How to Choose the Right Website Development Platform for Your Business?

In this increasingly digitized world, every business needs a website. It’s no wonder there are 201,045,211 active websites worldwide, with 10,500 new websites created every hour. But every business has different needs. And you need a website that perfectly caters to your business needs, products, services, and goals. In other words, you need to choose your website development platform more carefully.

As of now, WordPress is the most popular website development platform on the planet. Nearly 30% of the top 1 million sites run on WordPress. That’s how much web developers, business owners, and end users love this platform. But it may not necessarily be the best choice for you. Plus, there are plenty of options out there.

However, you will need to consider a few things to make the right choice.

What Do You Need Your Website to Do?

The choice of your website development platform will depend on what you need your website to do. Are you going to sell products online? Or do you need a website to showcase your services and business information? Are you going to collect customer information such as names, addresses, and contact details?

These factors will decide which website development platform is the best for your business needs. For example, a WordPress website is more than enough if you just want to put up your company and service information on the web.

But if you are going for a customized online store, most web developers would recommend using platforms like Shopify. Alternatively, you can go for a completely customized solution using different web development technologies. In such a case, it’s best to consult a website development expert.

How Much Technical Expertise Do You Have?

Not all website development platforms are made equal. Platforms like Wix allows users to create HTML5 websites and mobile sites through their drag-and-drop tools. You do not need to be a web developer or technical expert to build such websites. However, these platforms often lack customizations.

On the other hand, there are content management systems (CMSs) like Shopify, WordPress, and Joomla, where customizations are possible. These platforms also offer better scalability. But you will need to hire professional website development services, which will increase your development costs.

However, this cost is usually worth it because professional web developers allow you to leverage the full potential of a platform. It can significantly impact the success of your business. So, it’s best to understand your technical skills and business needs and choose a platform accordingly.

How Customizable Is the Website Development Platform?

You are going to need customizations. No matter how great a website development platform is, it needs customization in terms of designs and features. This is particularly true if you want the website to reflect your brand, its voice, and your business ethics.

The good news is most platforms now offer some degree of customization. For example, Shopify offers several paid themes, which you can customize as you need. But the more customizations you need, the more you will have to rely on professional website development services. Only they can help you bring your website design to life.

How Proactively Can the Platform Provide Support?

Maintaining a website is not as easy as it sounds. Plus, you never know when you will face a potential issue. It could be today, next week, or next month. You will need support as soon as you encounter a problem. So, make sure you can reach the website development platform quickly and efficiently.

It’s best to choose a platform with a toll-free contact number. That’s the fastest way to call for help when you need it. You can also check user reviews about the website development platform, particularly those related to customer support.

How Scalable Is the Platform?

Scalability is a factor you can’t ignore. You may have only 100 products listed on your website right now. But, as your business grows, your website will need to list more products and higher traffic. The question is, can your website development platform supplement this growth?

Scalability helps solve performance-related problems head-on. You can tackle these issues before they turn into a disaster. And more importantly, you can keep your code organized, reducing the risk of sudden breakdowns. It also makes it easy for your web developers to add new pages, features, and cybersecurity reinforcements as and when needed.

How Secure Is the Website Development Platform?

Security is another critical factor you must consider. A cyberattack can hit your business hard. For starters, it is often very expensive to recover from a crippling cyberattack. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the global annual cost of cybercrime is predicted to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.

The good news is many leading platforms, like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, have built-in security features. But, you will need additional security for platforms like WordPress, depending on your hosting provider. Be sure to check these details when shortlisting a website development platform.

Compare the security features of shortlisted platforms. It is critical to have 24/7 customer support. Moreover, having a large community of web developers, designers, and website owners can also help. They can help you find suitable solutions should you encounter any problems.

How Easily Can You Update Your Website?

Regular updates are necessary to protect your website from potential cyberattacks. Updates often provide your website with the security patches needed to prevent hacks. So, focus on a website development platform offering regular automated updates.

Apart from the core platform, the themes you are using on the platform must also receive regular updates. Even leading website development platforms like WordPress get targeted through vulnerable themes, widgets, and other add-ons. For example, in 2023, WordPress had 58 plugin vulnerabilities with security patches available.

How Much Is It Going to Cost You?

Cost is a big consideration when choosing a website development platform. There are several recurring costs associated with maintaining a website. Most platforms will charge you a monthly subscription fee. In addition, you may have to pay for web hosting, paid themes and features, payment service provider, and domain.

Take these recurring and one-time costs into account. And remember, these costs will vary depending on the size of your website and a few other factors. So, make sure to compare the shortlisted website development platform. It’s best to find something that you can easily manage, needs lower maintenance, and is easy to scale.

In Conclusion

Choosing the right website development platform sets your business website for long-term success. And you need a platform with scalability, regular updates, excellent cybersecurity, and 24/7 customer support. It also needs to have lower maintenance, higher stability, and a diverse set of features. Lastly, you would want it to be as cost-effective as possible. Hopefully, this post will help you get your research started.

Are you looking for a new website, or need to upgrade an old one? Look no further than Wahha Design. Our website development services have transformed many businesses in industries like business, government, education, and health. For more information, call us today!