scheme, layout, and more to find the perfect starting point for their website.

• App market: The Wix app market is a robust ecosystem that complements the platform's core website building functionality, offering a wide array of third-party integrations and add-ons that users can seamlessly incorporate into their sites. From e-commerce tools and SEO plugins to social media integrations and contact form builders, the Wix app market provides an expansive catalog of powerful features and capabilities. This thriving app marketplace is a key differentiator for Wix, setting it apart from other website builders

• E-commerce capabilities: Wix's e-commerce capabilities provide small business owners and entrepreneurs with a comprehensive set of tools to build and manage their online stores. Wix offers an elaborate suite of e-commerce features that allow users to seamlessly integrate a full-fledged online shop into their digital presence. At the core is Wix's customizable product catalog, which enables merchants to upload and organize an unlimited number of items, complete with detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and personalized pricing. A streamlined checkout process, complete with secure payment gateways, flexible shipping options, and abandoned cart recovery functionality to maximize conversions. The platform also equips store owners with advanced inventory management capabilities, allowing them to track stock levels, issue purchase orders, and receive real-time sales analytics to make data-driven decisions. Complementing these back-end features are a range of customer-facing enhancements, such as product reviews, wishlists, and discount codes, all of which work in concert to cultivate brand loyalty and drive repeat business.

Pricing and Plans

• Wix offers a range of plans and pricing options to cater to the diverse needs of its users.

At the entry-level, Wix's free plan that allows users to create a basic website with Wix branding, limited storage, and bandwidth. For those seeking more robust features, Wix's premium plans start at just $16(CAD) per month for the Light plan, which unlocks 2 collaborators, 2GB of storage space, Wix's Light Marketing Suite, and Google Ads.

Moving up the tiers, the Core plan at $27 per month provides 5 collaborators, 50GB of storage, Basic Marketing Suite, Basic site analytics, accept payments, and a range of basic e-commerce capabilities, making it a popular choice for small businesses.

Wix's Business plan, priced at $39 per month, is designed for more advanced users, allowing 10 collaborators, 100GB of storage, Standard Marketing Suite, Standard site analytics, accept payments, and Standard e-commerce.

Finally, at the top end, Wix's Business Elite plan, costing $149 per month, delivers the full suite of features, including 100 collaborators, unlimited storage space, Advanced Marketing Suite, Advanced site analytics, accept payments, Advanced e-commerce and an Advanced developer platform.

All of Wix's premium plans come with a free customized domain and without Wix branding only when the plan is purchased for the full year and not by a month-to-month basis.

Ideal for

• Wix is ideal for service-based businesses like salons, fitness studios, or consulting firms that need an online presence to showcase their offerings, share information with clients, and facilitate scheduling or booking. Similarly, creative professionals such as photographers, artists, or designers can leverage Wix's aesthetics for portfolios and e-commerce stores to sell their products. Restaurants, cafes, and other food-service establishments also benefit from Wix's restaurant-specific templates, online ordering integrations, and ability to highlight menus, hours, and location details. Additionally, Wix's blogging and content management features make it a solid option for entrepreneurs, small businesses, or organizations that need to regularly update their website with news, announcements, or educational content.

Squarespace

Key Features

• Stylish, modern templates: Squarespace is renowned for its sleek, modern website templates that allow users to create a truly professional-looking online presence. These templates are meticulously designed to be visually striking and on-trend, featuring clean lines, bold typography, and elegant colour palettes that instantly convey a sense of sophistication. What makes Squarespace's templates so appealing is the level of customization they offer - users can seamlessly swap out imagery, adjust layout elements, and fine-tune every last detail to make the design their own. The templates are also built with a mobile-first approach, guaranteeing a cohesive and responsive user experience across all devices.

• Built-in SEO and analytics: The platform's SEO functionality is designed to make it easy for website owners to improve their search engine visibility and drive more organic traffic to their sites. This includes automatically generating metadata like title tags and meta descriptions, as well as providing guidance on optimizing page content, images, and other elements. Squarespace also offers built-in XML sitemaps to help search engines crawl and index websites more effectively. Additionally, the platform provides detailed analytics dashboards that allow users to track key performance metrics like website traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates.

