What is a Website Builder? How to Use It for Beginners?

Do you want to know what is a website builder? And are you eager to learn how to use it to create a website? Then, you’re in the right place to know that. 

Simply, you can understand website builders as a platform that lets you create a website without learning hefty codes and technical skills. These platforms come with a drag-and-drop editor, preset codes, designs, and many other capabilities.

Thus, this eliminates many tedious phases in the website creation process. Further, providing you with an easy way to have a professional website up and operating quickly.

In this article, you’ll understand what a website builder is, how it works, and how you can design a site using various website builders. We’ll go over all you need to know about website builders in this article.

Just stay with us till the end. Without further ado, let’s dig in!

What is a Website Builder? (Explained with Examples)

Now, let’s explore what is a website builder in a bit of detail in this portion of the article.

A website builder is exactly what it sounds like; it’s a tool that lets you create your website. Precisely, it has a user-friendly interface with lots of drag-and-drop capabilities, pre-set styles, and website design options.

The coding is executed on the backend. Meanwhile, the front end is the interface of the platform with easily understandable features. This allows you to create a website from scratch utilizing premade structures. 

What is Website Builder?
What is Website Builder?

Further, allowing you to create your online residence independently without having to be a tech expert. All with a little time investment and some targeted tutorials. 

There are various top-notch website builders today that makes creating a website a piece of cake.

Some of the most popular website builders are:

Besides, there are other website builders like WordPress.com, Jimdo, Squarespace, and so forth. These website builders platforms are equally capable of allowing you to create a website without having to be a tech expert.

In fact, many website builders even provide a free plan option that uses the website’s subdomain. For example, Wix lets you create and host a free website under its subdomain. It looks somewhat like this: ‘yourwebsitename.wixsite.com.’

Wix eCommerce Platform
Wix eCommerce Website Builder Example

Even more, if you want to have a website without a subdomain, then you can easily upgrade to any one of its available plans. Also, the monthly fees are far less than hiring a professional web developer.

You’ll discover there is a lot of potential for creativity in a way that is simple and easy to comprehend with website builders. 

Thus, anyone who wants to set up a website quickly, inexpensively, and without a significant financial commitment should use a website builder. This includes small businesses, freelancers, and anyone else.


What are the Benefits of Using a Website Builder?

Today, many well-known web designers create websites using website builders like WordPress.

Of course, the website might require substantial coding, complicated functionality, and advanced security. In such cases, a conventional website builder might not be the best choice.

However, as mentioned earlier, for the majority of small businesses and new firms, website builders are the ideal solution. The following are some of the primary justifications for using website builders:

i) Instantly Builds Websites

A small business frequently needs little more than a useful, attractive, and simple-to-use website. A website builder can do this in a flash. In a matter of hours, a website builder can produce an attractive, viable, and usable website.

Instantly Builds Website
Instantly Builds Website

As previously mentioned, to utilize a website builder, you don’t even need to know HTML or be an expert in graphic design or web development. 

The template library offered by website builders is one of its considerable features. These templates have clear designs, practical techniques, and color theory built right into it. They perform the majority of tasks so a lot of your time and energy is saved up. 

Are you wondering about the estimated time to build a website in general? Then, check out the article on how long does it take to build a website for guidance. 

ii) Affordability

It doesn’t cost a lot of money to create a website using a website builder. There are many different premium and free plans available.

In comparison to hiring professional assistance, website builders are still quite inexpensive, even with paid plans. In addition, a lot of website builders offer complimentary hosting and domain names.

WordPress.com Pricing Schemes Example
WordPress.com Pricing Schemes Example

Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that using a smart website builder is far better. Rather than paying a web developer to do the job on your behalf. Further, saving you a significant amount of money.

iii) Reduced Margin for Error

Did you know that website builders are built with pre-codes? This implies that there is less space for error.

The components you add, layer, and build upon will function as a whole since they were made to complement one another.

