Website Builder Software

Website Builder Software

Website builder software, also known as website creation software, is the name given to software solutions that have been designed to assist users with the creation of websites and web pages. Crucially, this website creation process should be possible without users needing to possess advanced technical skills and coding knowledge. The basic concept behind most website solutions of this kind is to combine real-time editing, drag-and-drop interactivity, built-in web page templates, and various other user-friendly design tools so that users can quickly and easily make professional websites.

In addition to the basic ability to create web pages and websites, the best website builder software will include social media integration tools and options for enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Furthermore, these solutions will allow for the creation of some advanced website components—such as credit card processing options—and the use of customized forms, which can be used to obtain information from website visitors.

Software of this kind may be used by a wide range of users in Canada, and this could include individuals who are making personal websites or businesses looking to establish corporate websites. In addition to making it significantly easier to create a website, the software can help to reduce the amount of time between conceiving a website idea, creating it, and the eventual launch of the live site. Website builder software shares many similarities with blog software and landing page software. It can also often be utilized alongside similar tools on the market, like eCommerce software.

While different website builder programs will contain different features— and this can impact the precise ways in which these programs can actually be used—there are also some primary features that are included within the majority of high-quality software solutions in this category, often described as defining or core features. Therefore, as a general rule, users who invest in this software will be able to carry out the following actions:

• Utilize built-in website and web page templates, making it quicker to create professional-looking content
• Create, edit, update, or add website content through the use of a user-friendly, real-time visual editor
• Import or export information to or from a website, including video files, audio files, images, and other data
• Integrate a website with social media platforms and take advantage of SEO techniques to boost visibility

What is website builder software?

Website builder software is the name given to software that has been designed to assist users with the creation of websites and web pages, even if the user does not possess advanced coding skills or web design expertise. Otherwise known as website creation software or website design software, these solutions are commonly utilized by individual users, businesses, and other organizations that have a need to create, upload, activate, and manage a website.

The primary purpose of website builder software is to allow users to quickly and easily create a professional-quality website and then continually manage it. This is usually achieved through a combination of pre-built templates and a real-time visual editor, which allows users to add, edit, and remove website content as they see fit. Moreover, the software will typically allow users to import and export files and data, such as images and audio or video content.

Aside from its primary use, a software package of this kind can also help users to optimize their website and its overall performance. This can be achieved through integration with social media platforms or via the use of search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, which can help to improve overall website visibility and attract more website visitors. The best software can also be used to build online stores and provide payment processing capabilities.

What are the benefits of website builder software?

The benefits of website builder software for Canadian users are broadly linked to its capacity to make website design more accessible to people, regardless of whether or not they possess technical skills and expert knowledge in this area. Ultimately, this makes it easier for individuals and businesses across Canada to create and maintain a high-quality website. Nevertheless, it is important to explore some of the specific benefits associated with the software, and these are outlined below:

• Make website design easier: The single biggest benefit associated with a website builder program is the ability to make websites and web pages much more easily. Through the use of an application of this kind, professional and fully functional websites can be created by individuals who do not possess the kind of web design, programming or coding skills that would typically be required. These websites can include text, images, video content, social media buttons, landing pages, product pages, eCommerce options, sign up forms, and more.
• Improve design speeds: While the ease of website design is a major advantage associated with using dedicated website design software, these applications can also make the process much faster. This means that the time taken from coming up with a website idea to creating the individual web pages, then publishing the website to the internet will be significantly shorter than it would be if advanced coding skills were needed. This is especially apparent when the pre-built templates and real-time visual editor are utilized. Such improved efficiency also extends to efforts to add to, edit, or otherwise maintain a website after it goes live.
• Boost website management accessibility: aside from making it easier to create and manage a website, software in this category can also make management of a website more accessible. This means that a wider range of trusted individuals will be able to add content to a website, remove content from a website, or otherwise make changes. Training within a business can also be made easier because teaching individual employees to use website builder software effectively is significantly easier than teaching them advanced coding or advanced web design skills.
• Optimize website performance: another major benefit associated with the effective use of website builder applications is linked to the potential these programs have for optimizing the performance of a website. Effective website designs, with aesthetically pleasing web pages and fully functional links, buttons and media content, are less likely to cause users to bounce off of them. Meanwhile, some solutions will also provide access to website performance data, allowing users to see how their individual pages are performing and where possible issues might exist. Going further, many solutions include built-in SEO tools, with options to provide alt text for images, alongside the ability to include keywords in strategic places within website content. Software can also alert users when there are issues with a page that may affect rankings and overall performance on search engine results pages.

What are the features of website builder software?

