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How To Choose the Right Website Platform for Your Small Business

The right website platform plays a pivotal part when creating a website for your business. 

The role of the website platform is to enable you to create an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive site that will serve as a reliable, secure home for your content. 

With so many different platforms available today, choosing the one that best fits your needs can be overwhelming. 

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

In this guide, we will provide guidance on selecting the most appropriate website platform for your business, with considerations such as pricing, ease of use, and customization options taken into account.

What is a Website Platform?

A website platform is a software application or content management system used to create and maintain websites. 

It provides the user with an interface, allowing them to easily manage their website’s content, design, and functions. 

The alternative is pretty messy for someone like you and me, with little to no coding skills.

As such, using a website platform saves time and energy by automating tasks like creating pages, uploading images, and customizing page designs. 

Why Choosing the Right Platform is Important

Right off the bat, the right platform can make the difference between a website that attracts customers and one that falls flat.

The right platform will offer reliable hosting, a comprehensive suite of tools, and easy access to customer service. 

It should also provide features like content management systems (CMS) and e-commerce capabilities to make web development and management easier.

Having the right platform can also help you build a website that’s optimized for search engine optimization (SEO). 

This means more people can find you online, leading to more sales and business growth.

Finally, the right platform should make it easy for you to customize your website to fit your needs. 

This can help you ensure your website looks professional, is user-friendly, and offers all the necessary features.

Again, it can give you the edge to keep climbing those market share numbers.

Available Platform Types

As mentioned earlier, there are a ton of platforms you can build your business site upon.

In this section, we will dive into each, what it offers, and mention some pros and cons of using it.

a. WordPress

Available Platform Types in South Africa

WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms available today, and it’s easy to see why.

This open-source content management system makes installation and upgrades a breeze. 

It also offers great customization options and allows users to create any type of website they choose. 

In addition, WordPress is available in more than 70 languages and dialects, making it accessible for businesses all over the world. 

Furthermore, WordPress is used by 43.2% of all websites on the Internet – meaning that many businesses have already chosen this platform as their go-to option for creating a successful online presence. 

With its flexibility, extensive library of plugins and themes, user-friendly interface, fast loading speeds, and strong search engine optimization capabilities, it’s no wonder so many companies are choosing WordPress as their preferred platform for building their websites. 

Pros:

  • WordPress is easy to use and requires minimal technical expertise. 
  • It is a cost-effective solution for small businesses with no setup costs or ongoing monthly fees. 
  • Plugins can be used to customize and extend functionality without coding skills.  
  • It offers a wide range of professional design options, allowing businesses to create a unique websites quickly and easily. 
  • It is SEO-friendly and provides access to powerful tools to help websites rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Cons:

  • Updates can be unreliable, leading to security vulnerabilities and potential downtime if not properly managed. 
  • Limited scalability – as the website grows, upgrading to a more powerful platform such as Magento or Shopify may become necessary for increased performance and stability. 
  • The learning curve for new users can be quite steep, as there are many features to learn. 
  • Customizing websites to match a client’s exact specifications can be difficult. 
  • If a website is not properly managed, it can become vulnerable to hacking and malicious software.

b. Wix

Wix

Wix is an excellent website platform for businesses of any size, thanks to its simple drag-and-drop user interface. 

It hosts over 85 million live websites and offers 900+ free customizable templates. 

There’s even a template marketplace where users can find unique designs created by professional designers. 

Wix also offers full-stack web development tools for added custom functionality – allowing users to add HTML, CSS, or JavaScript code as needed. 

Best of all, plenty of useful features are included in the free version such as SEO assistance, social media integration, and analytics. 

Wix is a great option for entrepreneurs looking for an easy way to get their business online with minimal effort.

Pros:

  • Wix is user-friendly and accessible for anyone with limited coding experience, making it ideal for small businesses. 
  • It has a wide range of customizable templates that you can use to create a unique website for your business. 
  • The drag-and-drop feature makes it easy to customize elements such as text, images, videos and galleries on your website. 
  • Wix offers many different pricing plans to suit various budgets, which helps small businesses save money compared to other website-building platforms. 
  • It includes built-in SEO tools to help improve visibility and boost search engine rankings for your business’s website. 

