Design on a Dime: Affordable Website Builder for Small Businesses

Are you part of a small business looking to (re)design your website? 
Is the thought of coding a website simply overwhelming to you?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, then look no further! A new website doesn’t need to be overwhelming or expensive. While we here are Bartlett build a lot of custom websites in WordPress and Drupal, we’ve also helped small businesses and organizations grow online with DIY website builders. While each has its pros and cons, Squarespace is the one we recommend over others. Let’s go over a few considerations before getting started. 

DIY website builders, like Squarespace, are generally best for small businesses that are interested in improving their web presence, but opt for a simplistic approach due to (potential) budget constrictions, lack of technical experience, and usability preferences. 

Known for it’s drag and drop building process, Squarespace requires no knowledge of coding languages (although all code-friendly users are welcome!). It is fully customizable in an easy-to-understand interface that allows you to create a website in a stress-free way. 

E-commerce is an additional add-on that you can include in your subscription model, as needed. However, if you operate an online store and would require a more robust e-commerce presence, we recommend using Shopify or WooCommerce, as these alternatives come with a greater selection of options out of the box. 

Squarespace has been notarized as having the “best prepackaged design,” compared to a few other website builders with similar functionalities, such as Wix and Weebly. In addition to this, it also has “unlimited bandwidth and storage hosting all in one package,” which makes it more convenient for the user, as they don’t have to manage these items in separate places. 

Due to it’s simple user interface, the learning curve with Squarespace is far less than that of other CMS’, such as WordPress or Drupal. And, not to mention, it’s price point is quite affordable, too, with plans starting at $12/month. 

So now the question becomes: if anyone can build their own website, why would I need to hire a professional?

While tools such as Squarespace enable more people to do it themselves, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone should. Some individuals may not feel comfortable starting from scratch or have an understanding of what it takes to design the best user experience for their target audience. 

Squarespace can also be challenging when it comes to integrating with third-party applications. For any external source that is not affiliated with Squarespace, this is where things can get tricky and would require support from a web developer. If you intend to utilize third parties on your new website, then WordPress -- an open source website builder -- may be a more suitable option.

Squarespace does offer plenty of well-designed templates, however, there are other factors to consider when it comes to optimizing the usability of your new website. Perhaps you’re struggling to populate the template with your own content and it just doesn’t look quite right, so you need guidance in making adjustments. And, if you’d like to see an increase in traffic and show off your new site, you may want to implement an SEO plan to build brand awareness and acquire new leads.

If you’re interested in building a new website, would like to learn more about SEO, or have other questions, feel free to contact us directly or request an audit. 

Still not convinced you’d need to hire a professional to help with your Squarespace website? See what our clients have to say about their experience with us below: 

“Bartlett Interactive provided the expertise to build a website that met and exceeded our high expectations. They used their time effectively and stayed focused on getting a website built to our satisfaction. They knew how to guide us with their web design expertise but then support us as the client in making choices, a balance which was maintained tactfully and professionally. Their work was thorough, timely, transparent and budget-conscious. I'm glad we hired communication professionals instead of going it alone, and that we chose Bartlett. The end product and the process were much better and less stressful for it.” 
- Daniel Page, Dr. Kirsi Savusalo Orthodontics
 

"Bartlett has been with us every step of the way to guide us through the maze of electronic presence and social media use. They have worked with JET on everything from branding, to user experience and information architecture, to inbound marketing and outreach strategy and print design, and we continue to consult with them. Our applications from potential participants are up 50% and our followers on social media keep increasing."
- Pam Herrup, Co-founder, Journey Into Education & Teaching (JET)
 

This post was not, in any way, shape, or form, endorsed or sponsored by Squarespace. This is purely an informative post to educate users about a more affordable website builder.