How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Your Small Business

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It doesn’t matter what types of products or services you offer your customers: in the digital age, virtually any small business needs a website to succeed.

This isn’t a blanket statement without facts to back it up. Research shows that today’s consumers tend to find new businesses online.

Fortunately, you don’t need to have web design experience to create a professional quality website. Various website builders simplify the process for you with user-friendly interfaces and features designed specifically for non-experts.

However, with just a little bit of research, you’ll quickly find that there are many website builders from which to choose. Finding the right one for your needs may seem intimidating.

That doesn’t need to be the case. The following guide will help you identify an ideal website builder, simplifying a key task all entrepreneurs must attend to now.

Finding the Right Website Builder for Your Business: Tips to Keep in Mind

Know What You’re Looking For

Before you begin researching your options, you may want to make a list of features and other such practical details you will account for when evaluating a particular website builder. For example, you may want a website builder that allows you to easily add video content to pages. Research shows that including video content in your web presence can help you drive high levels of engagement among potential customers.

That’s just one example of a feature you might look for in a website builder. Other features may include blogging functions, online shopping carts, and anything else that you think will improve your online presence.

It’s also wise to set a realistic budget. While you don’t want to choose a low-quality website builder in an effort to save money, you also don’t want to spend more than you can afford if you are able to avoid doing so.

Research Your Options

The following are among the most popular website builders for small business owners in 2023:

Squarespace
Wix
Hostgator
Shopify
WordPress.org
IONOS
Zyro

Research these options to get a better sense of their pros and cons. Be aware, the right website builder for one small business owner may not be ideal for another.

For example, perhaps your goal is to create a dropshipping business. Shopify may be the best website builder for you if so.

On the other hand, maybe you want to create a general business website that you can regularly update with blog or vlog entries. Something like WordPress or Squarespace is likely a better option in this case.

Start With Free Trials

Once you’ve conducted some preliminary research into your various website builder options, you may have narrowed down your list to a few you are considering using. The next step is to experiment with them.

Most website builders will allow you to test them out for free for a few days to a few weeks to get a better sense of what the process of creating and maintaining a website with a particular tool involves. Sign up for these free trials and use the time wisely, acquainting yourself with each website builder. Your goal is to find the website builder you’re most comfortable using that also happens to offer all the functionality you’ll need.

Achieving this goal requires testing all the features you think you’ll use. For example, you might find that a particular website builder allows you to design impressive pages with ease. However, this particular website builder might not allow you to easily embed video later on. If you think you will ever plan on using the embed video feature, test it out now to confirm it serves your needs.

(Tip: Don’t forget that these free trials will expire. To avoid losing money, remember to cancel a service that you don’t plan on using before the free trial ends.)

Prioritize Mobile-Friendliness

The way people browse the internet has changed in recent years. As far back as 2016, mobile internet browsing over to desktop browsing. Since then, mobile browsing has grown even more popular.

Consider this when choosing a website builder for your business. Even if a website looks impressive and functions reliably on a computer, it might not offer the same experience to visitors checking out your website through mobile devices.

Look for a website builder that offers mobile responsiveness. When experimenting with website builders during free trials, test out the desktop and mobile versions of the websites you create to ensure both offer satisfying user experiences.

Focus on Customization

A website builder that offers templates can be a very helpful tool for a small business owner who lacks web development expertise. That said, as you build a sample website during a free trial, you should also attempt to modify a template as much as possible.

Your business needs to stand out from the competition if it’s going to attract loyal customers. if your website looks exactly like all others, you may fail to stand out in the crowd. Guard against this by choosing a website builder that allows you to make significant adjustments to the design and appearance of a page.

Be Patient When Seeking a Website Builder

Take your time with this decision. The right website can play a critical role in your business’s success. By devoting sufficient time to choosing a proper website builder, you can boost your odds of growing your business in our tech-centric era.

Easily Produce Video Content for Your Website With Powtoon

Video content can serve many purposes on your business’ website. With videos, you can demonstrate products, share customer testimonials, give a behind-the-scenes look at how you do business, and more.

Luckily, you don’t need to have a film degree to create strong video content for your website. Powtoon simplifies the process of creating both animated and live-action videos for small business owners like yourself. Sign up today to get started!

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Hanna Abitbul

Hanna is Powtoon's Content Marketing Strategist. She joined Powtoon as a copywriter in 2019, after graduating from university with a specialized degree in marketing and business. She continues to inspire people to create incredible video content with blog posts, videos, guides, and more. Hanna's passions include reading, singing, and caring for animals (#proudvegan). Nothing makes her happier than waking up to her two black kitties who, contrary to popular belief, are good luck!