How to choose the best website builder for your business

With so many options for website builders you can spend a lot of time deciding which one is the best fit for you. Through Artisan Kind I choose to design my site as well as all of my client’s sites through Showit. While I’m a bit biased when it comes to the Showit, I fully recognize that there is no one perfect platform for everyone out there. My philosophy for choosing a website builder is this:

There is no best platform, just the one that’s best for you, your needs, and your growth.

Today I’ll guide you through what to consider when selecting a website builder and walk you through each of the most popular platforms available: WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Kajabi, and Showit.  This in-depth analysis will help you make an informed decision that will serve your business well for the long-run.

Disclaimer: Just a heads up, this post contains an affiliate link! If you choose to make a purchase through the link, Artisan Kind will receive a small commission. Thank you so much!

What To Consider When Choosing A Website Builder

1. Responsiveness

Have you ever landed a site where the buttons didn’t work, the text was squished, or the links took you to the wrong place? It’s incredibly frustrating and I bet you didn’t stay on that site for too long.

Today, almost 60% of all internet access is done through the phone. What does that mean for your business? It means your website must be fully responsive (meaning easy to use and well formatted) on mobile devices as well as desktops. This way, your visitors don’t experience that same frustration.

2. All in one features (and why it’s not always the best)

A lot of platforms will advertise the benefit of having all of your features available in one place. (Website, email newsletter, contracts, meeting scheduler, invoicing etc.) While this seems like a no-brainer to save you time, money, and simplify your business, you may be sacrificing quality for convenience.

In the restaurant world a too-large menu is seen as a bad sign. Why?  Because a truly great restaurant will have a few specialties. With too many options they don’t have the opportunity to perfect all of them. 

The same can apply to platforms that offer too many features. My advice is to choose a website builder that has a few key features they specialize in, then integrate other softwares (like Honeybook or Dubsado) that fill in the gaps with their specialties.

3. Your skillset

It’s important to consider your skillset and how much you’ll need to learn to use a particular website builder. If you aren’t comfortable with coding (HTML and CSS) then a drag and drop builder is likely your best fit! 

Now should you choose to hire a website designer they can handle the heavy lifting for you whether you’re familiar with code or not. However, I find it important to go with a platform that will be easy for you to make small edits to after your work with a designer is complete.

4. Cost

Why is cost further down on this list? While understanding your budget is important I definitely don’t think your decision on a website builder should be based solely on cost. 

Thinking long-term about the needs of your business, you’ll want to choose a platform that has the ability to support your goals and provide the best experience for your visitors.

We all want to save money of course. I’m not suggesting that you make an unwise financial decision if you truly can’t afford it.  But know that your website is an investment and truly one of the most critical pieces of your business. When it’s done well it should make you more money than you spend on it.

5. You’re long term decision

To follow up on that last point, I want to reassure you that it is okay to switch your website builder down the road! Don’t feel pressured to make the perfect decision the first time around. Perhaps you’re already using a platform and are nervous about the hassle of switching to a new one. If switching your website builder or hosting seems to be the best option for your current needs, don’t feel locked into your original decision.

Working with a website designer can ease the overwhelm of making the switch, but even if you’re doing it on your own there are lots of tutorials and customer support services to help you with this process.

 Choosing Your Website Builder

Now without further adieu, let’s look at the pros and cons of the most popular website builders.

WordPress

WordPress is one of the most widely used website builders for business owners. With a self-hosted site (wordpress.org) users will need to set up and pay for hosting with a third party like Hostgator, GoDaddy, Bluehost etc. so they can have a custom domain name.  Users will fully own their site and will also have access to robust blogging features, design customization, and an array of plugins that enhance the functionality of the site. 

WordPress offers a few free templates for users, but there are hundreds of beautiful premium  templates to choose from by WordPress and independent sellers. 

Pros

Cyber Chip has a fantastic breakdown of the pros and cons for wordpress that you can check out for additional information, but here is the simplified version:

• The Elementor Plugin allows for easier site customization through drag and drop features.
• Mobile-friendly.
• Advanced SEO optimization for each page and access to the Yoast plugin which makes creating SEO-focused blogs incredibly simple!
• Well-suited for Ecommerce sites thanks to the WooCommerce plugin.
• Additional security measures via plugins.
• Well established with a long history of users.

Cons

• Can be difficult to customize especially if you aren’t well versed in code and you don’t download a drag and drop plugin like Elementor.
• Clunky dashboard navigation can make it difficult to design quickly and find where certain settings are located.
• Costly after adding up hosting fees, themes, and premium plugins.
• It’s extremely complex which is great for businesses who want all the flexibility with their site, but it can be overwhelming for the average user who just needs the basics.

Squarespace

Squarespace has been marketed as the best option for small businesses and solo-entrepreneurs. With easy, user-friendly, no-coding-necessary customization and newly added features for Ecommerce it’s a great place to design a beautiful functional site without a huge time commitment.

Squarepsace runs on its own servers meaning user’s don’t have to worry about paying for hosting with a third-party. Pricing plans to use Squarespace range from $19-$65 a month and access to features will vary based on the plan selected.

Pros

See the 2022 complete review of Squarespace for more detailed pros and cons!

