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What is the best website builder for ecommerce?

Closeup side portrait of woman using cellphone with laptop to choose website builder Go Sitebuilder for their online ecommerce store

Building a website for an ecommerce store from scratch can take a lot of money and time, and is very difficult to do unless you have all the necessary coding knowledge. Luckily, there are numerous different website builders out there, which make building a website an easy, hassle-free process. 

But how do you know what the best website builder is? In order for your online store to be successful, there are certain must-haves that your ecommerce site should include. But these can be expensive, as some website builders don’t include these features in their package. When looking for the best website builder for ecommerce, look at what each individual package offers: if it is easy to use, and includes all the necessary features of an ecommerce store, then it might just be right for you!

Easy to use ecommerce store 

When visiting your online store, a site user is going to expect to be able to navigate themselves around your ecommerce site. Not only does this mean that they can easily find the products that you’re advertising, but it also means that they will stay on your website for longer. 

As studies show that 76% of customers saying the most important component of a website is ease of use, you don’t want to overcomplicate things. This could cause users to give up and click off your site, meaning they won’t even see the goods you have to offer.

This can also have a negative impact on your search engine ranking: If Google’s algorithms detect that your site has a high bounce rate, then this suggests to Google that your site is of low quality or not relevant to users and thus shouldn’t be ranked highly on its search engine results page. Picking a website builder that lets you set up your ecommerce store in a way that isn’t overly complicated for the site visitor means people are more likely to stay on your site for longer. 

Find a website builder that includes an SSL certificate 

An SSL certificate is paramount when building a website with an ecommerce store: just as you wouldn’t deposit money into a dodgy-looking bank, you wouldn’t put your card details into a website that isn’t protected. If the site user can see your site has an SSL certificate, they know that their details are protected from potential hackers who could steal their personal information. 

Having an SSL certificate also tells Google that your site can be trusted: if it thinks its users are at risk of having their details stolen, it can block visitors from accessing your site. This dramatically reduces your visibility online – the longer users are prevented from accessing your ecommerce store, the longer Google stops indexing your site, pushing you further down its search engine. 

Purchasing an SSL certificate if you’re starting a website from scratch can be pricey, and most website builders will charge extra for this feature. However, Go Sitebuilder believes that it is essential for all ecommerce sites to have an SSL certificate, which is why we include it in our package. 

Is the website builder mobile-friendly?

Nowadays, people can access the internet anywhere, at any time, straight from their mobile phones. In fact, mobile shopping accounts for 50% of online transactions on ecommerce sites. Using a website builder which allows users to access your online store on any device is key: if people can only access your website on a computer, you are essentially limiting your number of potential sales, as many people will now use their phones to make a purchase. 

Not only do you need a website builder that allows users to access your site from any device; you also need to be able to update and edit your site from multiple different devices, whether it be mobile, tablet or laptop. With Go Sitebuilder this is incredibly easy, making us one of the best website builders for those who need the flexibility to access their website builder on the go. 

Special offers

One of the best ways to encourage people to return to your website is by advertising any special offers or discounts via social media. Linking your social media to your website means that people can find a way to stay connected to your website in a way that is slightly more personal than just subscribing to an email list. With sites such as Instagram, you can get creative with your offers: thinking of new ways to advertise any special deals is more likely to generate interest around your website. Find a website builder that lets you link social media to your website, so that you can stay connected to your customers. 

Although the amount of website builders out there might seem daunting, try and pick one that suits your ecommerce site needs the most. At Go Sitebuilder, we believe simplicity is key: we deliver ready to go site designs for you to customise. We’re one of the cheapest website builders for ecommerce, as we don’t charge any extra if you want to sell products online. Try our sitebuilder today – our 14-day free trial gives you all the freedom you could possibly need to create your dream website!

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What are the most common operating expenses of an online business?

business owners expenses of an online business

Whether you’re taking your business to the next level by building a website, or making your first steps onto the e-commerce world, it’s important to get the foundations of building a website right. Considering that, by 2040, it’s been estimated that 90% of purchases will be through e-commerce, it’s key that you have a smoothly running website, with a beautiful website design. 

If there are cracks in your website – maybe it takes too long to load, or maybe the website design is slightly off – then people are less likely to stay on your website, meaning a lower number of users are going to purchase your products or services. To prevent this from happening you’ll need to make sure your e-commerce business is set up correctly – but how can you do this, and how costly is it all?

SEO strategy 

SEO – search engine optimisation – is paramount if you want your online business to be visible on the internet. The benefits of SEO are fairly simple: the higher Google ranks you on its search engine, the more likely it is that you will see a higher flow of traffic to your site. In fact, Moz has calculated that the top ranking site alone will receive 30% – 40% of traffic. 

What is slightly confusing about SEO is the strategy behind it. Some people will therefore employ SEO specialists to help boost their rankings, but this is a very expensive option. However, you don’t need to spend thousands a month to increase your SEO rating. High quality content and link building are one of the key things that Google looks for when indexing sites: by writing blogs which answer popular queries, containing keywords that are commonly searched for, you’re telling Google that your content is relevant and therefore should be listed highly on its search engine. 

SSL certificate 

An SSL certificate is a must when building an e-commerce website, as it shows the site user that your website is protected, and therefore the visitor’s personal information is safe. For e-commerce purposes, this is incredibly important: no one will want to hand over their card details if they think hackers can infiltrate the site and steal their details. 

From an SEO perspective, having an SSL certificate is also essential: Google won’t want to index a site which isn’t secure and therefore poses a risk to its users. It will sometimes even block visitors from accessing your site, meaning it is almost impossible to have a steady flow of traffic to your site. 

Although it is essential to have an SSL certificate for your online business to be visible, it can be expensive. If you’re coding your website from scratch then you will have to purchase one through a third party, and most website builders charge an extra fee for an SSL certificate, on top of site builder costs. However, at Go Sitebuilder we include this within our package completely free of charge!

Website design fees 

Of course, you will want a stunning website design to not only advertise your services or e-commerce section, but also to advertise your brand. A professional site design means site users are much more likely to view your online store as one that can be trusted. If you don’t have any knowledge of  website design, then you may consider hiring a graphic designer. 

However, this is a pricey option – the typical website design prices range from £2,000 – £6,000. Using a website builder that offers ready to go site designs can be a much more economical option: not only does it give a high-quality finish, but you can also customise your design, making your website personal to you. 

E-commerce section 

Undoubtedly, you need an e-commerce section for your online store: if you want to sell your products online, then you need a safe and secure checkout for people to easily access. The software service prices of having an e-commerce platform can vary from £20 a month to thousands of pounds. Most website builders also charge you extra on top of your standard monthly fee if you need an e-commerce platform, eating into your budget for your online store further. However, Go Sitebuilder offers this all as part of your package, meaning there are no hidden costs anywhere!

Building your website takes a lot of time and knowledge, and can be very expensive. Our website builder takes away the stress, and the potentially extortionate costs of starting a website by yourself, making us one of the best cheap website builders, without compromising on quality. Our free 14-day trial lets you test this for yourself – give it a go today!