So, here you are NOT designing brand-new “parts of a website” in the hopes that they will seamlessly combine. Rather, you are merging components that have already undergone extensive testing.

iv) Easy to Maintain

Website layouts in a website builder are already pre-coded. Thus, this means that isn’t much upkeep or maintenance required. 

Yet, you should definitely update your website regularly with new information. So that your audience can interact with it. 

Website Performance
Website Performance

But, you really don’t have to spend your energy and money on maintaining your website. Particularly in terms of security, performance, speed, and other technical parts of your website. 

v) Constant Technical Support

When it comes to building a website, many small business owners or brand designers prefer to do it themselves. It makes sense that they would want to remain completely in control of the creative process. 

Example of Squarespace Help Center
Example of Squarespace Help Center

In fact, you can find tons of resources and documentation guides on how-to tutorials that can help you. 

At the same time, website builder platforms like Wix, Shopify, BigCommerce, and so forth provide technical assistance. Thus, you’re just one call away from getting constant technical support from tech experts if needed.


How Do Website Builders Work?

As of now, you know that the simplicity of website builders allows anyone, from novices to seasoned designers, can quickly develop an entire website. All through using a drag-and-drop editor. 

Nevertheless, every website builder functions slightly differently. You should explore the educational resources provided by the provider. So as to learn the specifics of using the particular website builder you choose.

But the majority of the popular website builders on the market today share some functional traits. So, now let’s take a closer look at how website builders actually work in the following fundamental bases. 

Use it Free Version or Subscribe to Its Plans

Each website comes with its own distinct needs so as for it to be a fully functional website.

Therefore, once you’ve decided on a website builder, you must subscribe to any of its plans. The majority of website builders provide a variety of plans. Consequently, these plans assure you that you’re not paying for unused resources. 

Choose Free or Paid Plan
Choose a Free or Paid Plan

Website builder plans come in various price ranges but typically range from $8 to $40 per month inclusive.  

If you’re on a tight budget, then you can also use various free versions provided by different website builder platforms. However, it has its own drawbacks. Such as no independent domain name, limited bandwidth, few capabilities, and so forth. 

Choose a Template and Start Designing

Once you subscribe to a plan of any website builder, next up, you’re provided with a plethora of theme template choices. For instance, you can find various theme template options as per niches like eCommerce, blog, fashion, etc.

With that, all you’ve to do is choose your favorite template that meets all your needs for your website. After that, begin designing using the available customization options. By doing so, you can give a unique flavor and taste to your website.

Example of Wix Website Builder Themes and Templates
Example of Wix Website Builder Themes and Templates

Also, keep in mind that there is a possibility that others might be using the same given website template of a builder. This can result in a design conflict. 

As a result, you can modify it using different design options to create a unique website. And at the same time, this goes a long way towards avoiding duplication with the design of any other websites. 

Add the Content and Configure the Website 

Once your design is all ready, you can efficiently start adding your content. 

  • If you’re creating a blog website, then you can add articles and posts related to your concerned niche. 
  • Likewise, you can add your product images, descriptions, names, and so forth, if you’re building an eCommerce website. 
  • Similarly, if you’re crafting a portfolio website, then you can add your related works. It all depends on the type of website you’re creating.

When you’re finished with adding content, you can use various tools and external third-party apps to configure your created website. By doing so, you add more functionalities and capabilities to your website.

Delightfully, the majority of website builders offer a variety of third-party apps and extensions for further enhanced functionality. 

Publish the Website

After successfully completing the aforementioned procedures, you’re pretty much done with the website development. And all set to publish your website. 

However, we advise you to go through your website once, top to bottom. Just to make sure everything is in order and there are no errors on your website. Additionally, that’s to guarantee your visitors have a wonderful experience.

Check Thoroughly to Publish the Website
Check Thoroughly to Publish the Website

After all, a website serves as the base for the expansion and credibility of your brand. 

