Good Listener Studio

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Tips for DIY Website Building

Good Listener Studio

Let’s start from the top…

What website builder/CMS platform should you use?

There are a lot out there, so let me just list them real quick:

  1. Joomla

  2. WordPress

  3. Drupal

  4. Magento

  5. Squarespace

  6. Weebly

  7. Ghost

  8. Concrete5

  9. TYPO3

  10. Umbraco

  11. MODX

  12. Wix

  13. DotNetNuke

  14. PrestaShop

  15. OpenCart

  16. BigCommerce

  17. Webflow

  18. WooCommerce

  19. ExpressionEngine

  20. Sitecore

  21. Episerver

  22. Craft CMS

  23. Godaddy

  24. SilverStripe

  25. Liferay

  26. Shopify

  27. Plone

  28. Grav

  29. Bolt CMS

  30. Kirby CMS

  31. ProcessWire

  32. Statamic

“Ay, whoa, ay what are you doin’ with all ya names and the stuff?!” Thats you, probably reading this, sitting there with your shoes and ya shirt.

Okay, I’m just saying that there’s a lot out there, so let me cut through the malarky and show you where the real juice is squeezed…

Hey, remember when I said “malarky” and “where the real juiced is squeezed”? I’m not ashamed, Now listen up!

Also side note, I don’t know what 40% of these platforms are, like what the heck is a Joomla? Sounds like a bunch of hoopla to me (google autocorrected Joomla to hoopla so I thought that would be a fun word to use).

Let’s narrow this down to just 6 Web Builders for the DIY squad.

Webflow: A web design tool that also provides hosting and CMS features. It has a more powerful design tool and a steeper learning curve compared to other builders.

Squarespace: A drag-and-drop website builder that emphasizes design and has e-commerce features. It has a wide range of templates, but the customization options are a little more limited compared to Webflow.

Wix: A cloud-based website builder with a focus on ease of use. It has a large library of templates and a simple drag-and-drop interface. However, its design capabilities and performance can be limited compared to other builders.

GoDaddy: A domain registrar and web hosting company that also offers website building tools. Its website builder is more basic compared to others and is geared towards small business owners and individuals who don’t have technical skills.

Shopify: An e-commerce platform that allows users to create online stores. It offers a wide range of e-commerce features, such as inventory management, payment processing, and shipping.

Weebly: A website builder that offers a range of features, including e-commerce. Works with a simple drag-and-drop interface and offers a variety of templates, but its customization options can be more limited compared to other builders.

These are the best ones for the beginner builder to use. The big differential between these sites will entirely rely on YOU and your GOALS. Based on what you need to build your website and what your website needs to do for your business.

Let’s explore some basic strengths and weaknesses of each platform.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the top Website Builders

Wix

Strengths:

  • Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor

  • Wide selection of templates and designs

  • Excellent customer support

  • Affordable pricing plans

Weaknesses:

  • Limited design flexibility

  • Some features require paid plans

  • SEO optimization can be challenging

  • E-commerce limitations

Squarespace

Strengths:

  • High-quality templates and designs

  • Excellent e-commerce features

  • User-friendly interface

  • High-quality SEO optimization

  • Domain and web hosting

Weaknesses:

  • Limited third-party integration

  • Limited customization options

  • More expensive than other website builders

Weebly

Strengths:

  • Intuitive drag-and-drop editor

  • Good e-commerce features

  • Affordable pricing plans

  • Solid app integration

Weaknesses:

  • Limited design customization options

  • Limited blogging features

  • Some advanced features require coding knowledge

  • Limited scaleability for growing businesses

Shopify

Strengths:

  • The best e-commerce features

  • High-quality templates

  • User-friendly interface

  • Wide selection of app integrations

Weaknesses:

  • Limited design customization options

  • Expensive pricing plans

  • Transaction fees for some payment gateways

  • Limited SEO capabilities

GoDaddy

Strengths:

  • Affordable pricing plans

  • Easy to use

  • Good customer support

  • Offers a wide range of services beyond website building, such as domain registration and web hosting.

Weaknesses:

  • Limited design customization compared to other website builders

  • Lacks advanced features compared to other website builders

  • Can be slow in loading times

Webflow

Strengths:

  • Advanced design capabilities

  • Offers custom code and CMS features

  • Responsive and fast-loading sites

  • High level of control and customization

Weaknesses:

  • Steep learning curve for beginners

  • May require coding knowledge

  • More expensive than other website builders

So there you have it. A basic breakdown of some of the more well known and (In my opinion) better resources for DIY website building. Whether you are a seasoned veteran with some knowledge of coding or a complete beginner with grandpa level computer skills, this list should help you figure out where to begin.

Click on the titles of each platform to view their pricing and go explore!

Part two coming soon - Key tips for finding the design you want.