The e-commerce market is constantly expanding. Every year, more and more people become avid online shoppers. Consequently, creating an online store definitely sounds like a good business plan. So what tools can you use to set up an e-commerce store? In today’s entry, we’ll tell you how to benefit from website creators.
Website development is a long and complex process. In the beginning, you should determine the objective of your page and the general requirements it needs to meet. Then, it’s time for graphic design and the creation of layouts that include more and more information at each stage. Once all of this is done, web developers can start coding the page. It’s also crucial to publish it on the server, select your hosting company and domain. When the page is ready, you should ensure its proper management and content updates.
It’s necessary to remember SEO activities at every stage of the work. Thanks to it, your page will reach the highest possible positions in the search results.
As you can see, the whole team of professionals is involved in web development, which equals considerable expenses for the client. Even a simple online business card requires a substantial budget. Apart from that, the costs include hosting, domain, implementation of updates, and SEO activities. In the case of online stores, you should get ready for even greater expenses as these websites are usually more complex and sophisticated. Besides, they necessitate frequent updates.
Website creators emerged to shorten and simplify the process of web development. With their use, you can create a professional website on your own, without having to worry about the coding. Therefore, they’re an excellent alternative for people who want to design and deploy an advanced website as quickly and affordably as possible. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that pages created with the help of website creators differ in quality from those created with coding or WordPress.
What does working with website creators look like?
The principles of the operation of website creators are extremely simple. In most cases, individual website elements such as navigation menu, text fields, or graphics are added to the project window by dragging and dropping. The creator automatically “translates” the project into the code. What’s more, almost all such tools offer website templates. Most often, they’re categorized into blogs, company websites, portfolios, or online stores. The selected template can be easily edited with your own images and texts.
The publication of a website created with a page creator is a piece of cake. In most cases, one click is enough to make the site available to all Internet users.
Why creating an online store with a website creator is a good idea?
Creating an online store with a website creator can bring you numerous benefits. Let’s take a closer look at a few most important ones.
1. Lower costs
Every store owner knows that each penny matters, especially at the beginning of the business activity. As we’ve already mentioned, having your website created by a professional team can cost an arm and a leg. Thanks to website creators, you can set up a page and pay only a smart percentage of the money you would need to spend to hire an agency. What’s more, in some instances it’s possible to design and publish a site completely for free.
[caption id="attachment_35221" align="aligncenter" width="265"] A monthly cost of a premium WebWave’s offer.[/caption]
2. Time efficiency
If you decide to commission website creation to an external agency, you need to be patient. First of all, professional specialists are usually busy which means you’ll need to wait for an available date. Second of all, the process of designing and deploying the page can take up to several months. On the other hand, with www creators, you can set up a simple store even in one day. This will allow you to start selling online quicker. Such a simplistic website is fully enough in the beginning. It can be easily updated in the future, to expand it, just add new elements, subpages, or product categories.
3. Brand awareness building
Contrary to what you may think, websites developed with the use of creators aren’t the same. A wide range of possibilities and editing options help to customize the project to individual needs which support brand awareness building. During online store development, you can upload your own logo, select colors, typography, and other visual elements.
4. Full control over the store
With website creators, you can implement all the changes on your own. There’s no need to hire web developers. This helps you reduce costs and shorten the time needed to modify the offer or update prices.
5. Everything in one place
Website creators aren’t dedicated only to set up pages. With their use, you can manage content, introduce updates, or perform SEO activities. They also offer functionalities related to online store operation such as order management or integration with payment systems. Therefore, website creators are helpful not only at the stage of developing the store but also later, when you need to monitor it. Besides, online shops created with the use of these multifunctional tools can be easily integrated with various e-commerce solutions such as newsletter subscription systems, online payments, or live chats.
Does working with website creators bring only benefits?
Obviously, the use of website creators is also associated with certain restrictions. When setting up a page on your own, you need to know the basics of web design. Even when modifying the existing template, you can make serious mistakes that can affect the quality of the project. That’s why in the subsequent part of the entry we’ll discuss the most important issues you should keep in mind when using a web creator.
It’s also essential to understand the principle of web creator operation. Although it’s not complex, it takes time. The task is slightly simpler for persons who have already dealt with graphic design. The user interface of most website creators resembles the design and functionalities of popular graphic software. Beginners can usually find support in materials available in the knowledge base. Some web creators offer free help. When choosing a specific tool, it’s worth paying attention to this factor as free support isn’t a standard solution.
