Wordpress or Website Builder?

 

 Wordpress or Website Builder

April 25, 2021

As part of a class I once took, we were to create a website for our future or current business if we didn't already have one. We started with Wordpress, which was SOOOOOO complicated back then that we had to literally follow the instructor step by step in such a way that building"our own" website was just not possible. It was so complicated, and we were using the free tier option as students, so I don't understand how I am still receiving billing emails from AWS (unless, of course, the emails are a scam), in which case I would have to call was and spend the majority of my day trying to speak to a real person which at this moment in time I do not have the wherewithal to do. But I digress. Since then, Wordpress has come a long way. It is much more user-friendly ( I say that loosely) but compared to what it was....it is a breeze now. 

Next, I took a shot at Google Domains, which is free, and while it was really simple to use, it was also painfully limited in what you could do to try to make it the least bit interesting or creative. So if you're a true beginner and just need to get a website up until you learn to use one of the other builders, Google Domains is a no-brainer.

Then I created a Website with Wix. I really loved it. It was SUPER user-friendly with lots of bells and whistles, and it was FREE!!! That said, it is free as long as you purchase your Domain Name from Wix; otherwise, you must now upgrade and pay a monthly fee to maintain your site. 

Recently, I tried Adobe Portfolio thinking I would change things up a bit......well....let me tell you.....for me, it just wasn't going to work. Firstly, trying to connect my Domain Name purchased on NameCheap just was not happening. I chatted online with Customer Support, who were what seemed like lovely people, and after a fair bit of time together, we got it to work. Next, the options for customizing your site are sorely limited. I thought I would start on the page that showcases my work to get things organized, but then that page became my home page which is not at all what I wanted. After adding a dedicated "Homepage," the "buttons" to allow you to navigate didn't want to play nicely and connect to their designated URLs. So, I think I might be giving up on Adobe Portfolio.

I went to Squarespace which I think is a phenomenal site for just about anything you're trying to accomplish however, it is not free in fact it's actually kind of pricey if you are just starting out and while of course the old adage is 'nothing good comes for free' or 'you have to invest in yourself'.....right now.....economically....many of us are financially straining so a platform that is AMAZING and also offers FREE website building and hosting is really what's going to help people get a leg up if you know what I mean.

Anyhoo, there are a few really great FREE platforms and a lot of paid ones to build your perfect website, blog, portfolio, store....you just have to try them on and see which one fits your style and budget. I'm still looking for my perfect place.