There are all sorts of solutions available for putting together a professional-looking website, even if you’re not an expert.
In fact, the market is so sprawling that it becomes something of a struggle to make a decision, without doing some research first.
To that end, we’ve done the hard work for you and come up with some suggestions of different platforms to consider when the time to build your first website arrives.
WordPress (You’ll Need Web Hosting)
Building a website with WordPress is an excellent option for businesses that need high performance and scalability.
It’s ideal for those who are already familiar with coding, or willing to learn the basics.
You’ll need web hosting if you want to use WordPress, as it requires a server where your files can be stored and accessed from anywhere in the world.
Just choose an ideal hosting package from a reputable provider, install their software on your computer, create an account at wordpress.org, then follow their instructions carefully so that everything runs smoothly.
From there you can start customizing your site however you’d like using plugins and themes available through the official library of extensions.
This will help make sure your website looks professional and modern, without any extra effort required from yourself.
Wix – Drag And Drop Site Builder
For those looking for a simpler solution, Wix is the perfect choice. With its drag-and-drop site builder, creating your first website couldn’t be easier.
All you have to do is choose from hundreds of pre-designed templates that can then be fully customized with optimized images, text and other elements as needed.
Also, since it comes with integrated hosting included in every plan, you don’t need to worry about finding web hosting elsewhere, or configuring anything yourself.
Best of all, most features are available even on their free plans so there’s no need to upgrade until you’re ready.
Squarespace – Simple To Use & Great Results
If you want an online presence that looks professional and polished, Squarespace is the perfect choice.
It’s easy to use, even for complete beginners, as it provides you with all the tools needed to create a great looking website in no time at all.
Like Wix, the drag-and-drop approach is used here, and makes it a breeze to customize your site exactly how you want.
With dozens of stunning templates available too, there’s something for everyone.
Shopify – Create An Online Store Swiftly
Should your main aim be to make an ecommerce site, then Shopify is the perfect choice.
With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, it’s easy for businesses of all sizes to get started selling quickly.
As you’d expect by now, it comes with hundreds of themes designed specifically for ecommerce, so your site will look great from day one.
There are also plenty of tools available, such as automated shipping and payment processing, that reduce the amount of work you need to do to keep your ecommerce presence up and running.
While you may eventually want to move on to a bespoke ecommerce site further down the line, Shopify is an example of an excellent jumping off point for newcomers who are eager to get started.
Weebly – Unfussy, Intuitive Interface For Beginners
If you’re just getting started with web development and want something straightforward to use, then Weebly should be close to the top of your list.
You don’t need to be a coding wiz to work out what this platform has to offer, as the interface lets you plot out pages and add features through the tried and tested drag-and-drop method that we’ve already mentioned a few times.
You can also add features such as blog posts, contact forms or ecommerce stores quickly and easily with no technical know-how necessary, which means anyone can have their own website up in minutes.
Joomla – An Open Source Option For Increased Flexibility
For those with a bit more technical knowledge, or a team that they can call on to assist, Joomla is an excellent option.
It’s an open source platform, so you can access the code and customize it however you’d like, which makes it perfect for businesses that need something unique or require specific features not available elsewhere.
Another advantage is its powerful content management system (CMS), which means managing your website and creating new pages and posts is a cakewalk.
In this case you could pay for a third party to develop the site for you, then take the reins once it is ready and harness the CMS for everyday management purposes, without needing to be a coding master yourself.
Final Thoughts
As you can see there are website builders out there for people of all levels of ability, and for projects of all sizes.
Just compare your needs to the platforms we’ve mentioned, and the choice should be obvious.