Here’s a quick list of what you can do:

  • Proofread anything you write because sometimes small errors can slip by during the writing process.
  • Examine whether the images are well-optimized, load quickly, and look fantastic. 
  • You can also check out the speed of your just-created website using a website builder with various tools. 
  • Ensure that your website functions properly across all major browsers and devices.
  • See if your website builder’s settings are set up correctly. For rigorous guidance, do explore resources of the relevant website builder platforms.

Yay! You’ve completed building a website using a website builder on your own. Last but not least, you can press the Publish button on your chosen website builder to get your site live.

Monitor the Stats and Continue Improving

Once your website is officially live, it’ll then be prepared to handle website traffic. And offer various services to visitors. 

But your responsibility as a website owner doesn’t end here. You need to understand that launching the website is just the starting point.

Monitor the Stats and Continue Improving
Monitor the Stats and Continue Improving

Therefore, you should continue to promote and improve your website while keeping a close eye on its statistics.

You can also check out our article on the benefits of web analytics for businesses for more insight into it. 

Having said that, let’s move forward to the following portion of this article. 


Website Builder vs CMS – What’s the Difference?

Quiet often, you might have heard a lot about website builders and CMS (Content Management System) simultaneously. So, with that you might have questions like:

  • Do the terms “website builder” and “CMS” have the same meaning?
  • What precisely distinguishes a CMS from a website builder?
  • Which one is preferable if they are separate platforms?

Well, you’ll get to know all. Thus, here we present to you the major differences between a website builder and CMS. Have a glance at the table below:

Basis  Website Builder Content Management System (CMS)
Description Website Builders are all-in-one platforms created to make the process of building a website more efficient and quick. A CMS is a software program that runs on a web server and enables you to create, store, search and manage information in a database.
Example Platforms like Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, etc, are prominent website builders. WordPress.org, Joomla, Drupal, etc, are some of the widely used CMS to create a website. 
Ease of Use It’s typically one of the easiest options to go for if you want a minimal website with basic capabilities and functions. Precisely, CMS provides you with sophisticated customization possibilities. Thus, you need to have a little bit of technical know-how. 
Package Type You’ll get hosting, domain, and other support functions jam-packed in a website builder subscription plan. A CMS does not come with hosting domains or any other support functions. Meaning, you’ll have to separately buy them.
Features and Capabilities Website Builders come with limited features and capabilities. The number of third-party extensions that you can utilize is severely limited. CMS gives you a lot of room for growth and scalability. As you can enhance your website’s functionality with a plethora of plugins, tools, and other software.
Migration A website built using a website builder requires more effort to relocate from one host to another. You can switch hosts, alter domain names, and make other changes to your site whenever you want with a CMS.
Cost  Some website builders provide a free option, but the majority of them have visible branding and other limitations. However, as your site grows, you may end up upgrading to premium packages for additional functionality. On the surface, CMS is often less costly than a website builder. Although CMSs are commonly free, you’ll still need to pay for a domain, hosting, third-party applications, etc.
Suitability Website Builders are more suitable for individual bloggers, portfolio creators, and small business owners. If you want to expand your website to higher horizons as it scales, then CMS is the way to go!
Difference between Website Builder vs CMS

With that, let’s check out how you can choose the best website platform in the coming portion of the article. 


How to Choose the Best Website Builder Platform?

The difference in individual objectives hugely determines the things to look for in a decent website builder.  As what one web developer considers to be “good” may not be the same for another. 

Nevertheless,  there are a few fundamental traits shared by website builders that indicate their excellence.

The key characteristics are listed below:

i) User-Friendliness

The entire purpose of using a website builder is for its ease of use. Thus, you should choose a website builder platform that’s user-friendly. 

Most website builders feature the ‘drag and drop’ interface. Therefore, it only takes a few clicks to reposition the pre-coded items on your page. Even more, they are based on the WYSIWYG concept. That refers to ‘What You See Is What You Get’.

Consequently, all of this helps redirect your concentration on content development and promotion rather than being stuck on-site development.

ii) Pricing 

Another important factor to consider when choosing the right website builder is its pricing. Or, say the cost associated with using a concerned website builder.