Doing SEO on your own is another characteristic element of website creators. A deep understanding of SEO principles requires many years of experience. Therefore, before performing any activities, it’s worth learning the most important issues related to this field. Web creators can facilitate the task. When choosing a tool, pay attention to available SEO functionalities such as the possibility to create your own meta descriptions, title or alt tags. Some creators offer solutions that support website analysis and SEO processes. Consequently, even total beginners can take basic care of website visibility in the search results.
What to focus on when creating an online store with website creators?
As we’ve already mentioned, when setting up a website with the use of a page creator, you should be familiar with the basics of web design. So what to pay attention to?
Navigation menu
An online store usually includes a few subpages. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that users always know where they are and how to access another section. A website menu is a basic element that facilitates navigation. It’s usually located at the top of the page, popular web creators enable adding it with a single click. Then, you can effortlessly modify your navigation menu. However, when doing it, stay moderate. The menu shouldn’t contain more than 4-5 sections. Too many levels also aren’t a good idea, the optimal number is 1-2.
Make sure that your navigation menu includes a shopping cart icon. It’s usually located in the upper right corner.
Landing page
25% of customers who visit an online store for the first time make a purchase decision based on the landing page design. Therefore, it’s one of the most important elements of the project and it should include several items.
First of all, make sure that your value proposition (meaning the greatest benefit from purchasing the product) is exposed properly. This should be a feature that makes your business stand out from the crowd such as efficient order processing or production of customized products.
A product list is another important element. In the case of simple online stores, it’ll include “tiles” with a photo, price, and description of the item. If your product range is wider, it may be necessary to comprise a list of categories.
High-quality product photos are relevant elements displayed to users after entering the landing page. We buy with our eyes, therefore, image quality is of key importance. Make sure that your graphics are unique and have high resolution. Copying them from other websites will have a negative impact on your brand recognition and your website visibility in the search results.
Consider introducing a section with recommended products. Thanks to it, users will make their final purchasing decision quicker.
When developing an online store with a web creator, you can select all necessary elements (including text fields, photos, and “add to the shopping cart” buttons) and link them into a group. This way, you can easily copy everything and introduce new sections if you decide to expand your product range.
Product specification
This is a subpage with information about individual products. It should include item photos, names, and exact descriptions highlighting benefits from the purchase. When designing a product specification in a web creator, a functionality that enables the creation of a photo gallery should come in handy. Thanks to it, you can easily and attractively present many graphics.
“About us” subpage
Customers frequently want to know who runs their favorite stores. Introducing your team, mission, and history even in a few words can help you inspire trust and improve brand recognition.
Rules and regulations
Outlining store’s rules and regulations is a legal requirement. Besides, it helps to dissolve any customer doubts concerning data security or return of goods.
Contact
Customers should have the opportunity to ask questions or write reviews. For this purpose, they should use the “contact” subpage. Web creators allow you to use a form thanks to which users can quickly send a message without entering their private emails. It’s also advisable to provide an actual address of the company and integrate your online store with Google Maps.
Customer reviews
It’s an important website element that inspires trust. Customer reviews prove that your offer meets users’ expectations. Customer reviews can be sent via the landing page or via individual product subpages.
Mobile-friendliness
Research shows that as many as 70% of customers use mobile devices when shopping online. In the 15-24 age group, this percentage is already over 90%. That’s why making sure that your online store is mobile-friendly is a key step. When choosing a website creator, check whether it ensures a responsive web design which means that the site adjusts to the resolution of the screen on which it’s displayed.
The finest website creators offer functionalities that automatically create various page versions - for desktop devices, tablets, and smartphones. It’s also ideal if the creator allows you to modify the layout for individual site versions. Thanks to it, it’s easier to tailor the online store to your needs and expectations.
The takeaway
Website creators may turn out to be an excellent solution for users who want to set up a page without coding or spending a fortune. It’s an appealing option, especially for people who are just beginning their adventure with e-commerce. Developing and configuring a simple online store with the use of a website creator isn’t time-consuming. Moreover, appropriate engagement can help you achieve truly satisfactory results.
Thanks for the article Jan! I’m opening a business and to be honest creating an e-commerce website was my biggest anxiety -cost and planning-wise. Maybe I’ll try the online creator solution.
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A monthly cost of a premium WebWave’s offer.[/caption]
Thanks for the article Jan! I’m opening a business and to be honest creating an e-commerce website was my biggest anxiety -cost and planning-wise. Maybe I’ll try the online creator solution.