Every business needs a website– full stop, end of sentence. In today’s digital world, it’s no longer a luxury to have a fully functional, mobile optimized website. If you don’t, how will anyone know you’re in business?

Luckily, if your budget is tight, and your knowledge of web design is nonexistent, you still have options.

Before diving into the world of web design, content, and drag and drop visual builders, it’s important to understand what you’re getting yourself into. You have a few options:

  • One, you can go with a SaaS-based content management system (like SquareSpace or Wix).
  • Or, you can hire an agency who will do all the heavy lifting for you– saving you time, stress, and applying expertise to your design.

As with many business decisions, there are benefits to both options. First, let’s take a look at what it means to create a website with Wix or SquareSpace.

With Wix:

You get:

  • A relatively easy platform with drag-drop technology.
  • Yearly plans that are reasonably priced for a lower budget.
  • Many available apps to add to your site, some free, some costly.
  • A number of stock photos for use on your website.

You don’t get:

  • An ad-free site. Free sites come with ads which will be displayed on your site, not for your benefit.
  • The ability to freely change templates. Once you pick a template, you have to stick with it.
  • SEO Optimization. The SEO on Wix isn’t great, and there isn’t much assistance to help you. So, your site may be missing some SEO opportunities.

With SquareSpace:

You get:

  • A slightly complicated interface (in comparison to Wix). But you still have drag-drop technology.
  • Elegant and professional templates.
  • A WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, without the need for advanced coding.

You don’t get:

  • Any apps, plugins, or addons. Unfortunately, what SquareSpace offers is what you have to stick with.
  • Any option for starting with a free site.
  • Too many options when it comes to themes to choose from.

The main advantage to using an SaaS-based content management system is the quick start and low cost. You will be able to immediately start customizing your site on a very low budget.

However, if you are not a web design pro, even with the tools these platforms provide, your site may look a little amateur. You will miss out of some best in class practices and likely do a few things incorrectly, which may hurt your ranking on Google.

Lastly, given the popularity of platforms like Wix and SquareSpace, your site will likely look similar to many others out there.

With a digital marketing and web design agency, like Right to Rank:

You get:

  • Guidance on your website structure, web content, and layout with a highly trained web design team.
  • A customized website based on your needs, wants, and target customer.
  • A Google optimized site utilizing best practices to help your business appear on the front page of search results.

You don’t get:

  • A cookie-cutter site chosen from a template book.
  • A free option to start your site.
  • A template you have to stick with.
  • The stress of designing your site with minimal knowledge.

The main advantages of designing your website through a digital marketing agency like, Right to Rank,  are the guidance, expertise, and customization you receive.  A team of web experts can tailor your site to appeal to exactly what your industry demands. Additionally, your site will be designed for optimal lead capture, Google search optimization, and catering to mobile users. If you have a vision for your website, a qualified team will be able to turn that vision into a reality. Since your website is the face of your brand, your business can benefit from custom web design and the consideration of your strategic goals.

However, if you have ample spare time, are looking to design a website on a shoestring budget and do not have the money to invest in a customized website catering to your business’ needs, using a SaaS-based content management system, like Wix or SquareSpace, may make more sense for your immediate future.

As you embark on your web design journey, it’s important to consider what is right for you and your business. If you want to focus on growing your business and would like to save time on the trial and error of a website development platform,

let Right to Rank handle your website. Your business will thank you later.