There’s no doubt, one of the most important tools for every small, medium, or large business today is its #website. Consumers in the digital age spend most of their time online and researching businesses on the internet. Two of the most common website building resources are Wix and WordPress. These platforms are very popular but unique in their own ways.
User-Friendliness
Wix is very well known for its accessibility and user-friendliness. Small business owners with little to no coding experience can utilize Wix easily to create a professional website. The Wix workspace uses a drag and drop feature that makes editing websites quick and simple. A Wix user can insert pictures, adjust colors or add widgets with just a few clicks.
WordPress, on the other hand, can be very difficult for a beginner with limited coding experience to pick up. Don't get us wrong, an advanced developer behind the WordPress platform can build an awesome site. Compared to Wix, WordPress doesn’t have a very visually appealing workspace that enables its users to quickly figure out how to edit their websites. Let's be honest, most IT teams lack design and Wix has great easy to start templates. It is highly recommended that small business owners take time to learn how to be proficient with coding or hire an experienced web developer in order to effectively use WordPress. Lastly in regards to help, WordPress lacks a full-time support team, and instead users must rely on online forums to find answers for any issues that may arise.
Online Security
Cyber Security is a top concern for all business owners and consumers in today’s digital age. Users must be very careful with deciding what platform they want to use in order to keep their business and consumers safe from potential hackers.
Wix provides limited customizability to its users. The reason being is that the Wix team controls all pieces of their platform by personally handling all updates and maintenance. As a result, websites designed by Wix are less susceptible to online hacking because users aren’t allowed to manipulate the Wix software.
WordPress is an open-source program that grants its users with coding experience permission to modify their platform such as developing plugins. Although this feature is what attracts most users to WordPress, it also presents a very serious risk for potential online attacks. Users are responsible for doing their own website maintenance which can be a hassle due to ongoing updates to the platform. As a result, users must dedicate extra time to monitoring their website to avoid any holes in their security. For example, an outdated plugin developed by a third-party developer is a perfect opportunity for a hacker to gain access to a small business owner’s website.
Creativity
WordPress provides its users with plenty of flexibility because it is an open-source program. Users are able to create their own themes and plugins or choose from the thousands of pre-made ones that were developed by third-party users. Unfortunately, this freedom has its challenges because users are expected to have an intermediate level of coding experience in order to build a professional website. It can also be difficult for users to find quality plugins or themes for their websites. Most of these have been developed by third-party web developers that overtime can become inconsistent.
Wix recently launched a beta for “Wix Code”, now called Velo, and continuously updates their platform for web design and coding creativity. There are some limitations in the platform (that’s where Wix code and embedding HTML comes in handy) however the Wix team decided to do this in order to make sure all features on their platform are safe and functioning properly. Users are able to download extra features from their official app store which is maintained by a private development team.
So where does an agency like CIS Agency fit in? Well, they can provide:
A support team to assist users with any questions they may have
Pictures + Creative Layouts
Ecommerce
On-going edits - Backend Configuration + Plugin Integrations
Security + Domain + Email Configuration
SEO + Analytics
Much more
So even though DIY options are nice when your start-up budget is low, having an agency help you grow and maximize the use of online tools is a must! Additionally, once you focus on your business, it’s critical that you oversee the big picture and not spend hours updating your designs, brochures, website, etc.
Conclusion
At CIS Agency we recognize that it's not enough for small business owners to just build any random website for free (unless there is no website budget in your start-up cost). There are other tools out there like Squarespace, Weebly, etc.
We recommend using Wix (which continues to improve) for:
Support
Wix Code and flexibility
Ongoing improvement
Easy to use templates
All in One integration with (Wix Shout Outs, Database, Invoicing, Domains, etc)
Having a website on WordPress can help your business. However, a few things to consider that might not be easy for you to manage:
SEO
User-Friendly Platform
Security
Safe to use Plugins
Domain Connections
Hosting
To explore additional comparisons for Wix vs Wordpress, check out this blog which provides a more in-depth analysis of the topic.
Most business owners spend a lot of time and money creating a professional website. At CIS Agency we offer a monthly low-cost maintenance fee and make small business life easy, contact us for an initial meeting or phone call.
Do you need a Wix template to get started? Choose a Wix template here.
#wix #wordpress #squarespace #weebly #smallbusiness #webdesign #websiteoptions #graphicdesign #branding #SEO #HOSTING #DOMAIN #Analytics
Need Help? Get in touch with our business development team @ 313.737.2899