Lucy - BQ Magazine EditorWhen new businesses are looking into growing and getting a foot into the online world, such as building up a digital presence, they’re hit with a wave of advice. What should you do? Should you only focus on social media? Should you start a YouTube? What about podcasts? Does live streaming help? What type of content is even best?
Well, even on top of that, there are still additional things you have to think about, too. You have to think about the maintenance and how easy it will be, how easy designing and hosting your website will be, and seriously, this list could go on and on.
You have to think about whether it’s worth looking at pay monthly websites or if you’re going to pay for a domain name that you keep forever. Are you going to lean into somebody else hosting for you or are you going to have a website that you host yourself? These are all questions that you have to ask yourself because they all affect your budget.
So, with that said, it’s not just about what you want to do with your website (or digital presence, for that matter) but what platform. Nowadays, there are so many different types of platforms out there, way too many. So, this massive number of options just makes it hard to pin out what might even be for the best.
Even though WordPress powers 42.7% of all websites, is this even a right fit? What about the drag-and-drop feature that YouTubers brag about with Squarespace? Well, at the end of the day, it’s going to be up to you. But it’ll help a lot to just get a feel for what you might want. So, with that said, here’s what you should look for in website platforms!
Think About Your Requirements for the Website
All right, so before delving into platform selection, take the time to clearly define your business goals, target audience, and website requirements. Now, this might be obvious; maybe you already did this, but it’s still going to help.
So, ask yourself some of these questions: Are you selling products or services? Do you need e-commerce functionality? Will you be regularly publishing blog content? Understanding your specific needs and objectives will serve as a roadmap for choosing the most suitable platform.
Think About Ease of Use
As a new business owner, you’ll want a platform that is intuitive and easy to use, even if you have limited technical expertise. Put yourself in the user’s shoes. They’re going to want simplicity, right? Well, give them simplicity! Just be sure to look for platforms with user-friendly interfaces, drag-and-drop editors, and customisable templates that allow you to create and manage your website with ease.
While sure, you could go for something complicated, such as platforms with coding, but unless you know what you’re doing, it’s better to either go for a template or a drag-and-drop feature. On top of that, you might even want to consider the availability of comprehensive support resources such as tutorials, documentation, and customer support channels to assist you along the way.
Your Budget is Everything
Some platforms charge a monthly or annual subscription, while others might only charge for hosting. So, how tight is your budget? What can you afford? What are you willing to pay for? So you’ll want to just go ahead and evaluate the cost structure of each platform, including upfront fees, subscription plans, transaction fees (for e-commerce functionality), and any additional add-ons or upgrades.
You’re also going to want to just go ahead and balance the cost with the value proposition and features offered by each platform to make an informed decision.
How Outlandish Do You Want Your Website?
Do you want to control every tiny feature that your website offers? Do you want something out of this world? Are you indifferent? Well, that’s something to think about, too. For example, WordPress has more customisable options than Wix or Squarespace.
Additionally, assess the platform’s flexibility in terms of custom coding, CSS styling, and integration with design tools to tailor your website to your specific requirements. It’s important to feel like you can customise your website, but it’s also important not to expect to be able to control every single tiny aspect.
Is It Good for SEO?
If you’re not familiar with web design or SEO, you absolutely need to consider this! So, the website itself, such as a template, the site speed, and other factors, play a huge role in SEO. It’s not just about your content but what’s inside the website, too.
So, that means that you’ll need to evaluate each platform’s built-in SEO features, including customisable metadata, URL structures, image optimisation, and site speed optimisation. It can be a lot of work, and you might need to look into forums as well, but SEO is so important, so you can’t skip out on this!