Cons:

  • There are some limitations when customizing the HTML or CSS of the templates, which can make it difficult to create a truly unique look for your website. 
  • You may need additional features requiring third-party integrations, which can increase the platform’s cost. 
  • Wix can be slower than other website building platforms, which can affect the loading speed of your website. 
  • Customer support can be slow to respond to inquiries. 
  • Wix doesn’t offer any options for e-commerce websites, so you’ll need to use an external platform for that.

c. OLITT

OLITT

OLITT is an innovative website platform that offers businesses a comprehensive solution to their web design needs. 

With over 200+ premium template designs, the platform provides users with a virtually limitless number of options to create aesthetically pleasing websites. 

The free drag-and-drop website builder makes creating and customizing your site quick and intuitive. 

Additionally, OLITT’s suite of configurations keeps you focused on the only thing that matters – optimizing your business’s online presence. 

The platform also includes powerful tools for SEO optimization, so you can be sure that your customers will find your products or services easily in search engine results. 

Its robust analytics tools make it easy to monitor various aspects of your business’s website performance and make informed decisions about further development or improvements in real-time. 

d. Weebly

Weebly

Weebly is another great option for businesses that are just starting out. 

According to BuiltWith, there are currently 1,020,591 live websites using Weebly.

That’s a huge number, I wonder why?

Well, the platform lets you get up and running with step-by-step guidance on building and launching your website. 

Expert starter guides and planning tools provide useful advice and support while taking the guesswork out of website building. 

Their App Center brings a wide range of new functionality and services directly to your website. 

This can include social media integration, payment processing, or even a contact form so customers can easily reach out. 

And custom domains help give credibility to your business while the full suite of SEO tools helps ensure your content reaches as many potential customers as possible. 

Pros:

  • Weebly has a simple, user-friendly interface that makes creating a website easy for small businesses.
  • Weebly offers an array of free and paid templates for users to choose from. 
  • Weebly’s drag-and-drop editor allows for customization and flexibility to create a website tailored to the needs of the business.
  • Weebly integrates with popular services like Google Analytics and MailChimp, allowing businesses to easily track visitors and build customer lists. 
  • Weebly’s customer support team is available 24/7 to answer questions or provide assistance. 

Cons:

  • Weebly does not offer access to any server-side coding languages like PHP or SQL, so advanced features are limited in the platform. 
  • The web hosting services included in Weebly’s plans are limited, so businesses may need to look elsewhere for more robust hosting solutions.
  • Weebly’s e-commerce features are limited and may not be enough for businesses that need more advanced features. 
  • Weebly’s templates may be too basic for businesses that want a more unique website design. 
  • Weebly’s plans are more expensive than similar services, making it an expensive option for businesses on a tight budget.

e. Squarespace

Squarespace

Squarespace is another website platform that has seen exponential growth in recent years. 

According to BuiltWith, over 3 million live websites are now using Squarespace.

This blogging platform provides users with all the tools they need to create a modern website without requiring coding knowledge. 

You get access to various templates and design options that can be customized to suit individual business needs. 

Additionally, it’s easy-to-use interface makes it simple for anyone to create their own website quickly and efficiently. 

Furthermore, Squarespace also offers various tools and resources such as analytics, SEO optimization, email marketing campaigns, and more that help business owners grow their online presence more effectively. 

As a result, Squarespace is an ideal choice for businesses looking for an efficient way to build their online presence with minimal effort and cost. 

Pros: 

  • Squarespace is easy to use and requires no coding knowledge making it great for small businesses.
  • It has a variety of customizable templates, allowing businesses to create a unique websites quickly and effortlessly.
  • It has an integrated eCommerce platform that allows small businesses to sell their products online easily.
  • Squarespace provides reliable hosting services, ensuring that the website is always running smoothly.
  • It offers numerous features such as social media integration, SEO optimization, and powerful analytics tools to track the performance and growth of the business website.

Cons: 

  • Squarespace plans are more expensive compared to other web-building services like OLITT. 
  • The customer support team is not available 24/7, so users may not be able to immediately get help during times of need. 
  • Its templates are comprehensive but can be overwhelming for small business owners just starting out with web design and development
  • Shortage of plugins and extensions compared to other website builders
  • Their templates score low ratings by Google’s Page Speed Tool, which could lead to a poor user experience on smartphones and possibly harm your search engine rankings.

f. Blogger.com

Blogger.com

Blogger.com is an excellent platform for small business owners seeking to launch a blog. 

Unlike some website platforms we have talked about, Blogger.com is free, easy to use, and customizable. 

With Blogger.com, you can easily create your own website in minutes – just enter the text and images you want to be included in your site, and it will generate it for you. 

You can customize your design easily with templates or HTML coding if you wish. 

