Wordpress with a Website Builder - Is it the right option?

Every big and small business requires a website. Designing a website can be nerve-racking, more so if you aim at making it a DIY activity. Hiring a developer will certainly make your work easy but also, he/she can cost you a handsome fee. So, what’s the cheaper alternative? Website builders.

Website builders do the coding for you, and all you need to do is pick a design for your web page. However, modification is not easy, and eventually, the need for a developer will arise. Hiring a developer for edits won’t bite your pocket; it is a rather feasible option.

Which website builder to use?

Many website builders are available online, like Wix or SquareSpace yet people usually don’t start their journey here because of their limitations or paid barriers. WordPress is one of the most popular web development platforms. And now there are a lot of website builders that support WordPress architecture. Amongst all, Divi and Elementor have been the frontrunners from sometime. We like Elementor as it has a lot of design presets for websites which are available for immediate use.

Elementor has made it easy even for a layperson to have a website without the need of having a technical background or spending too much money on it. One can install Elementor and start designing websites right away. With WordPress, you also have an option to take a custom development route which is only recommended for certain scenarios.

Are there any errors to building websites using WordPress?

The common mistake which people who use Elementor for WordPress or any website builder for that matter make is they skip the process of designing and making informed decisions, instead directly start building the website. Before the construction of any building a floor map is of utmost importance, similarly, the UX plays a significant role in the development of a website.

How do we do it?

We at Team Codesign follow a “UX-first” approach which significantly changes the dynamics of the client’s website. We follow the process enumerated below:

1. We understand your goals and map them out by either taking interviews or doing a workshop together.
   
   
2. Plan out your website’s architecture and user-flows.
   
   
3. Then in collaboration with developers, we decide if WordPress is the right platform for you or not. (It’s not the right fit for all)
   
   
4. If WordPress is the answer to your problem statements, then we recommend you to take that route. We can cover common scenarios of using WordPress Website over anything else.
   
   
5. Following the design process before development, we put up the entire plan in the form of documents, information architecture and user-flows.
   
   
6. We then sketch out ideas, convert them into wireframes, make some clickable prototype and run it with you (and others on your end involved) for feedback.
   
   
7. We also make a visual style guide or a stylescape which is used for the final visual designs.
   
   
8. Once the prototype and stylescape have been approved by you, we make the final visual design using a design tool like Adobe XD or Figma. We take care of responsive design during the design process as well. Don’t worry; we don’t leave it on the developers to figure out.
   
   
9. We guide you on which would be a wise choice for you between using a custom WordPress website or using Divi or Elementor theme builders, and the pros and cons of each route.
   
   
10. Lastly, we also suggest some plugins that help in improving the performance of the website.

Websites we suggest to be built on WordPress

Over the years of experience of working in the field of UX/UI designing and developing websites, we at Team Codesign recommend that WordPress is more beneficial for passive websites. Passive websites don’t require frequent edits and are for a read-only purpose. For example, the writer’s blogs or a creator website to display his/her works or even companies which don’t require a live utility feature.

Active sites have features like food ordering or appointment booking or other similar features where the website plays a crucial role in the daily running of the business. A developer is a better choice for creating such websites when compared to WordPress.

In WordPress, each feature is a plug-in, and each plug-in needs frequent updating. An active website requires more plug-ins when compared to a passive one, and it can get frustrating to keep up with the recurring and numerous updates.

Designing in WordPress

Designing for WordPress is not the same as for a developer, and we at Team Codesign understand the difference between the two processes.

After understanding the requirements of the client, we provide them with a design that is easy to develop on WordPress. We aim at creating the whole process hassle-free and satisfactory for the clients not only by helping them design it but also by providing them with annual maintenance for WordPress websites at affordable charges.

For any assistance on website development and related charges, e-mail us your query on: info@teamcodesign.com