The features of website builder software are predominantly focused on providing users with the tools necessary to create and maintain a website and its individual web pages. Furthermore, these features are intended to allow users to create, edit and remove website content easily, without the need for advanced coding skills or broader website design capabilities. Although precise features can vary from one program to the next, the majority of high-quality website builder software solutions will provide the following core features:

• Pre-built templates: select from a variety of pre-built website and web page templates, rather than building a website entirely from scratch. Templates can offer users a wide range of different page layouts, with some of these layouts being optimized for specific uses, such as ecommerce, personal websites, blogs, news platforms, and corporate websites. In most cases, it will also be quick and easy to switch between different templates, which then makes it simple for users to make adjustments to the appearance of their website. Of course, once a template has been selected, changes can still be made to the content and to aspects of the layout itself. This can include editing text, headings, images, and menu items included within the template, or adding or removing elements. Templates can also be applied to individual pages—or to an entire website—depending on the user's needs.
• Real-time editing: edit individual pages and a website as a whole using a real-time visual editor. Through this feature, users are able to actually see what the website will look like once it has been published to the World Wide Web, and adjustments can be made instantly. High-quality website builder software will allow this editing to be carried out using an entirely visual interface, typically using drag and drop functionality. As a result, there is no need to learn HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP, or any of the other programming languages that are commonly used within the field of web development. This then makes website creation and website maintenance a much more realistic prospect for many users, and only basic training will be required to reach the required competency level.
• Online store builder: create and manage an online store, or ecommerce website. Typically, software that includes online store functionality will allow users to create pages that display multiple products on one page, as well as individual pages for each of those products. Moreover, there will also be the option to process card payments or payments using digital wallets. The store builder component of a website builder will allow users to create a website that consists solely of an online store, or an online store can be integrated within a wider website, which may have multiple other functions. Some programs will also provide an option so that users can integrate other third-party software solutions they may be using, with shopping cart software serving as one example.
• Data import/export: import or export data and content to or from a website. Some of the main examples of data that can be imported or exported include images, audio files, video content, web page layouts, frames, tables, animations, web coding, text, and forms. The ability to import or export this data makes it easier to duplicate content across multiple pages on a website, which can help with visual consistency. This tool can also be important for backing up data from a website and can potentially allow users to revert to a previous version of a website.
• Form creation: make use of form creation tools to create fully customizable web forms, which can be used to collect information from website visitors or to allow them to submit user-generated content. Forms can be used for a wide range of purposes, with some of the main examples being account sign up forms, mailing list subscription forms, and comments sections. Usually, users will input text into a field, or multiple fields, or select options from drop-down menus, and then submit the information, which is then received by those controlling the website. In some cases, the data submitted may be published on the website, while in others, the data will be collected by the individual or business and used for other purposes. Forms can be customized to include multiple different options, while the appearance of the form page can also be adjusted so that it looks visually appealing.
• Social media integration: enhance a website by integrating social media options and tools. This could include adding Facebook 'Like' buttons to content, which can assist with measuring user engagement with content, or embedding Tweets, which can allow businesses to showcase their most recent Twitter posts on their website. Links to accounts on different social media platforms can be provided, helping website visitors to connect to an individual or brand across all channels, while Instagram images can be used to include images on a website while also adding content to an Instagram account. In general, social media integration can help to make a website more interactive, and it can help to repurpose content that has been added to social media sites.
• SEO management: capitalize on a variety of SEO tools with a view to improving a website's performance on search engines like Google and Bing. Most website builder applications with SEO functionality will be able to assess the content and layout of a website and provide feedback, outlining what could be improved to deliver better organic search performance. This may include making intelligent use of keywords, using alt text for images and video content, optimizing a website for mobile devices, providing meta descriptions, and including inbound and outbound links within written content. When SEO management tools are used effectively, a website will rank higher up on search engine results pages. This, in turn, will boost visibility and help to attract more visitors.

With the use of Capterra's website builder software category page, it is quick and easy to sort through the available options based on the features that are present within those products. This allows businesses and individual buyers to begin their search by focusing only on the options that are going to be suitable. This eliminates time that would otherwise be wasted exploring options that do not contain important features.

What should be considered when purchasing website builder software?

When purchasing website builder software, there are many different factors that need to be considered by Canadian businesses. After all, buyers need to acquire the software solution that is best suited to their specific needs, but it is not always simple to ascertain precisely what those needs are. In general, a good way to approach this is to work through a series of questions and come up with answers to them, with some of the most important questions including the following:

• How much does website builder software cost? Buyers need to consider how much the software they are going to acquire will actually cost, but this means going further than simply comparing the purchase price of different products, or the cost of a subscription for cloud-based software options. Instead, it is better to think in terms of the total cost of ownership once other factors have also been pondered. These factors can include the cost of training, the cost of accessing help, the cost of any new updates or new versions, setup costs, and more. Beyond this, buyers also need to think in terms of value. It could, after all, be sensible to invest more in a product that has more features, offers a more user-friendly experience, or produces higher-quality web pages and websites.
• What are the features of website builder software? Next, it is important to evaluate the precise features that are on offer within each software solution. However, once again, buyers need to try to identify the best option for their specific needs, rather than simply opting for the software package that has the broadest range of features. After all, some features may be unnecessary, irrelevant, too basic, or too advanced to actually be used, while other solutions may have a more condensed features list, but with those features all being useful and well implemented. It can also be beneficial to read user feedback and reviews in order to determine not only the features that are included, but also how easy they are to use and how good the final results are likely to be.
• What level of technical support is available? Even the most user-friendly website maker software is likely to have its complexities so users may, at times, require technical support. It makes sense for buyers to give consideration to this prior to making a purchase, especially in business settings, where multiple users may have access to the software and where support may be needed at different times of the day. Technical support can come in many forms, from live support provided by humans to AI-powered chatbots, which can respond intelligently to user questions, to a built-in help feature, which contains written explanations for common problems.
• Does website builder software offer remote access? Remote accessibility is emerging as one of the most important concepts across almost all software categories, as businesses increasingly provide employees with remote and hybrid working opportunities. Thanks to remote work policies over the course of the pandemic, 56% of Canadian employees reported that their workplace set up had improved and 68% said that remote work is better for collaboration with coworkers, according to a 2021 Capterra survey in Canada. The success of remote working during the pandemic, the improved employee satisfaction provided, and the need to protect against any future events has meant that businesses need to prioritize software that can be accessed and used by employees who are working remotely, working in the office, or moving between those two work models.
• What mobile optimization features are included? A greater number of users engage with brands through their mobile devices than ever before, and despite the prevalence of mobile apps, many of these users still prefer to utilize mobile web browsers to visit websites. This makes it absolutely essential for web pages and websites to be fully mobile optimized. With this in mind, buyers need to invest in a website builder program that can deliver quick and easy mobile optimization. High-quality software will also allow users to view their website in both desktop and mobile modes—and switch between them effortlessly—so that the mobile experience can be fully optimized.

What are the most relevant website builder software trends?

The most relevant website builder software trends should also be factored in before reaching a final purchasing decision. Not only can awareness of trends help buyers to make a more informed software acquisition, it can also be important to try to find a website creation software solution that has been designed with some of the most significant trends in mind, as this will help to ensure it remains genuinely useful for longer. The most important trends include:

• AI-powered website design: One of the most significant website development trends has been the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) as a design tool. Within website builder software, AI can play a role in speeding up website design or optimizing design elements. For instance, artificial intelligence could recommend a pre-built template or a basic website layout based on the type of website that is being made. This would mean that an ecommerce website would have a different layout to a news website or a research-based website. In some cases, AI may also be able to play a role in optimizing content based on performance and the user's chosen objectives.
• Cloud-based software: In recent years, an increasing number of software solutions have been offered on a Software as a Service (SaaS) basis, utilizing cloud technology. There are many benefits to this approach, including greater accessibility, as cloud software can be accessed from a wide range of internet-enabled devices, regardless of where the user is physically located. Additionally, cloud-based software can automatically save and back up data when it is added or edited. This can be useful for website creation because multiple users may wish to make changes to pages at the same time, and these changes can be saved and displayed for all users in real-time, and stored securely, thanks to SaaS security. According to 2022 Gartner research, 57.7 percent of spending on application software by businesses is directed to cloud technologies, and this is expected to increase to almost two-thirds of all spending by 2025.
• Text and voice interfaces: Another significant trend to be aware of with regards to website builder software is the increased use of text-based and voice-based user interfaces. Text interfaces primarily take the form of AI-powered chatbots, and these can be used to issue commands or ask questions. Alternatively, voice-based interfaces allow spoken words to be used to control elements of the software in much the same way that a voice assistant on a mobile phone or smart speaker functions. Voice commands can make it easier to use software in situations where the user is busy with other tasks while using a chatbot can often be more efficient than trying to access help via customer support. Non-standard user interfaces also have the potential to improve accessibility for users with disabilities or any other impairments that may make it difficult to use a more conventional software interface.
• Social media integration: Finally, social media integration is a fundamental part of many websites, and website builder software increasingly needs to take this into account. For example, many websites now feature options to 'Like' a particular page or article via Facebook, while others include embedded Tweets from Twitter users. On corporate websites, it can be advantageous to add links to social media channels so that visitors can engage with the brand across multiple platforms. Meanwhile, websites that allow visitors to create accounts and sign in to access extra features can benefit from the option to allow users to register and log in via their Facebook account.

Sources:

The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Capterra's directory that offer them. The following sources were used for this document:

1. Website Builder Software - Price Comparison & Reviews - Capterra Canada (Date accessed: Sunday, April 17, 2022)

2. Workplace wellness: Almost 3 in 4 Canadian remote workers report burnout - Capterra Canada Blog (Date accessed: Thursday, October 6, 2022)

3. What is SaaS security and is it right for your business? - Capterra Canada Blog (Date accessed: Thursday, October 6, 2022)

4. Gartner Says More Than Half of Enterprise IT Spending in Key Market Segments Will Shift to the Cloud by 2025 - Gartner.com (Date accessed: Monday, April 18, 2022)