Furthermore, Blogger has powerful analytics tools that allow you to monitor visitor traffic and see how readers interact with your content. 

Not to forget, Blogger offers a wide range of features such as comment moderation tools, search engine optimization capabilities, mobile-friendly themes and layouts, social media integration options, and more. 

Pros: 

  • Easy to use and free platform for small businesses to create a website. 
  • User-friendly interface and customizable design templates.
  • Provides a wide range of options, such as widgets, page layouts, feed widgets, etc., to enhance the user experience.
  • Allows users to create multiple blogs with different categories in each blog. 
  • Flexible hosting options, including your own domain name

Cons: 

  • Limited technical support and no customer service if something goes wrong with your site or blog. 
  • Lack of advanced features for more complex websites or blogs, such as shopping carts or membership forms. 
  • Ads can be intrusive and distracting for visitors to the site/blog if not managed properly and kept in check by the user. 
  • Poor search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities make it difficult to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).  
  • Limited template and design options when compared to other website-building tools.

Factors to Consider When Looking for A Blogging Platform

As you can see, there are more than 1 platforms you can use to build your next website.

For some reason, the sheer number can be an issue, especially when looking for the right platform for your needs.

To help you out, here are some factors to always keep in mind.

a. Budget

Understanding how much you are willing to allocate toward developing and maintaining your website will help narrow down your options. 

Note that some platforms offer free basic packages, but the pricing can get quite steep as soon as you need more features or customization capabilities. 

You should also factor additional costs, such as web hosting services or maintenance fees. 

If you’re working with limited funds, plenty of low-cost and even free solutions are available that may provide the level of functionality that suits your needs. 

However, be aware that some of these solutions may not come with customer support services or have scalability options if you decide to grow your business further down the line. 

b. Ease of Use

It doesn’t matter if it is cheap but rock-hard to use, does it?

User-friendly platforms provide you with the essential tools for creating and managing websites. 

An easy-to-navigate backend dashboard helps ensure smooth operations, while a robust customer support team can answer any questions or address any technical issues. 

Look for features like drag-and-drop page editing capabilities that make web design straightforward. 

If you don’t have the skills required to build from scratch, look for a platform that offers custom templates.

This means you can pick one that already has the structure for you and just add your branding elements. 

Additionally, useful tutorials are available on many platforms to help guide users through every step of website creation and management processes. 

c. Design Features

When it comes to designing the platform for your website, there is a multitude of features you need to consider. 

Features such as color palettes, typography, and layout should all be considered when selecting the right website platform for your business. 

Many website platforms allow you to customize the design of your website with plugins and themes that can improve user experience and provide more opportunities for personalization. 

For example, the OLITT platform offers over 200 templates that can be used as a starting point but then customized with different colors or fonts to match your brand’s identity. 

Others may even let you create entirely custom designs from scratch using coding or design software.

No matter which route you take, ensure that your design is intuitive and easy to navigate so visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for on your site. 

d. Security

It is VITAL that the platform you choose is equipped with features such as SSL encryption and malware scanning to protect your customers from cybercriminals. 

In fact, all platforms should use standard protocols like HTTPS and TLS for the secure transmission of data and communication between your website and server, so look for these in any solution you’re considering. 

Look for built-in authentication capabilities that allow customers to create secure usernames and passwords when making purchases or logging into their accounts. 

And most importantly, be sure any payment gateway you use is PCI compliant; this ensures both customer data privacy and legal compliance with credit card security standards. 

e. Analytics and SEO Capabilities

Ensure that your chosen platform can provide detailed analytics on visitor engagement, page views, and other potential performance indicators. 

This will enable you to track progress and make data-driven decisions about optimizing your website’s content. 

Two, look for SEO capabilities.

It determines how well your website ranks in search engine results pages. 

As such, the platform should allow you to use keywords strategically and offer other optimization tools such as meta tags and link building strategies. 

It should also offer a good site structure, proper navigation links, and an easy-to-use back-end admin panel with SEO customizations options.

Final Thoughts

When selecting the right website platform for your business, consider all the factors. 

The most important thing is to ensure that your chosen platform meets your needs and provides a great user experience. 

Investing in a reliable website platform can help your business grow by giving customers an easy way to find information about your products and services. 

It’s also beneficial to take some time to explore different options and research multiple platforms before making a decision. 

Ultimately, no matter which platform you choose, having a well-designed website will be essential for success. It should be attractive, engaging and easy-to-navigate. 

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