• Easy to edit templates.
• Ability to add custom CSS code to further personalize your site design (most Squarespace designers offer this as part of their services).
• All in one design features (no need for plugins or widgets) and built in SEO.
• Mobile-friendly.
• Ability to edit certain parts of your site from mobile devices.
• Free SSL certificates (the little lock icon in URL’s which shows users that the site they’re on is secure).

Cons

• Slower loading speeds than other custom website builders (especially if you use more graphics and images).
• No phone support which can make it harder to communicate when issues arise.
• Squarespace automatically structures the data on each page that Google sees. What Google sees impacts your SEO. With Squarespace you have to manually change some of those settings to improve SEO rankings.  

Wix

Wix is a popular website builder especially for users who are just starting out! The platform offers free and premium plans, for $5-$17 a month, with access to over 500 site templates. Wix has an incredibly easy to use drag and drop interface that uses design elements called “widgets.” Widgets for text, images, galleries, buttons, favorite blog posts, and more can be arranged in any order on the page. 

Pros 

For a more detailed look at the pro’s and con’s of wix be sure to read this review.

• Quick site loading speeds.
• User-friendly drag and drop design.
• Wix app market works like plugins for WordPress and can enhance site functionality.
• Built in SEO settings.
• Detailed help videos or knowledge base entry’s to help you troubleshoot.

Cons

• Free plans don’t allow users to remove Wix branding from the site.
• Non-transferrable site content. Meaning what you create on Wix, stays on Wix. If you ever decide you’ve outgrown the features Wix provides you will have to recreate your site on a new website builder.
• Must use the premium version to access website analytics.
• Even though it’s a drag and drop builder, customization is still very limited compared to other builders.

Kajabi

Kajabi is a website builder you may or may not have heard of, likely because it is built for a very specific kind of business owner: course creators and educators. While many use the platform solely to host their course, membership, training, workshop etc, others use Kajabi as their primary website.

Kajabi is advertised as an all-in-one platform where users can build a website from ready-made templates, access email marketing tools, build a client pipeline and more.

Pros

For a more detailed look at Kajabi’s features, check out this review from Minima Designs.

• Easy to create and set up your online course or other digital offers.
• Create coupons or discount codes for your offers through Kajabi.
• Simple to use website building tools.
• Easily duplicate content from courses or website pages to save time in future designs.
• Mobile-friendly.

Cons

• It is not easy to export content from Kajabi once it is set up there.
• High price tag at $200 per month.
• There is no “preview” area to test changes to your site before hitting publish (this is a big one to think about).
• Limited design features for website building (again since Kajabi’s primary focus is hosting course content).
• No media library, so you can only store up to 30 images at a time to use in your designs.

Showit

Showit was initially designed for photographers and creative business owners as it easily supports imagery without drastically impacting loading speeds. However, over the years the vast array of features appealed to businesses from all industries so it is not a “photographer’s-only” platform. 

Showit is also a drag and drop website builder, very similar in feeling to the Adobe programs. 

It’s a subscription based platform and includes hosting in the package (no need to find third party hosting), all you’ll need is a domain name to connect. Subscriptions cost between $19-$34 a month. With Showit’s new referral program you can also get a month free if you sign up using this code artisankind or this link!  

This platform has an in-depth knowledge base as well as access to support via email and live chat. One of the most enticing features is the Showit’s partnership with WordPress. Users can have the customization freedom of Showit and the power of a WordPress blog.

Pros:

For an in-depth analysis of Showit I recommend this post from the Flying Muse.

• Easy drag and drop interface that allows users to move elements wherever they want on the page.
• Fully customizable and separate desktop and mobile design for peak responsiveness on all devices. (Mobile is not automatically adjusted to desktop settings so you have more design freedom).
• Access to WordPress blogging features that enhance your SEO.
• Unmatched customer support team.
• Reusable layouts and add-on templates. You can easily duplicate elements and integrate features from Showit’s free template library into your own template.
• Showit also runs on AWS servers which plan to function on 100% renewable energy by 2024. (A BIG one for me!)
  

Cons:

• Elements on Showit don’t automatically adjust to user’s screens so you have to pay close attention to “locking” features in the design process.
• More expensive than most other platforms.
• Can come with a bit of a learning curve (though there are tons of resources out there!)
• Isn’t automatically set up for Ecommerce, but you can now integrate WooCommerce, Shopify, and ThriveCart to work around that.
• Longer design time since each element between mobile and desktop can be customized.

Final Thoughts (Why I Use Showit and What Builder You Should Choose)

I specialize in custom website designs using the Showit platform. I’ve found that Showit gives me the most creative freedom to make a truly custom site for you-the design possibilities are endless! It is also easy for my clients to make small edits of their own (no coding necessary) once our project is completed. 

Is Showit more expensive? On the surface, yes. Showit comes with a slightly higher price tag. Though it’s important to know what you’re getting for that cost: more features than other similarly priced website builders, easy customization, WordPress blogging for better SEO, and a fantastic support team.

Which website builder is right for you?

As I said at the start, there is no one right platform for everyone. The best website builder for you will be the one that suits your business and your needs.

• Do you prefer all-in-one features? 
• Are you looking for easy customization or do you want to experiment with code?
• Do you need a blog? 
• Do you need advanced features now, will you need them later?
• Will you be selling digital products and need Ecommerce settings?
• Will you be working with a designer to help you build your site?

All important things to consider! Just remember to think long-term and know that your website is your ticket to connecting with your ideal clients.