- I'm a huge advocate for WordPress,
but I also understand WordPress is not right for everyone.
- What if I don't know how to build my own website?
- As they say, there's a plugin for that.
- Welcome to The Journey.
Today we're gonna help you decide
if you should use a website builder or WordPress.
All right, Nealey, so as you know, I already have a website,
but I get asked all the time from local business,
what type of website should I build for a business?
- Yeah, it's a pretty common question.
And as you know, I'm a huge advocate for WordPress
but I also understand, WordPress is not right for everyone
which is why we're really gonna break this down
and help you decide.
Should you use WordPress
or should you use a website builder?
Now it really helps to understand what type
of website you want to create.
What features do you want on this site?
- And what do you mean by that?
- So the cool thing with some
of the website builder's nowadays,
is they're getting super competitive
with the WordPress atmosphere.
So those website builder have those email marketing tools,
it has some user login, it has blogs,
has all these things.
But they're still a little bit limiting.
If you find yourself needing your own flexibility
to do whatever you want.
You don't like being put in a sandbox.
You can only play in that sandbox,
then that's where you really want to look into WordPress.
'Cause WordPress has tons
of plugins that open up the amount
of things you can do. - So more flexibility?
- Yeah. You can really do whatever you want.
As they say, there's a plugin for that.
So that's what you want to keep in mind
is they're probably gonna have some of the same features.
It's just, how much control do you want over those features
and then how much time do you have to learn?
- That helps break down the features,
but what if, I'm sure you're asking this at home,
what if I don't know how to build my own website?
- Yeah.
- Technical skills.
- Super common question.
And website builders,
if you need something just quick and dirty, like,
I'm just gonna get a site built right now.
Website builder's all day.
They make it super easy.
They're very visual.
Usually drag and drop or plug in place
like the Lego type style builder
where you can get your site up and running
which is super helpful, right?
- Ba da bing, ba da boom. (dings)
- Right.
Now WordPress on the other hand,
there's a lot more options because you get to play
out of the sandbox.
You can do whatever you want.
But every plugin, every theme, everything you do
has more options and more things to mess with
and different features you have to just learn in general.
- Got it.
- So it gets a little bit more technical.
- Okay.
- So if you have the patience to learn something new
or the technical ability then that's definitely it.
And hey, if you don't want to do it at all,
you could hire a pro.
- So next up, websites built, got that done,
now what?
Is it set it forget it or do I need to continue
managing this site?
- It depends.
And it depends on what you ended up going with.
Website builder's, the power of those are as you say,
they're lo mein.
- Or low maintenance - low maintenance
- For normal people.
They make it super easy just to build a site
and have it there.
Now, I would recommend you continue to add content
because Google does like content on your site.
As far as just technical maintenance stuff like that,
it's not a problem.
WordPress on the other hand,
it's what's called an Open Source Application.
So that means everyone contributes to it,
there's updates, there's thing that they have to do.
So you have to, every now and then,
I'd recommend at least checking in once or twice
every two weeks.
Somethin' like that.
- Okay.
- Update your themes and plugins.
Those updates help either patch a vulnerability,
it helps improve features,
or it just makes your site faster.
So as you know, I'm a huge advocate for WordPress
so my mom started a business a few years ago.
- What's the business?
- Doin' auto detailing and paint protection film.
- Oh, wow.
- So again, - Cool.
- huge advocate for WordPress.
I'm like, Ma, you gotta be on WordPress.
Get this goin'.
- What'd she say? - Here's some basics.
She was like, okay.
So she starts, right?
And she gets going.
And then I check on her like two weeks later, like,
how's it going?
And she's like, it's not.
(laughing)
It's way too much for me.
- I'm right where you left me.
- She's never built a site.
She's never done anything.
Now there's tools to help make WordPress easier
like Beaver Builder, Elementor, Divi,
or even Gutenberg.
The new builder in side of it.
But sometimes it's just too much
and I overestimated the ability of a first time user
because she was busy running her site.
She had no time to learn.
- Totally.
- Right.
So a website builder for someone that has a business,
that has no time, that just needs something up
to showcase her work, it was a better fit.
So again, huge advocate for WordPress
but I know it's not right for everyone.
- You really steered her in the wrong direction.
- Sorry, Ma.
(laughing)
All right, I really hope this helps you decide
whether or not WordPress is right for you
or a website builder
is right for you.
Now if you have any other comments, I get it,
it's kind of get a little gray area.
Let us know what your questions are in the comments below
and we'll give you an answer.
- Also be sure to like the video and share it.
'Cause you know there's others out there
with the same dilemma, same questions.
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This is The Journey.