| Advantages and Disadvantages of Website Builder | | | | over time. |
| tools | | | | Many people are concerned with building their own |
| Web site builders are online tools which anyone can | | | | website, fearing boring designs and complexity. |
| use to build a professional looking Web site without | | | | However, it is now becoming apparent that there are |
| programming and have it hosted instantly. No software | | | | many custom web site builder software products on |
| to buy, no code to learn, all you need is to be a little | | | | the market that promise dynamic layouts, professional |
| Internet savvy and know how to click your mouse. | | | | templates, and user friendly web design tools. The |
| Most business owners today know that having a web | | | | professional web designers know there are a few |
| site is an essential component of marketing. In the past, | | | | more things to know, but sometimes they find some |
| the choices were to hire a professional web designer, | | | | irony in the fact that web developers, in their quest to |
| hire a local teenager to create a site for mall money, | | | | improve and better the web, have made themselves |
| or learn to do it yourself. Often the last two options, | | | | "optional". Most site building tools today are very robust, |
| which were the least expensive, were how small | | | | making it simple to add forms, searching, maps, guest |
| businesses had to go. The results are often not what | | | | books, calendars, and a whole variety of elements to a |
| businesses need to grow, reach, and impress new | | | | web site. Even better, the hosting company sometimes |
| potential customers. | | | | offers an entire suite of services - the site builder, |
| If you operate, manage or are the owner of a | | | | email marketing, search engine optimization and |
| business, you surely must realize the increase in | | | | statistics, all in one package along with the hosting. |
| e-commerce taking place today. Many businesses find | | | | So, why would anyone hire a professional? First, the |
| themselves searching for the best way to increase | | | | site building tools, though increasingly robust, often lack |
| their exposure on the internet, and for most a website | | | | in design and layout flexibility. For example, they might |
| is the first course of action. As most businesses | | | | depend on a standard layout that has a banner across |
| operate on firm budgets, finding cost effective | | | | the top, menu down the side. If you want to have your |
| solutions are usually one of the first thoughts when | | | | navigation across the top and perhaps a sub banner |
| looking to make new purchases. When it comes to | | | | under it, you might not have that option. Many |
| creating a website there are many affordable | | | | businesses have already outgrown their first or |
| software programs that can produce professional | | | | second site, and want something customized to their |
| results. Business software should be capable of | | | | business. Since all site builders differ, it is possible that |
| handling your needs today and in the future. Business | | | | you could want features and functionality within your |
| are always changing, adding new products, changing or | | | | site which is not available within the system. Still, some |
| removing old products, offering specials, having sales, | | | | site builders support development languages like PHP, |
| etc. By choosing a business website builder over a | | | | making it possible to customize the site with the help of |
| professional web designer you will be able to make | | | | a programmer. Some site builders include ecommerce, |
| changes to your website whenever you want to. | | | | but they do not all do it the same way. A few utilize |
| Another benefit is that you will be avoiding the high | | | | PayPal® - but not credit cards. Some use a |
| costs associated with developing the website and | | | | proprietary payment processing service and won't |
| costs for making any necessary changes. | | | | accommodate anything else. The bottom line is that it |
| Website Builder tools advantages to you are | | | | is important to look at sites that were built using the |
| increased revenue, cost control, caters to the large | | | | tool you're considering and research all of the features |
| demand existing for web designing in the SME sector | | | | that are included; to be sure that everything you want |
| and can increase the client base without adding to | | | | to do is possible. |
| your overhead. The advantage that your customers | | | | There is also a possibility that the service will require |
| gets is a professional quality website, up and running in | | | | you to keep some branding on the site telling people |
| minutes and a User friendly and easily customizable | | | | that you used their tool. This is more common with the |
| interfaces and gives a complete website with all its | | | | free site builders - which pay for themselves by putting |
| frills and features and Sleek and attractive professional | | | | ads on your site. If your goal is to build a business web |
| designs. | | | | site, it's really not worth sacrificing your professional |
| As more and more people are starting their own small | | | | image by getting something free, which screams |
| home business many are finding that having a website | | | | CHEAP. |
| is an important factor to consider. When one starts to | | | | A tool can make things happen - but if you don't know |
| consider building a website, especially the novice, many | | | | what to make happen, it is either a useless tool or a |
| questions arise including…. can I create a website | | | | dangerous one. There is a learning curve to knowing |