Cost of Hosting a Website
Cost of Hosting a Website

Today, most website builders provide the most value for the money because of the competitive market. Hence, you should check if it provides free services like domain, SSL, business email, eCommerce functionality, etc. 

If not, then you’ll have to figure out the additional costs associated with small business owners. 

iii) Theme Templates and Customization Possibilities

Make sure the website builder platform you choose provides you with a wide range of design possibilities. More precisely, you should check if it has:

  • A fully configurable design suite that covers graphic design, layering, colors, and fonts.
  • Gives users a wide range of templates to pick from where you can modify each template to an extent.
  • An integrated image editor so that the visuals on your website are eye-catching and immersive.
  • Makes content readable and aesthetically pleasing for mobile users by adapting to mobile formats.

All of this helps you to add a different design flavor to your website.

iv) Analytics and SEO Tools

Monitoring a website’s online performance is one of the key aspects of its development. Today, you’re able to monitor every encounter a potential buyer makes on your website. All with the use of precise analytics and SEO tools.

Google Analytics Platform - Best for Analyzing Business Websites
Example of Google Analytics Platform

You can understand:

  • Analytics tools: Most websites want to rank higher on search engines like Google. You should therefore verify that Google Analytics is fully integrated into your website.
  • SEO tools: The majority of well-known website builders have built-in SEO tools that assist you in optimizing your site for search engine rankings. This includes a simple keyword generator, metadata integration, etc.

Therefore, ensure that the website builder you choose covers these components so that you’ll have the potential for future growth.

v) Extra Features

Well, are you planning to build a bit more sophisticated website like eCommerce websites? Then, make sure your website builder contains extra features like:

  • Supports payment integration from various popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, etc.
  • Includes shopping cart, abandoned cart recovery, and other features to make the eCommerce process smooth.
  • Provides a backend so you can track your inventory and stock from a single location.
  • Load your website quickly so visitors can easily access the content and services.
  • It should be incredibly flexible so that you can build a website that perfectly satisfies your needs. 
  • Scalability is also a crucial element because you need to be able to grow your website as it succeeds in growing.

The aforementioned features serve as the cornerstones of your eCommerce website. Thus, the trick is to choose a website builder that effortlessly incorporates each one.

vi) Customer Support 

Last but not least, it’s very likable that you can run into any kind of problem while building a website. In such situations, customer support plays a crucial role. 

Example of Elementor Website Builder Customer Support
Example of Elementor Website Builder Customer Support

Thus, pick a website builder that provides decent customer support with a dedicated team. That can help you with any kind of emergency in the site-building process. 

Having said that, let’s check out how to use some of the most well-liked website builders in the coming portion.


How to Use Website Builder for Beginners?

Earlier, we’ve already explored how actually do website builders work. Now, let’s see some of the most well-liked website builders. And how to use them for absolute beginners in this section. 

Stick with us as we guide you through this.  

1. Elementor Cloud – WordPress Site Builder

Elementor Cloud is essentially a WordPress site builder that combines Elementor website builder with cloud web hosting. Consequently, this helps you host, develop, and manage your WordPress website from a single location. 

Elementor Cloud Website Builder

Simply put,  you can host your WordPress website using Elementor hosting and edit it using Elementor Pro. And control everything from its user-friendly dashboard.

With other CMS platforms, you often need to purchase a domain name, locate a hosting company, and put it up using a CMS. But with Elementor Cloud, you can get everything in one location without needing to know how to code.

Key Features

  • Simplifies the process of setting up and maintaining a WordPress website all around.
  • The Google Cloud Platform is used to build its infrastructure. As a result, this makes it a very sincere and reliable hosting service on the market.
  • Receive access to the premium WordPress page builder known as Elementor Pro when you purchase Elementor Cloud.
  • Offers the option of quick hosting setup. Purchase a plan, enter a few bits of information, and enjoy access to the plugins, templates, and other features.
  • WordPress is immediately installed on your Elementor Cloud Website as soon as you create an Elementor account.
  • Includes 100 GB of bandwidth and 100K monthly visits to your website. Consequently, you can steadily raise your website’s commercial revenue.

