Website builders have become a popular option for creating websites, especially for those who lack technical knowledge. However, according to experts, these platforms can limit business growth and cause significant SEO problems. In this article, we explore the reasons why website builders like Wix and Weebly are not good for SEO.
Unsuitable for Professional Business Use
One of the main reasons why website builders should be avoided for any serious, long-term business is that they are unsuitable for professional business use. Websites built with website builders tend to be unoriginal and do not create a good impression on potential customers. A custom-made site with a unique design is more credible and appealing to customers.
Generate Messy Code That Is Bad for SEO
Website builders generate messy code that is bad for SEO and can ruin website rankings on search engines like Google. The HTML markup created by these software applications is often more bloated than code crafted by an expert web developer. This results in web pages that load slower, may display incorrectly in one or more browsers, and do not rank as well in search engines.
Not Responsive and Do Not Work Well on Mobile Devices
Website builders often create sites that are not responsive and do not work well on mobile devices. A website should adapt to different screen sizes dynamically to prevent loss of visitors. However, many website builders fail to create sites that are responsive and may cause potential customers to leave the site.
Not Customizable
Website builders are not customizable and restrict the ability to change the design beyond prebuilt templates. This means that the site will look like many others, and businesses cannot differentiate themselves from their competitors. In addition, website builders often have limited technical customization, which can have a significant impact on SEO.
Learning HTML Is Easy and Can Be Done with Frameworks
Learning HTML is easy and can be done with frameworks such as Bootstrap or Bulma, making it a better option than using a website builder. While creating a website from scratch may be more challenging, it results in a better quality website that is suitable for professional business use.
Wix’s Bad Reputation in the SEO Community
Wix, a website-building platform, has a bad reputation in the SEO community. While Wix has made strides to improve their SEO compatibility, they still have significant shortcomings that make them incompatible with more advanced marketing and SEO needs. Users cannot export their sites to other platforms like WordPress, so moving to another platform will require a complete site overhaul. Additionally, Googlebot has a difficult time crawling all the pages on Wix websites, meaning that some pages may not be indexed and will be invisible to users searching. Wix also provides users with inaccurate SEO advice, which can negatively impact SEO.
WordPress vs. Wix
WordPress and Wix are two popular website builders with different features for SEO. While Wix covers the basics of on-page SEO such as meta titles, meta descriptions, headings, custom URLs, image alt texts, 301 redirects, and social media sharing options, it lacks some technical SEO features such as a good link structure, sitemap creation, and the ability to add custom code, making Wix sites difficult to crawl and load slowly. On the other hand, WordPress offers a vast selection of plugins and customization options for both off-page and on-page SEO strategies. WordPress is the most popular content management system today, allowing businesses and bloggers to build and manage their websites easily.
In conclusion, website builders like Wix and Weebly may seem like a convenient option for those without technical knowledge, but they come with significant limitations for businesses. They can generate messy code, lack responsiveness and customization, and may harm SEO rankings. Learning HTML and using frameworks is a better option for building a website that is suitable for professional business use. WordPress, with its vast selection of plugins and customization options, is a better choice for businesses looking to build a website with advanced SEO needs. It is essential to consider these factors when choosing a website builder to avoid potential SEO problems in the future.