A lot goes into making a great website, but choosing the right website building platform can make it so much easier. The trouble is, there are a lot of providers to choose from. How do you know you’re using the right builder for you? Today, we’ll go over five attributes that some of the best building platforms offer.
1. Analytics.
Right away, we need to determine how you’re going to gain insight as to what is driving the most traffic to your website. What page gets the most clicks, and how many people even find your website on a regular basis? Your builder should be able to help you here, and additionally, should work well with Google Analytics.
2. Image support.
All of the best websites feature some type of visual media as well. Your chosen builder needs to give you the ability to edit images as necessary for the best fit on any given page. Moreover, many businesses would do well to set up an image gallery; something that not every builder offers in clean, easy-to-set-up design. Browse this extensive list of website builders to find the one that best supports high-quality visual elements.
3. ECommerce capabilities.
A lot of people use their websites to sell, and maybe you’re no exception. Here is where a website builder can make or break you. Figure out if your prospective builder has eCommerce features available on-site, or if they integrate them from a different application. Also, be sure to research which payment types are supported; these often vary with the type of plan you select. If a whole gallery of products needs to be represented, it might be the best choice to select a builder that specializes specifically in eCommerce sites.
4. Social media integration.
How shareable is your content? If you don’t choose the right website builder, the answer may be “not at all”, even if you generate interesting, authoritative copy. One small key feature we want our site to have our social media buttons, so visitors can easily turn your content into their latest social media post. In addition to one-click sharing, your website should readily feature buttons that click over to your own social media profiles.
5. Elegant themes and templates.
If you’re using a website builder, there’s a good chance you’re not out to hire a design team. That’s the main reason it helps to choose a builder renowned for its themes and templates. Above all else, the design offered needs to be mobile-friendly. But in addition, they should be uncomplicated to navigate and customizable. For instance, you should be able to alter the colour and font on a template that you love – this is very important with respect to branding. Having a clear idea of what makes your presence a “brand” can impact what builder you choose, as customizability in various areas will allow you more control over your image.
In closing, there is just one more essential feature to consider: domain name. Images, themes, galleries, and more go a long way, but you should start with a totally original domain name. To maintain basic professionalism, ensure that your plan with a website builder doesn’t mean that they include a portion of their name in your web address.