| myself or should I hire a professional? | | | | how to present information online (called information |
| Hiring a professional is a great way to go if you can | | | | architecture in the profession), as well as for using the |
| afford to. Although there are several things to keep in | | | | site builder. In other word, the fuller featured the tool; |
| mind: how much will it cost; how much will ongoing | | | | the more there is to learn. If you aren't familiar with |
| maintenance cost; what will changes cost; how long will | | | | color theory, use of typography, information |
| changes take, etc. As a result, many people opt to | | | | architecture, navigation and interface design, page |
| build their own website and begin searching for | | | | layout and design, you can potentially make something |
| software that can easily help them. | | | | that will hurt your business more than help it. So, unless |
| As you start searching for an easy web site builder, | | | | you are already computer and web savvy, figuring out |
| there are some factors that you should take into | | | | all the features within your web hosting and site builder |
| consideration so that your new software will serve | | | | package can be time consuming and frustrating. |
| you now and the future. | | | | Fortunately, there are ways that a small business can |
| One of the first things to consider is your computer | | | | take advantage of these new options and still create a |
| ability. If you despise computers and software and find | | | | functional and professional web site. One way is |
| them confusing and frustrating then building your own | | | | simply to take the time to research the available tools, |
| website can be quite a task, one that you may not | | | | and find the one that has the most features and |
| want to finish. However, if you enjoy working with | | | | flexibility, meeting your functional requirements. In other |
| computers and learning new things or if you just have | | | | words, spend the time to learn the things a seasoned |
| the patience to stick with it, then building a website is | | | | pro would bring to the table. The internet is a massive |
| within your grasp. If you still feel that you want to build | | | | library of "how to" information, where you can literally |
| your own site you should choose software that is | | | | teach yourself anything - and with enough time spent, |
| easy to use and user friendly. | | | | you could potentially learn how to layout information, |
| There is quite a variety of easy web site building | | | | what colors and fonts work well together, how to |
| software on the market today. In addition, some of the | | | | conduct your marketing online and optimize the site for |
| software available today is very expensive, geared | | | | search engines. |
| more for the professional web designer, and come | | | | Another approach would be to hire a professional |
| with a huge learning curve. | | | | designer simply to get you "off the ground" by handling |
| A very important factor to consider, one that will vastly | | | | the administrative set up of your new site package, |
| improve the ease of the program, is whether or not it | | | | creating the look of the site and developing the initial |
| includes a WYSIWYG editor. WYSIWYG stands for | | | | structure. That person could also teach you how to |
| “what you see is what you get” and if you | | | | manage the content and make changes by yourself |
| purchase a product with this feature you will be | | | | going forward. This middle ground approach ensures |
| creating your website in an environment similar to a | | | | that your site benefits your business and makes a |
| word processor – so if you are comfortable using a | | | | good impression. Depending on whether you use an |
| word processor creating a website shouldn’t be | | | | editing tool or a site builder, you may still be able to |
| too much for you. | | | | take advantage of "pay as you go" pricing and the |
| In the past, the options for small businesses to get a | | | | easy content management features of a site builder. |
| site developed have changed dramatically. There are | | | | The first step for a small business owner thinking |
| now sophisticated "site builder" tools available to small | | | | about having a web site needs to be an honest |
| business owners, bundled with many web hosting | | | | assessment of how much time, money, talent, patience |
| packages. By using templates, and a content | | | | and computer savvy he or she has, with a clear |
| management system to manage updates to the site, it | | | | understanding of the available options. Once this is |
| became easier to set up and maintain a web site, and | | | | determined, any small business which needs to be |
| many development companies have canned this | | | | online can be. |
| functionality, for a fee. Hosting providers are | | | | In addition, most dynamic website building software |
| increasingly offering tools to automate the web site | | | | programs incorporate other useful tools that aid in the |
| building process, and with good reason. This new | | | | construction of a impressive site layout. Many |
| option has many benefits, as long as the business | | | | programs include an html editor, text editor, and a |
| owner recognizes that there are trade offs and | | | | WYSIWYG editor, making it easy for the novice or |
| limitations to getting a web site this way. | | | | professional to achieve great results. There are many |
| One of the biggest attractions for site building tools is | | | | important factors to consider when purchasing an html |
| the cost. It won't necessarily cost less to get your site | | | | editor / website builder. |
| this way, but it does provide a way to spread the cost | | | | |