Which platform should I build my dental website on?
What is a website platform?
A website platform refers to the software or technology used to create and manage a website. It provides tools and functionalities for building, designing, and maintaining websites without the need for extensive coding knowledge once the site is handed over to you. Website platforms typically include features that allow you to edit your website yourself.
Examples of Platforms
Wix
Squarespace
WordPress
To name a few!
Disadvantages of Wix and Squarespace
Wix and Squarespace are platforms that exist within their own ecosystems. They’re great for novices, but once you want to migrate away, you’re unable to do so. You become locked into these platforms indefinitely and would need to start anew if you wish to move. You’re continually paying a monthly fee and are limited in what you can achieve with the changes you wish to make on your site.
While these platforms allow for quick site launches and boast many easy-to-use features, most serious businesses struggle with their long-term usage. Despite their apparent simplicity, users can easily waste hours attempting even the simplest tasks because these platforms have unique functionalities and features that may not adhere to industry standards. At Digimax, we often find ourselves starting afresh due to abandoned Wix or Squarespace sites. With both of these platforms, you never truly own your website; you’re paying for its use indefinitely.
WordPress
WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that enables users to manage websites with ease. Renowned for its user-friendly interface, extensive plugin ecosystem, and robust community support, WordPress has evolved into a versatile CMS that powers a significant portion of the web. Its popularity is immense, with WordPress powering over 40% of all websites on the internet. Its flexibility, scalability, and ease of use have made it a preferred choice for individuals, businesses, and organisations worldwide.
Why don’t all website designers use WordPress?
They usually don’t understand it, and what you don’t understand can feel complicated. It’s easier to suggest a platform that appears easy, even if it comes with long-term limitations.
Not all WordPress is equal
If you’re being sold a WordPress theme, tread with caution. It’s ‘off the shelf’ and will eventually become outdated and cause problems unless you receive solid support. Moreover, the likelihood of someone having a similar-looking site is high, as themes are commonly used by website developers to expedite the design process.
How does Digimax use WordPress?
We design all of our sites completely bespoke. Once the design is approved, we ‘wrap’ a carefully produced, tailored version of WordPress purely for your benefit, allowing you to edit your site with ease. Here, you’ll see how easy it is for you to edit common areas of your site like fees, team, treatments digimax.dental/training. The benefit of our approach is that you always own your site, you’re not locked into a limited system, and there’s no CMS system more widely understood and available to work on than WordPress. This means that if you ever move away from Digimax to another developer, they wouldn’t be restricted in working on the site.
Warning
If a website designer is building a website for you on their ‘own CMS’, run a mile. Regardless of how appealing it sounds, you’ll be stuck in the future and may have to start again. At Digimax, we’ve had to redesign sites that were locked by previous designers to a CMS that only they understand and are not willing to provide access to. This is a factor that often goes overlooked in the excitement of starting any project.