• E-commerce and scheduling tools: The e-commerce functionality allows users to easily create and customize professional-looking online stores, complete with secure payment processing, inventory management, and order fulfillment capabilities. Whether you're selling physical products, digital downloads, or booking services, Squarespace provides the flexible framework to get your business up and running with minimal technical expertise. Beyond just enabling transactions, the platform's scheduling tools empower users to effortlessly manage appointments, classes, and other bookable offerings. With intuitive scheduling interfaces, automated reminders, and integrated payment collection, these tools streamline the customer experience and help businesses stay organized. Squarespace's all-in-one approach means users don't have to patch together multiple third-party solutions, as the e-commerce and scheduling features are tightly integrated with the platform's comprehensive website building, blogging, and analytics capabilities.

• Blogging capabilities: Bloggers can effortlessly craft visually stunning posts, incorporating a variety of multimedia elements like images, videos, and galleries to make their content more engaging and impactful. The platform's built-in SEO tools also help ensure that blog posts are optimized for search engines, increasing their visibility and discoverability online. Beyond the basics of post creation and publishing, Squarespace offers bloggers the ability to moderate comments, manage subscriber lists, and analyze detailed traffic and engagement data. The seamless integration with social media platforms allows bloggers to easily share their content across multiple channels, expanding their reach and fostering greater interaction with readers.

Pricing and Plans

• The most basic plan is the Personal plan, geared towards individuals or small businesses just starting out, provides a domain name, SSL security, and 24/7 customer support for $21 a month.

Moving up, the Business plan unlocks additional features like advanced analytics, ecommerce capabilities, and the ability to connect a custom domain, making it a more robust option for growing companies for $32 a month.

For larger organizations or those with more complex needs, Squarespace also offers their Basic and Advanced Commerce plans, which introduce features like abandoned cart recovery, advanced shipping, and the ability to sell digital products. The Basic Commerce plan is $36 a month and the Advanced Commerce is $66 a month.

Ideal for

• Squarespace is an ideal choice for creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, small service-based companies, and anyone else who wants to showcase their products, services, or portfolio online. The platform offers a wide range of customizable templates across numerous industries, from photography and e-commerce to restaurants and personal blogs, allowing users to select a design that aligns with their brand and aesthetic. Additionally, Squarespace provides powerful e-commerce capabilities, SEO tools, and analytics features that empower users to effectively market their business, track website performance, and seamlessly sell products or services online.

Weebly

Key Features

• Easy to use: The platform's intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows individuals to effortlessly construct visually appealing and professional-looking websites. With a vast array of pre-designed templates to choose from, users can simply select a layout that aligns with their aesthetic preferences and then customize it to their liking, manipulating text, images, and other elements with the simple click of a mouse. The real-time preview feature further enhances the user experience, enabling individuals to see their changes take shape in real-time.

• Free plan available: With the Weebly free plan, users gain access to a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that simplifies the website creation process, enabling even those with minimal technical expertise to design a professional-looking site. The free plan provides a subdomain (yoursite.weebly.com) and includes core features such as customizable templates, the ability to add multimedia content like images and videos, and basic e-commerce functionality to sell products or services. While the free plan does place some limitations, such as Weebly branding on the site and a cap on storage and bandwidth, these trade-offs are often well worth it for those seeking a cost-effective way to establish an online home.

• Good for small businesses: Weebly offers a wide range of mobile-responsive templates that ensure small businesses a seamless viewing experience across all devices, an essential consideration in today's increasingly mobile-driven world. Furthermore, Weebly's built-in e-commerce capabilities enable small businesses to effortlessly integrate online shopping functionality, accept secure payments, and manage inventory - critical features for any company looking to expand its sales channels beyond a physical storefront. Lastly, Weebly's affordable pricing plans and generous free options make it an accessible and cost-effective solution, particularly for small businesses operating on a tight budget.

• E-commerce options: At the heart of Weebly's ecommerce capabilities is their intuitive website builder, which allows users to easily create a professional-looking online store complete with product catalogues, shopping carts, and secure checkout processes. The platform offers a range of flexible ecommerce plans to suit different business needs, from the basic online store features in their free plan to more advanced capabilities like abandoned cart recovery, recurring billing, and real-time shipping quotes in their premium tiers. Weebly's ecommerce tools also integrate seamlessly with popular payment gateways, inventory management systems, and marketing channels, making it simple to streamline and automate key ecommerce workflows.

Pricing and Plans

• Weebly's free plan provides an excellent entry point, allowing individuals to create and publish a simple website without any monthly fees and includes a full, basic ecommerce store with unlimited items.

The Personal plan, starting at $7 per month, empowers users to connect their own custom domain, remove Weebly's branding, sell digital goods, and access premium customer support.

Moving upward, the Professional plan at $15 per month adds e-commerce tools and customer support, as well as unlimited storage. The Performance plan, priced at $30 per month, takes things a step further by providing advanced e-commerce features, site analytics, and the ability to create password-protected content.