Cost

Talking about its cost, Elementor Cloud is priced flat at $99 per year. You receive everything, including the Elementor Pro features and built-in hosting, with its subscription.

Elementor Cloud Website Builder Pricing
Elementor Cloud Website Builder Pricing

The best part is that, once you’ve bought it, you don’t need to buy another hosting plan or an Elementor Pro license.

However, it only supports 1 website per subscription. Consequently, you’ll have to buy Elementor Cloud for each website if you want to have several websites.

How to Use it to Build a Website?

You can quite effortlessly use Elementor Cloud to build your website. Follow us along as we guide you through the following steps.

Step 1: Purchase an Elementor Cloud Website Builder Plan

Go to the Elementor website, hover over the ‘Pricing’ section on the navigation menu, and then click Cloud Website Builder

Now, you need to click on the ‘Buy Now’ button to purchase the plan for setting up a WordPress site. 

Purchase Plan from Elementor Cloud
Purchase Plan from Elementor Cloud

Following that, all you’ve to do is create an account and fill in your billing information and other details. And then complete the purchase process. 

Step 2: Log in to the Elementor Cloud Dashboard to Create a New Cloud Website

Once your purchase process is successfully completed, you’ll receive the login credentials to the Elementor Cloud dashboard on your email account

Using it, log in to your Elementor Cloud dashboard. With that, you can find various menus on the left navigation sidebar. 

Elementor Cloud Dashboard
Elementor Cloud Dashboard

Meanwhile, you’ll also find a ‘Create a New Cloud Website’ option. Simply click on it to start the process of creating a new website with Elementor Cloud. 

Step 3: Set up the Website Domain and Specify your Website Details 

Next up, you’re prompted to ‘Choose the appropriate name for your website’

Enter a Site Name
Enter a Site Name

Following that, it sets up the website domain for you based on the name of your website. You can, however, alter and tweak it as you want later. 

Down the line, you’re asked to ‘Choose the kind of website you’re building’. Basically, you can see 4 options. Namely, Portfolio, Blog, Online Store, and Business/Corporate website. 

Choose Your Website Type
Choose Your Website Type

Simply choose the one that you’re willing to create.

Step 4: Pick your Website Kit

Then, you’re prompted to pick your website kit. Basically, the website kit is a collection of more than 80+ pre-made website designs with extensive capabilities created by Elementor. 

Select Your Website Kit
Select Your Website Kit

Once you pick your favored website kit, you’ll see the ‘Start with this kit’ option. Plus, you can also click the ‘ I’d rather start from scratch button’ if you want to create your website from the ground up.

Step 5: Make Further Necessary Configurations

After you click the option of your choice, the website configuration wizard is launched. Shortly, you’ll be sent to your Elementor Dashboard, where you can start making further necessary configurations.

Elementor Pro Visual Editor
Elementor Pro Visual Editor

Further, you can make your website live as you complete the design, customization, and other content-adding processes. 

Also, you can manage your website from the Elementor Cloud dashboard. All you’ve to do is click on ‘Manage this website’ and make the necessary changes. 

Website Hosted Options
Website Hosted Options

Do you want to know more about Elementor Cloud? Then, you should definitely check out our article on Elementor Cloud review for more rigorous insights on it. 


2. Wix

Wix is a well-known website builder with a wide range of tools that give you total control over how you build your website. If you don’t have any prior tech experience, then it’s definitely one of your better possibilities.

Wix Website Builder

According to statistics, more than 3 million websites are currently powered by Wix. It’s currently ranked by W3Techs as the third most popular Content Management System (CMS) globally.

With Wix’s drag-and-drop website creation capabilities, anyone can quickly and easily create innovative websites.  Additionally, Wix offers its own web hosting service, much like any other fully hosted platform.

