Which Website Platform Is The Best?
If you’re looking to design your own website, a common question we see is which hosting platform is the best?
Like anything in life, the best option is the one that suits YOU best.
There are a number of options out there and everyone will have their opinion so it’s best to work through the pros and cons of each (because none of them are completely perfect) and make your decision from there.
What To Ask Yourself?
The questions you need to ask before you commit to a website platform are:
How tech and design savvy are you as some require more experience than others
What are your goals for your business? A little side hustle or a business with big growth aspirations
What’s your annual budget for hosting?
Are you selling a service or selling products (E-commerce)?
If E-commerce, are you a small business or a large business with a huge inventory?
Do you have the time and expertise to maintain a website platform such as Wordpress?
Do Your Research
Before you commit, the good news is that most platforms will offer a free trial period before you jump in.
WIX
WIX is a drag and drop website platform that’s relatively easy to use which makes it ideal for someone new to business and design.
It offers a large variety of templates to start with and the hosting costs are around $200.00 AUD per year for a simple website. As a closed platform, it does mean that its SEO capabilities are not as great as WordPress however, that doesn’t mean to say you can’t rank with a WIX site because you absolutely can - our mantra is ‘your SEO is only as good as your SEO’
We are WIX Icon partners having published a large number of sites on this platform which is also suitable for E Commere.
Squarespace
Squarespace is another great option for small businesses. In fact this site is built with Squarespace!
Like WIX, it’s a drag and drop site although you will need to learn some code to make the most of your site.
The cost of hosting is also around the $200 AUD per year mark and it also has e-commerce capability.
Shopify
If you’re looking to sell products then Shopify is hands down the best platform to use. Whether you’re a small business or a large online shop, Shopify has all the plugins and options for you to deliver oustanding online service.
It is on the pricier side and we’re seeing alot of push back from small businesses as the hosting fees alone are around $60 aud per month and that’s before transaction fees for selling items.
Wordpress
Wordpress is the OG website platform and statistically the most common used which is why it’s considered to be gold class.
The advantages are that it’s not a closed platform which means you’re free to select your own hosting provider. This can make it cheaper than other options and also faster which is a primary SEO metric.
The disadvantages are that it has a steep learning curve in terms of design and also requires regular maintenance. Maintenance is timely and costly if you outsource it but necessary to ensure plugins are kept up dated. Failure to update means you can be left with a broken site.
The average cost for a Wordpress site build by a designer/developer can be upwards of $3500.00 plus hosting and maintenance costs which makes it a costlier option that is suited best for larger businesses.
Showit
Showit is a popular platform for photographers and creatives as it allows you to create completely custom designs using a drag and drop formula.
It includes hosting and the cost is around $35 AUD per month.
It does have a fairly steep learning curve in terms of design but there is a super supportive community ready to help you.
As we have already mentioned, the best platform is the one that is best suited to your business needs which includes budget, your skills, and your businesses growth aspirations.