Ideal for

• Weebly is an exceptionally well-designed platform that caters to ecommerce business owners. Its built-in shopping cart, secure checkout process, and inventory management tools streamline the entire sales process, enabling ecommerce business owners to efficiently list products, accept payments, and track orders - all from one centralized dashboard. Weebly also offers seamless integration with popular payment gateways, shipping carriers, and marketing platforms, further simplifying the complexities of running an online business. Perhaps most importantly, Weebly's ecommerce plans provide robust security and PCI compliance, giving both business owners and their customers peace of mind when transacting online.

Choosing the Right Website Builder for Your Small Business

Aligning features with your business needs

Carefully align the features and capabilities of the website builder with the unique needs and requirements of your business. This is not a one-size-fits-all decision, as different small businesses will have varying needs when it comes to their online presence.

The first step is to conduct a thorough assessment of your business's needs - what type of website do you require? Will you need e-commerce functionality to sell products or services? Do you need advanced customization options to create a distinctive brand identity? Or are you looking for a simple, clean template-based website? Carefully considering these factors will help you identify the essential features you'll need from a website builder.

Then, research the leading website builder platforms and evaluate how well each one matches up with your specific needs. Pay close attention to factors like ease of use, design flexibility, SEO optimization, mobile responsiveness, and built-in marketing tools. It's also important to assess the long-term scalability of the website builder - will it be able to grow and evolve alongside your business?

Taking the time to find the perfect fit between your business requirements and a website builder's capabilities will ensure you end up with a powerful, high-performing online presence that helps drive your company's success.

Evaluating ease of use and customization

The ease of use and level of customization are two crucial factors to carefully consider when choosing a website builder. The ideal website builder should strike a balance between simplicity and flexibility, allowing you to create a professional-looking online presence without requiring extensive technical expertise or design skills.

A user-friendly interface is paramount, as it enables you to quickly and intuitively navigate the platform, add content, and make updates with minimal hassle. Look for website builders that offer an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, pre-designed templates, and a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) approach, empowering you to visualize and customize your website in real-time. At the same time, the ability to personalize your site's aesthetic, layout, and functionality is equally important.

The best website builders provide a robust set of customization tools, from adjusting color schemes and fonts to integrating custom code and adding advanced features like e-commerce, multimedia, and interactive elements. This level of control allows you to craft a unique online identity that accurately reflects your brand and resonates with your target audience. By finding a website builder that seamlessly balances user-friendliness and customization, you can establish a visually appealing, highly functional website that serves as a powerful digital hub for your small business.

Considering pricing and value

Carefully consider the pricing and overall value that each platform offers. While the initial cost of the website builder may seem like the primary factor, it's important to dig deeper and evaluate the long-term benefits and features that come with each option. Some website builders may have a lower upfront price tag, but limited functionality, restrictive customization capabilities, and hidden fees that can quickly add up, ultimately providing poor value for your investment. On the other hand, a slightly higher-priced website builder that includes a robust set of tools, seamless integration with e-commerce and marketing features, and exceptional customer support can prove to be a much wiser long-term choice, delivering far greater value to your small business.

Take the time to thoroughly research and compare the pricing structures, subscription tiers, and included features of various website builders to ensure you select the one that not only fits your budget but also provides the functionality, flexibility, and scalability your business needs to thrive online. Remember, the right website builder is an investment in the future success and growth of your small enterprise, so prioritize finding the perfect balance of cost and value-added capabilities.

Prioritizing customer support and scalability

The website builder you select will be the foundation for your online presence, so you need to ensure it can grow and adapt alongside your business. Reliable, responsive customer support is key - you want to be able to get help quickly when you inevitably have questions or run into issues, whether that's assistance configuring your site, troubleshooting technical problems, or getting advice on how to optimize your website for maximum impact. The website builder should also offer ample scalability, with the ability to easily add new pages, update your design, integrate e-commerce functionality, and expand your site as your business needs evolve over time.

Consider the long-term growth potential - can the website builder accommodate increases in traffic, handle more complex features, and scale up your online operations as you expand? Taking the time to carefully evaluate customer support resources and scalability options will help you choose a website builder that can truly grow with your small business and position you for lasting online success.

Conclusion

You are now full to the brim with all the information you need to have in order to make a wise decision when it comes to choosing your small business's website builder. Now go, get to it! When you have finished your research and have made a final decision, come back and let me know what platform you chose and why.

Have fun!