Key Features

  • Provides 100s of expertly built, completely editable templates. Consequently, you can build any kind of website you can envision.
  • Offers its own smart website builder known as Wix ADI. All you’ve to do is answer a few questions and make choices to get your site done.
  • Features the drag-and-drop Wix Editor. This means that you can just pick up and drop an element as you choose.
  • Comes with exclusive business and e-commerce packages. You practically get every feature you need to easily create eCommerce websites.
  • Equipped with built-in SEO tools. You can modify the data, page titles, and descriptions of the pages on your website.
  • Wix team handles a significant chunk of your site’s security and all server-level upkeep. 

Cost

Wix is a freemium website builder. You can create a website for free with a Wix subdomain under the free Wix plan, but you cannot have a custom domain name.

However, you can upgrade to its premium edition if you don’t want to miss out on any cutting-edge features. On Wix, you can choose between two different plan kinds. As follows:

i) Website Plans

It’s the best option for creating and presenting a professional-looking website. Here, you can upgrade to this plan under the following pricing schemes:

Wix Website Plans
Wix Website Plans
  • Connect Domain: Costs $4.50/per month. You get a custom domain, a free SSL certificate, 1 GB bandwidth, 500 MB storage space, Wix ads, and 24/7 customer care. 
  • Combo: Costs $8.50/month. You get a free domain for 1 year, 3 GB storage space, 2 GB bandwidth, and 24/7 customer care.
  • Unlimited: Costs $6.25/month. Comes with no Wix ads, unlimited bandwidth, 10 GB storage space, and more.
  • VIP: Costs $12.25/month. Comes with 35 GB storage space, 5 video hours, and priority customer care.

ii) Business and eCommerce Plans

This plan is suitable if you want to launch, develop, and grow your firm. Here, you have the following price options for upgrading to this plan:

Wix Business and eCommerce Plans
Wix Business and eCommerce Plans
  • Business Basic: Costs $17/month. You get a free domain for 1 year, secure online payments, a custom domain, and no Wix ads.
  • Unlimited: Costs $12.50/month. You get a custom domain, unlimited bandwidth, a free domain for 1 year, and 35 GB of storage space.
  • VIP: Costs $17.50/month. Comes with additional unlimited bandwidth, 50 GB storage space, unlimited video hours, and priority customer care. 

If you’re still unhappy with Wix after using it, then Wix provides you with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

How to Use it to Build a Website?

Creating a website with Wix website builder is quite easy, even for absolute beginners. For guidance, we’ll walk you through the next few steps. Follow as we lead you through.

Step 1: Sign up on Wix.com 

First thing first, go to the official website of Wix, and there you need to ‘Sign Up’ to get started with the free version.

Click on the Get Started Option to Build a Website with Wix
Click on the Get Started Option to Build a Website with Wix

All you’ve to do is fill in the details asked and you’ll be ready to craft your website in no time.

Meanwhile, if you’re planning to purchase the premium plan, then you can upgrade it right from your website dashboard. 

All you’ve to do is click on the ‘Upgrade’ button on the left. And then, select the type of plan you want to purchase. That is whether website plans or business and eCommerce plans. 

Upgrade to Wix Premium Plan Right From the Dashboard
Upgrade to Wix Premium Plan Right From the Dashboard

Then, enter your payment details and complete the purchase process. 

Step 2: Select between Wix ADI or Wix Editor to Create your Website

As mentioned earlier, Wix provides you with 2 ways to create a website on your own. One is through its smart website builder i.e., Wix ADI. And other one is drag and drop editor i.e., Wix Editor

Once you successfully sign up for your Wix account, you’re prompted to choose between ‘Wix ADI’ and ‘Wix Editor.’ 

Wix Website Building Options
Wix Website Building Options

Depending upon your choice, look forward to the following steps.

Step 3: Build a Website Using Wix ADI

If you’re thinking to build a website using Wix ADI, then you should click on the ‘Wix ADI’ option choice. 

Following that, you’re asked a few questions regarding what your website is all about. With that, you can choose a theme, homepage design, font colors, and other asked details. 

