12 things I love about WIX for creating a start-up website (but why I still love web designers too!)
- Julie
- Mar 23, 2015
- 6 min read
Let me start this by saying that this blog is in no way intended to diminishing the value of true Web Designers and Programmers - they rock!
As a mumpreneur for over ten years, I have used a variety of methods when it comes to creating that all important web site - usually dictated by my budgets at the time.
From my first home grown site (which I laboured over for hours on a basic platform, and in hind sight really did look home made) over ten years ago, through to the most elaborate and bespoke site, programmed by a fully functioning web team (and costing several thousands) using a Joomla Web platform. I have also worked with clients, using platforms like Magento and Word Press.
Now, in my new role as a mumpreneur supporter, I cannot speak highly enough about my experiences of the Web building platform WIX. Let me again be very clear - I'm not advocating WIX should be used for all web builds; but certainly for those who are starting out in business and need an easy to edit and low cost to set up, fully functional and responsive web site, it ticks an awful lot of boxes!
I used it to create the very site you are on now!
SO WHY DO I LOVE IT .... WELL 12 REASONS ....
1. There are SO many templates to initially choose from, and because these are divided into categories, it is relatively easy to find a template suited to your business sector. This is great for someone who needs a little help with knowing what design may work for their industry and/or thinking creatively.
Personally I like the idea of thinking outside the box and finding a template in a sector totally different to the one you are working in, which you then customise with colours and fonts / images that you know will appeal to your market.
This means you really do end up with something no competitor is likely to have. That said, there are such a vast range of templates and colour ways / image ways anyway, I think it’s highly unlikely you’d find a competitor business ended up with the same template.
2. Colours and fonts are fully customisable (and you can pre set them for future edits) so you can really fine tune your template to suit your audience – what colours do they respond to, what style of fonts are competitors using….
3. It’s really intuitive (drag and drop to position elements exactly where you need them and guide lines to help you ensure your site looks professional and is built in the safe area).
I find it so easy to navigate around the set up (moving from page to page, adjusting pages positions in the menu, adding unseen pages etc.) And this in turn means the site I create is easier to navigate for customers.
4. I love that it is so simple to add maps, forms, lists, menus, and blogs like this one!!!!
They are all there (design dependent on the theme you have chosen) and ready to add at the press of a ‘plus sign’.
5. You can integrate ecommerce relatively easily – and have a fully functioning shop! See www.toddletalk.info which is a shop I worked on recently. This option will even allow you to manage stock levels for an item, set postage parameters, provide drop down options to choose colour of an item .... and lots more!
6. You can host for FREE – if you don’t mind a WIX address (not ideal) and WIX adverts appearing. I personally wouldn’t consider this as an option, as they are just too distracting for your brand in my opinion, but if your budget is massively tight, at least it gets you on the web!
If you want to link to your own domain and remove adverts, the monthly costs for using the facility, including hosting, range from £7.76 per month to £10.10 per month (for ecommerce) at the moment, which I think is brilliant.
Plus you get a free domain, Facebook advertising vouchers and Google AdWords vouchers (although I have a bug bear with this - see bottom of the blog), so you can get yourself noticed!
7. Because building the site doesn’t involve HTML coding, you can use someone like me (or do it yourself), to come up with a scheme, populate and publish! I recently created a site for www.toddletalk.info which took around 15 hours - around £300 labour costs!
When I say ‘like me’, I mean someone who is perhaps experienced in your market sector and the SEO / Social media for it; understands the style of copy that your audience responds too, and can create unique content; and has enough creativity about them, to format the content in a way which looks attractive, and which works for your business and brand message.
Now I am no designer or programmer by any stretch – let me just put that out there on record. I am a mumpreneur, who helps other mumpreneurs utilise ‘small business’ tools which are out there, to further their business. Simples!
I fully accept this ‘in a box’ solution is not right for every industry or every business. I certainly wouldn't dream of suggesting this to someone who had complex functionality need.
I know from first hand experience just how valuable the work, which true designers and programmers train years to undertake, is (and the depth of complexity). Many businesses will reach a point in their lives, where they need to seek out these services, in order to have a much more tailored solution (particularly if they need complex functionality – perhaps a multi venue booking system for example, or the ability to search and filter a range of activities/specifications).
However, for a start-up or small business, with limited funds, this option can be brilliant! 'Can' being the operative word - it won't be for everyone!
If you need low cost and easy admin though, the site is so easy to format and so easy to update, you could almost ask your tot to do it! This ease will help you keep on top of content on a monthly basis, allowing instant content and image changes, and allowing you to add pages without the obligation of progammer retainers.
8. Finding the fields for SEO info is so easy on the site overall, and on each page, and there is an SEO checker which allows you to see how well your site is performing for chosen key search terms.
9. The site automatically allows you to format a ‘mobile version’ too – fantastic news when so many customers are now browsing on smart phones!
10. No changes appear until you publish them, so you can edit an existing site to your hearts content (but rmember the undo button won't work once you have pressed save, even if you haven't published!)
11. I love the fact that it is easy for you to have ‘spotlights’ and ‘banners’ on the home page, which can be used to take you through to key news.
It is really easy to edit the text or button title, and to hyperlink these to a hidden page containing whatever message it is you want to put out there. Brilliant for seasonal announcements!
12. So far I have found the Support service good – they were hugely helpful in dealing with a bug in the system and did so within 24 hours!
SO THAT'S THE GOOD (AND NO I DON'T WORK FOR WIX) ...
Surely it can't all be roses ...... and for sure I have found some annoyances! (I hasten to add this is not me in the picture, nor is it any of my clients!!!)
TOP WIX BUG BEARS I'VE FOUND
• No search bar facility that I am aware of – I believe you have to subscribe to a plug in app at around £3 per month ... not ideal WIX! Surely something so common place should come as standard!
• No ability to add the google AdWords conversion tracking code – bizarre when they give you a google AdWords voucher .... there are ways around this, as I have found with a client I am currently working for on an AdWords campaign!
• You have to arrange the elements of your mobile web view manually (it isn’t automatic)
• You can’t change your template once you have built your site - so make sure you like it!
• I don’t think this would work for complex ecommerce needs
I really hope this review was useful and that the true web designers and programmers of Ipswich (I salute you) are not now gunning for me!!! If you would like to browse a client site which I recently created, themed and populated (note created / themed/ populated - not built or programmed or even designed!) please visit www.toddletalk.info
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