INTHEBLACK October 2021 - Magazine - Page 71
Left: You can use
Shopify to create an
online store, an Amazon
presence and even a
point-of-sale app.
Centre: Wix makes it
easy for you to add
prebuilt pages,
backgrounds and
much more.
Below: Divi brings
drag-and-drop page
building functionality
to WordPress.
third-party apps to help boost sales, handle
deliveries and add many other features.
Shopify takes a bit longer to learn than Wix,
but there are still no coding skills or specialist
knowledge required, and it is ideal for
businesses revolving around an online store.
GODADDY
Many web hosting providers such as Netregistry
and GoDaddy now also offer online website
builders. GoDaddy’s app, for example, allows you
to create a basic website, online store or service
site with a simple drag-and-drop interface.
It even includes SEO, social media, email
marketing and other tools. However, while it
is a well-rounded offering, its tools are more
rudimentary than Wix’s and its templates lack
Squarespace’s finesse.
Still, GoDaddy’s builder is a very affordable
way to get a good-looking business website up
and running fast.
MOBIRISE
One problem with hosted solutions is that you
are effectively locked into the host’s platform.
You may be able to export content, but you
can’t move the whole site, including the
design, to another provider.
Mobirise solves this by offering a more
traditional website building approach. Users
download its software (for Windows or Mac),
create the website on their computer and then
upload the finished files for publication.
Users have to organise domain and web
hosting providers themselves, but once that’s
done, Mobirise makes it easy to create and
publish a website, and the site can be moved
to another hosting provider at any time.
Mobirise lacks many of the tools offered
by the likes of Wix, but it is ideal if you
want to create a basic but great-looking
website. It is also free, or you can purchase
additional templates and add-ons for a simple
one-off fee.
WORDPRESS
If you want more power and flexibility, you
may need to step up to a content
management system. WordPress is the clear
market leader here, largely due to its relatively
easy-to-use dashboard for adding and
managing content.
It also offers thousands of themes and
plug-ins for adding just about any feature
imaginable – and it is supported by most
web hosting providers.
Many web hosting providers make it simple
to install WordPress, although until recently
you would typically need a web professional
to build a custom website.
These days, page builders such as Divi and
Elementor offer graphical interfaces, which,
among other things, allow you to drag and
drop elements to design WordPress pages.
WordPress is still not as simple to use as
Wix, but using a page builder with WordPress
offers the best of both worlds.
OTHER OPTIONS
If none of these options suit you, there are
many other website builders, content
management systems and other tools for
creating sites.
Alternatively, there is no shortage of web
designers and developers who can do the
work for you. Just be sure to do your
homework and choose the right people or
the right tool for your needs.
intheblack.com October 2021 71