Wix ADI Theme Options
Wix ADI Theme Options

Next up, you can start adding a few pages. With that, the system will create a new website for you. Also, you’ll have access to the ‘Wix ADI Editor.’ Using it, you can further modify the website to meet your needs. 

Wix ADI Editor
Wix ADI Editor

And once done with your edits, you can hit the ‘Publish’ button to make your website live. 

Step 4: Build a Website Using Wix Editor 

Now, if you’re planning to build a website using Wix Editor, then you should have certainly clicked the Wix Editor option in Step 2.

Following that, you can see all the niche-based templates. Also, there are both free and premium templates out there. 

If you’re on a free plan, then you can also use the free ones. Meanwhile, there are no restrictions if you’ve upgraded to a premium plan. 

Wix Templates Collection
Wix Templates Collection

Also, do make sure to preview the theme properly and look into its details before settling on it. As you cannot change the template once you settle into it with Wix.

After choosing your theme template, you’re taken to Wix Editor. Honestly, Wix Editor provides more flexibility than Wix ADI. 

Wix Site Editor
Wix Site Editor

Using it, you can tailor any minute details you want as per your choice. Such as a page backdrop, a transition of the website, and so much more. All merely through dragging and dropping.

Once you’re done with customization, you can hit the ‘Publish’ button to make your website live. 


3. Shopify

Shopify is one of the well-liked eCommerce builders that enables you to set up an online store and sell your goods. It’s a great platform to kickstart your eCommerce website or online store. 

Shopify eCommerce Website Builder
Shopify eCommerce Website Builder

Precisely, it includes pre-built online stores that you can edit and personalize to launch an online store. And, further, start selling products and services.

One of Shopify’s main purposes is to enable anyone to create their own online store without any coding or design knowledge. Nevertheless, you can certainly have benefits if you’re quite familiar with HTML and CSS. 

Key Features

  • Provides a large selection of themes from the Shopify Theme. This helps you bring your favored appearance and feel to your store. 
  • Integrates Shopify Payments to accept online payments. Further, it accepts payments made via gateways like Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, and PayPal.
  • You can get tons of free and paid apps from the Shopify App Store to enhance the functionality of your website. 
  • Permits you to sell your goods across many internet platforms, including Facebook, Amazon, Messenger, Instagram, and more.
  • Gives you access to Shopify Analytics and data to assist you in understanding your sales and customers.
  • Free messaging software Shopify Ping. So, you can live chat and manage all of your team and customer communications from a single location.

Cost

Shopify is a premium platform that’s available to you in multiple pricing tiers. Every plan comes with more than the ability to build an eCommerce website. To be precise, you get hosting, domain registration, along with upkeep services. 

Here are Shopify’s price options:

Shopify Pricing Plans
Shopify Pricing Plans
  • Basic: Costs $1/month (for initial 3 months) along with a 2% transaction fee. Comes with unlimited products, 2 staff accounts, 4 inventory locations, basic reports, etc.
  • Shopify: Costs $49/month along with a 1% transaction fee. Includes all Basic features. Plus 5 staff accounts, 5 inventory locations, standard reports, etc.
  • Advanced: Costs $299/month along with a 0.5% transaction fee. Includes all Shopify features. Plus 15 staff accounts, 8 inventory locations, advanced reports, etc.

Besides, you can find other 2 separate plans too. They are:

Shopify Alternative Pricing Plans
Shopify Alternative Pricing Plans
  • Starter: Costs $1/month for the initial 3 months. This plan offers gift cards, accepts card payments, financial reports, and more.
  • ShopifyPlus: Costs $2000/month. This plan comes with 60% faster checkout, 3D media on product pages, etc.

Not to mention, Shopify also offers a 14-day free trial option. You can use this option to test out the platform without using any credit card before settling on it. 

How to Use it to Build a Website?

With Shopify’s website builder, building an eCommerce website is quite straightforward. We’ll lead you through the following few steps to provide direction. Follow as we guide you through.

Step 1: Sign in to the Shopify Account

To get started, go to the official website of Shopify. As mentioned earlier, Shopify offers a 14-day free trial scheme on each package. So, it’s best to go for it. For that, all you’ve to click is the ‘Start free trial’ button.

