Kiss, Marry, Kill?: Website Edition

So, this is the PG-rated version of that game that people were playing a few years back, listing random celebrities or folks they knew in real life, and rating them on whether they’d kiss, marry or kill them. It was a fun thing to do at a party, a great way to pass the time on a road trip, and a shit-stirrer’s deadly weapon when used correctly. I know people don’t do this anymore, but I think it’s a perfect way to explain how I view the various platforms available for building your website.

Many web designers and strategists will answer this question differently, based on their experiences or preferences, but here are my answers:

Kiss: Squarespace

Marry: WordPress!!

Kill: Wix or Shopify

Here’s my logic:

Kiss Squarespace. Squarespace is an ok entry point into the world of websites. It can get you up and running quickly, and will provide hosting (the place where your website lives) and a domain (the name of your site), and ooh wee are some of those templates pretty!

It will be an ok relationship for a while that you can easily manage. Things will get complicated when you try to customize the site too much – Squarespace doesn’t love customization, so you can think of it as the boyfriend you had who was super cute, lots of fun, but then when you tried to spread your wings a bit, he didn’t really like that so much. You’re also at the mercy of their servers (you can’t do much about it if they slow down) and their subscription plans (they name the price, and you just have to pay it) You’re too much of a catch to allow yourself to be tied down like that. So, it was fun while it lasted, but in the end, you’ll realize that Squarespace just isn’t the one.

I’ll skip “Marry” for now and get to “Kill” for a brief second.

Kill Wix: I won’t touch Wix. I don’t know what it’s about, but I know 90% of the Wix sites I’ve seen looked like junk, and you just don’t want your brand associated with that. It’s fine to have a quick site pulled together for your business, but your biz also just deserves better.

Kill Shopify: My negative opinion of Shopify may come as a surprise to you, since Shopify is so popular. I’m not a fan because the customization options are limited, and, like Squarespace, you’re at the mercy of their servers and subscription plans. Shopify could double their prices tomorrow, and you have no choice but to pay that price and cut into your margins. And, if Shopify or Wix servers go down, so does your website. You’re stuck until they’re back up and running again.

So, we’re up to “Marry” and that brings me to WordPress. *Cue Tina Turner’s Simply the Best:

….Give me a lifetime of promises and a world of dreams
Speak a language of love like you know what it means
Mmm, and it can’t be wrong
Take my heart and make it strong, baby
You’re simply the best
Better than all the rest…

You get the point.
But, whether you’re a fan of Tina’s version, or the newer version from Schitt’s Creek, WordPress really is simply the best, and here’s why:

  • Your website can do just about anything you need with WordPress.
  • You can edit it yourself, despite what many people think.
  • If your hosting plan prices go up, you can shop around and take your website and move it pretty quickly to another WordPress server.
  • WordPress runs about 43% of all websites, with a strong community of users and developers, so help isn’t ever going to be too far away.

 

In a nutshell, if you want an online presence that will fulfill your needs, and be in it for the long haul with you, WordPress is 100% way to go.

Agree? Disagree?  Email me at hello@threebirdscreative.com and let me know what you think.  I’d love to hear from you.

 

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