So many people ask me, 'What is a website builder?' My simple answer is that it's something you use to build your website. But there are so many options, and there can be builders within builders.
No wonder it's so easy to get confused! So, I've put together an expert guide to clear things up.
What Is a Website Builder?
Ok, so let me explain exactly what a website builder is.
A website builder is a set of tools that enables you to create a website without needing lots of technical knowledge or coding skills. Website builders are designed to make creating a website simple and accessible, even for complete beginners.
Sites such as Wix are website builders. They don't require much technical knowledge and usually have drag-and-drop builders so you can create your site easily. Instead of writing code, you simply move elements around the page, such as images, text, buttons, galleries, and contact forms.
Most website builder platforms also include ready-made templates, meaning you can choose a design you like and customise it to suit your business or brand. This makes them a popular choice for small businesses, startups, freelancers, bloggers, and anyone creating their first website.
Another reason website builders are so popular is that they usually include everything in one place. Hosting, security updates, templates, and support are often included in a monthly subscription, so you don't have to manage lots of separate services.
However, although simple, website builders are usually not scalable. They are a great place to start, but as your business grows and develops, your website may not grow with it.
They can also have other limitations, such as not having total control over how you want your website to look and what it does. Some website builders are better than others and offer more options and flexibility. Therefore, if you want something basic and easy to use, a website builder is often a good option.
Is WordPress a Website Builder?
You probably know that at WWW, we use WordPress for all our websites. So, is WordPress a website builder?
Yes, you can create websites with WordPress, but it's actually something called a content management system, often shortened to CMS.
What on earth is one of those, you might ask?!
A content management system is more of a framework that you can install on your website to manage your content. This includes things such as your pages, blog posts, images, products, and users.
Unlike many website builder platforms, WordPress gives you far more flexibility and control. You are not limited to a small set of features, and you can customise almost every aspect of your website.
You can also add extra functionality as your business grows. For example, you can install plugins to add things like:
- Online shops
- Booking systems
- Membership areas
- Contact forms
- SEO tools
- Online courses
- Advanced design features
This is one of the main reasons WordPress has become so popular worldwide.
When I first started creating websites in WordPress, you would choose a template (paid or free), and it was really difficult, unless you knew what you were doing, to make customisations to that template. If you wanted it to look different, you would often have to start again from scratch.
Developers soon caught on to this and created website builders to work inside WordPress. So now you have builders such as Divi Builder, Elementor, Beaver Builder, and others.
These tools allow you to use drag-and-drop features to build your website more easily, so effectively you get the best of both worlds. You get the flexibility and scalability of WordPress combined with the simplicity of a website builder.
This means beginners can create professional-looking websites without needing to become web developers.
Which Option Is Best?
I see so many people start off with something simple because they don't want to spend time learning what they think may be difficult.
Then, a year or so down the line, they wish that they had spent those few hours learning, as now they have to start from scratch and have wasted far more than a few hours.
But then, for others, simple and easy really are best.
There is no single right answer when choosing between a website builder and WordPress. It completely depends on your goals, budget, confidence with technology, and how much you expect your business to grow.
A website builder may be the right choice if:
- You want something quick and easy
- You have little or no technical experience
- You only need a simple website
- You don't want to manage updates or maintenance
- You are testing a business idea
WordPress may be the better choice if:
- You want more control and flexibility
- You plan to grow your website over time
- You want advanced functionality
- You care about long-term scalability
- You want full ownership of your website
So, How Do You Know What You Need?
The perfect place to start is discovering what you need and want from a website.
Before choosing a website builder or WordPress, spend some time planning things such as:
- What your website needs to do
- Who your audience is
- What pages you need
- Whether you will sell products or services
- What functionality you may need in the future
- How you want your website to look
Making a plan at the beginning can save you a huge amount of time, money, and frustration later on.
Why not join our free course below to get you started?