Click on the Start Free Trial Option
Click on the Start Free Trial Option

Once you do that, a form will pop up where you can add your credentials and store name. And, hit the ‘Create Your Store’ button. 

Create Your Store Form
Fill in the Create Your Store Form

Following that, you’ll have to add a few personal and business details to finish the sign-up process. 

Step 2: Insight into Shopify Dashboard 

Once you’ve successfully completed creating your Shopify account, it’ll lead you directly to your Shopify dashboard

You can see that they have a sleek, contemporary interface with all of the functions listed in the left sidebar. To name a few, they’re Orders, Products, Customers, Analytics, etc. 

Shopify Dashboard
Shopify Dashboard

Likewise, you can choose a plan at the top of the right-hand side of the page. From there, you can select any of the available options based on the nature of your business.

Shopify Dashboard Features
Shopify Dashboard Features

Additionally, choices like Add Product, Customize Theme, and Add Domain is located just underneath that. You can prepare to sell online more easily with these go-to options.

Step 3: Pick Your Preferred Shopify Theme and Start Customizing 

You can begin creating your online store the way you want from the Shopify dashboard. But if you’re just getting started, it would be preferable to begin by customizing the Shopify theme.

For that, you can simply click on the ‘Customize Theme’ option if you want to use the default Shopify theme. 

Shopify Default Theme Page Settings
Shopify Default Theme Page Settings

Alternatively, you can also pick your favorite theme from the ‘Theme Library’ section.

Explore Shopify Theme Library Section
Explore Shopify Theme Library Section

Once you find the theme that you like, simply click on it. That’ll further open the other details about the theme. You can choose the theme style and make other necessary changes. 

Further, replace it with the default theme and make necessary customization by clicking on the ‘Customize’ option.

Customize Current Shopify Theme
Customize the Current Shopify Theme
Step 4: Add Products to Your Online Store

Now, the time has come to add products to your online store. For that, you need to go to the Products tab and click on the ‘Add Products’ option. 

Add Products to Your Store
Add Products to Your Store

Once you do so, you’ll see a ‘Product’ page. Here, you can add product information like title, description, price, images, and other details of the product. 

Add Product Detail
Add Product Detail

After everything is done, you can click on the ‘Save’ button to complete the product-adding process on your store. 

Save the Configurations
Save the Configurations
Step 5: Configure Other eCommerce Settings

Next up, you can find various eCommerce Settings on the ‘Settings’ tab. Such as Payments, Sales Channels, Checkout, and so forth.

Configure Other eCommerce Settings in Shopify
Configure Other eCommerce Settings in Shopify

By simply going through each eCommerce setting, you can quickly make the necessary configurations. 

Step 6: Choose Your Domain and Launch Your Store

Last but not least, you must purchase a New Domain if you want a domain that looks more professional and does not include the myshopify.com subdomain.

To do that, go to ‘Store Details’ and select the ‘Domains’ option to purchase a new domain.

Go to Domains to Buy a New Domain
Go to Domains to Buy a New Domain

If you’re happy with how your website turned out, you can ‘Publish’ it and make it publicly available. But first, make sure you already have a Shopify plan in place. With that, it’s finally time to unveil your store after all this effort.

Want to know more about Shopify eCommerce website builder? Then, you should check out our article on what is Shopify for more comprehensive insight.


Conclusion

That’s all folks! We’ve come to the end of our article on what is a website builder and how to use it for beginners.

Hopefully, we believe this article is fruitful to you in understanding everything that you need to know about website builders. That includes its importance, working process, things to consider when choosing, and so much more. 

If you’ve any queries regarding the website builder domain, then feel free to keep your thoughts in the comment section below. We’re happy to clear up your confusion.

You might also like our other similar articles, like what is a landing page and what is a personal blog on Instagram.

Do share this article about what is a website builder and how to use it for beginners with your friends and family if you find it worthwhile. 

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