5 FAQs Before Getting Started With One of the WordPress Website Builders Above
WordPress, the web’s leading platform for publishing blogs and other web content, has become practically synonymous with website building in general.
Compared with the drag-and-drop hosted site builders like Wix and Weebly, though, WordPress lacks some of the beginner-friendly features many novices need to have to get started online.
We’re here to help new site owners navigate the wilds of WordPress, and while the hosting providers we discuss above are excellent resources, I thought we’d address some additional questions that might be roaming through your mind as you get set to embark on this exciting web-building journey.
Q: Is WordPress the Best Website Builder Platform?
It’s pretty impossible to unilaterally say which is the best website builder platform for every website owned by every human across the globe. That’d be like asking, “Which is the best movie genre?” Uhh, what’s your current mood? How do you feel about slapstick comedy? Are you blissfully single or in a contented relationship? How old are you? The list of qualifying questions goes on…
A: Depends — WordPress vs. Website Builders In General
First off, do I think WordPress is the best? To be frank, yes, I do. I think it has a steep but feasible learning curve that can be tackled by first-time site owners and is loved by longtime developers. There’s something to be said for its popularity, too. The broad user base means you have a wealth of free expertise at your fingertips via community forums.
However, let’s clear up one common misconception: WordPress is inherently a blogging platform. When we in the hosting realm hear “website builders,” we automatically think Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, or some other drag-and-drop or browser-based interface for website creation. In similar form, WordPress often gets lumped in with two other open-source software scripts, Joomla and Drupal, which are actually content management systems.
The thing of it is, blogging platforms, drag-and-drop website builders, and content management systems all serve the same purpose: They allow non-programmers to design webpages, organize content, and publish intellectual property to the web. WordPress, Wix, Magento, or some proprietary website builder created by your host all help you build a website.
All that being said, I do think WordPress is the best if you’re building a professional website or you intend to create a lot of pages and hopefully drive a lot of traffic to them. If you’re just looking to casually blog, publish your résumé, or host a photo gallery, website builders tailored to novice users (such as Wix) will suffice.
Q: How Should I Compare Website Builders?
Keeping in mind the nuanced naming conventions of various site-building options, let’s look at the features you should pay attention to as you’re perusing website builder reviews. We’ve thoroughly vetted the best website builder platforms — from best overall to best for ecommerce and even the easiest drag-and-drop builders — so we have a great deal of experience evaluating such tools.
A: Features We Look For In WordPress, Website Builders, and CMS Platforms
Generally speaking, the idea of website builders came about as a way to simplify what was considered a convoluted and overwhelming process for many folks. So ease of use is an obvious make-it-or-break-it point.
Here’s just a sampling of the assets we look for in the top builders:
- Easy setup (preinstalled or single-click installations)
- Pricing (low-cost packages, high-quality end results)
- Customization options (number of themes, ecommerce integrations, and other functionality)
- Out-of-the-box settings for SEO, security, and scalability
- Support (forums, knowledgebases, community support, or host-specific support)
However, website builders aren’t just useful to the coding clueless. These days, web developers use website templates as a way to save time at the initial site setup stage, and some say website builders are the next generation of that efficiency strategy. Any way you slice it, we expect the best website builders to be easy to get started with, cost-effective, well-supported, and secure.
Q: Can I Get WordPress Website Builder Hosting for Free?
We get it. Free WordPress hosting is a tempting offer. Why pay for something you can get for free? Free web hosting isn’t a bad choice for students or test projects, but you may be better off choosing a paid web host instead. We’ll explain.
A: Yes, But You Should Pay for One Instead
As we said, we know a free WordPress site builder is a tempting proposition. After all, who wouldn’t want to save a few bucks on a free website builder? However, you should know the downsides of choosing a free hosting provider.
To start, a free plan can’t compete with the resources, security, and features offered by paid plans. Free domain names, SSL certificates, web design tools, and stellar WordPress support cost money to provide. A free hosting provider simply can’t pay for these features unless it has income. A web host may make up for this by placing ads on your site or offering severely limited service, which isn’t worth it.
The best WordPress hosting plans in the business offer top-notch features for little more than $5 a month for shared hosting. If you opt for managed WordPress hosting, you’ll have to pay a little more, but you’ll get even more hands-on support from the experts. To summarize: choose an affordable web hosting provider instead of a free one.
Q: Can I Just Download a Website Builder WordPress Plugin?
About seven minutes into researching WordPress as a potential site-building solution, you’ll probably come across this idea of plugins. In layman’s terms, plugins are pieces of software (think apps for your phone) that you can download and install to extend the functionality of WordPress.
A: Yes! Here Are the Best WYSIWYG Web Builder Software to Build a Website With WordPress
There’s a plugin for everything — from calendar widgets to caching for performance and, yes, website building. With certain tools, you can actually transform the controversially intimidating WordPress interface into a point-and-click, drag-and-drop, what-you-see-is-what-you-get website editor. Let’s briefly explore some of the most popular website builder software for WordPress.
a. Drag-and-Drop WordPress Website Builder From BoldGrid
Hands down, if you’re new to WordPress, you should at least try BoldGrid, the drag-and-drop site builder tool built by the InMotion Hosting team that sits atop the WordPress platform. BoldGrid is one-of-a-kind software that’s free to download and install, and it transforms WordPress into a Weebly-like interface that marries the robust functionality of WordPress and the user-friendliness of WYSIWYG layouts.
b. WordPress Page Builder from SiteOrigin
If you’re more of a WordPress straight-up kind of guy or gal, you can still download and install as many plugins as your heart desires to simplify the site-building experience. A popular choice is SiteOrigin’s Page Builder. The plugin works with any WordPress theme, and you can use it with virtually any configuration of fellow plugins and widgets to create the ultimate drag-and-drop layout resulting in a responsive web presence.
c. Divi Builder Plugin from Elegant Themes
Lastly, a popular theme developer, Elegant Themes, created Divi, a builder that epitomizes code-free simplicity. Rather than customizing HTML or navigating an intricate backend, Divi users can drag and drop various content modules into place on the visual preview of their website. Build posts or pages, add audio players and email opt-ins, and amplify your social media traction in one intuitive space.
Q: Does Anyone Offer a WordPress Website Builder Tutorial?
One of my favorite WordPress perks is the fact that everyone and their uncle’s neighbor’s cousin has written about the software, the community, and its associated tools and features. WordPress expertise abounds, whether you know where to look or simply know how to use Google.
A: Popular Guides for WordPress Site Building — Good Luck!
Fortunately, you’ve stumbled into one of the web’s leading sources for WordPress wisdom and wit. Our team of WP gurus has poured hours and hours and thousands of words into narrating a virtual tour of the wonderful world of WordPress.
Below you’ll find a smattering of the guides we’ve published in recent years:
- Guide to WordPress hosts, themes, and plugins
- Installing a WordPress theme tutorial
- Guide to other WordPress website builder tools
Building a WordPress website is an exciting new challenge, whether you’re doing it for the first time or the 15th. I hope the tips, tools, and additional resources we’ve provided here today will empower you to launch that online presence you’ve been wanting. And be sure to check back in with us, as we’re constantly cranking out fresh content on all things WordPress!
