Sometimes back, the process of building a website was the preserve of a few tech-savvy individuals with hands-on coding and design skills. Today, all that has changed. In fact, anyone with limited coding and design skills can build great websites effortlessly using free website builders. But before you build your own website select a free builder or start building your website, you should think carefully of the following things.
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Website Builder Features
Typical website builder features a slew of design tools, content managing systems, and SEO implements among other things. Most builders also come with simple user interfaces that feature pre-designed website templates and a wide array of design tools. As a novice or learner, you should take time to evaluate the suitability of existing templates since they come in various styles and structures and with different functions. The various design and elements will determine whether or not they wills serve your web design needs. Some templates come with attractive galleries and multi-media plugins that befit performers, musicians, or even marketers. Other templates feature advanced functionality that befit corporate firms, agencies, or organizations. Whatever template you choose, you should make sure that you are able to organize the look of your website and manage texts, galleries, or video content with ease. Also, take note of the color scheme, layout, fonts, flash elements, and sections such as forums or blogs when designing your website.
Choosing Your Website Builder
When comparing free website builders, you should take into consideration the goal of your website. If your goal is to develop a professional website that is customized to your needs or brand, then you should look for a free website builder that offer greater versatility in design. But if you want to develop an eCommerce site, then it’s indispensable that you look for a builder that offers an extensive set of features that caters for all your design needs. Since most free website builders come with fairly simple interfaces, drag and drop features, and well-designed templates, you should not have a problem selecting one that suits your design needs. Besides the design elements, you should also ensure that your web builder supports other features that give you complete control over the internal structure of your web pages, content, and website as a whole. Also, take note of essential scripts, website backup support, file managers, and FTP manager as they influence your ability to manage or even transfer your website once you design it.
Documentation & Instructional Guides
Though majority of free website builders are tailored for novices and experienced designers, it doesn’t mean that everybody will muster every feature at the same time. There are some people who learn slowly and therefore they need documentation and instructional guides to help them muster the features of their respective builders. Good developers provide in-depth documentation that covers everything from installation, troubleshooting, and how to use each feature. Still, other developers provide video tutorials that guide users through tough patches in the design process.
Technical Support and Customer Service
It’s not enough to look at the features of any free website builder and use it as the sole basis for selecting and using it. While the benefits of a site builder remain a key determinant in the selection process, it should not override the efficiency of technical support or customer service that the developer offers. Sometimes, a web builder can malfunction – the interface may just freeze or the tools become unresponsive. In any of the above scenarios, you’ll need good and reliable customer support to solve the problem.
A good developer should provide solid and helpful information and at least have a FAQs section that answers all burning questions regarding their web builders. Fortunately, most companies that offer free website builders provide live chat, email, or phone support around the clock. Still, other companies have forums where customers can find help on any issue regarding their website builders. Build Your Own Website
Conclusion:
Today’s generation of free website builders come with a slew of features that rival even the best professional designers. While it’s possible to build a website with a free website builder, the choice and especially the features of the builder can impact on your ability to design and implement a website, it’s also vital for you to find out whether or not the technical support and customer service are quick and reliable.
