There are so many options when it comes to building an online store. You can use a platform like Squarespace or Managed WordPress, but what’s the difference? There are many considerations when deciding which is better for your business needs. In this article, we’ll show you the pros and cons of each option to help you decide which is right for your business.
What to Consider When Building an Online Store
If you’re looking to build an online store, consider your:
- Type of site
- Budget
- Time frame in which you would like to see it completed
- Functionality (do you need to sell things, store data, etc.)
- Whether or not you want a blog on your site and how much server space and bandwidth will require.
- If you’re building an eCommerce store, full functionality for your customers needs to be considered. Reliable security, payment processing solutions, and fast network speeds are essential for any business.
- User-friendly layout
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that you can use to build your website. It’s also free and open-source software, which means it’s constantly improving and available for anyone. WordPress is the world’s most used CMS system, with millions of websites actively running off this infrastructure.
WordPress was designed as an easier way for people with no technical skills to create websites since, at the time, there were few excellent platforms for non-experts to use. The platform has grown significantly since then. Though it’s still easy to use, there are also many customizable options for those who can benefit from the skills of WordPress developers.
Why WordPress?
WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that offers easy website creation and hosting. WordPress might be your best choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use platform with a large community of developers. WordPress is easy to use because it comes with powerful themes that allow you to create beautiful sites without any coding knowledge at all. If you’re unsure which theme will work best for your needs, thousands available on the market today can be custom-tailored with the right tools and design elements. You can even hire a designer to make sure your theme looks perfect. WordPress also has excellent security features and hundreds of plugins for business owners to customize their websites with the functionality they need.
Benefits of Using a Managed Host for WordPress Development
Managed hosting for WordPress is an excellent option for small businesses looking for a cost-effective site management solution. With managed hosting, companies can benefit from outsourcing their IT services and server management to WordPress development professionals available 24/7 to help maintain your website. With a managed WordPress hosting provider like Nexcess, you don’t have to worry about site security or backing up your data. Nexcess provides automatic failover systems that will secure your company data in the event of an unforeseen server error. Further, your managed hosting providers will automatically update your plugins and WordPress core, so your site is always running at top speed and efficiency. Managed hosting from Nexcess will also test your plugins regularly to ensure they aren’t slowing down your site.
With managed WordPress hosting, you can focus on growing your customer base instead of spending hours trying to fix an issue that the experts could have prevented at your managed host!
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a web hosting platform and CMS (content management system) that allows you to build a website with a drag-and-drop interface. It’s more expensive than WordPress but less expensive than other platforms like Shopify or Wix.
Squarespace is best for users who want complete control over their website, especially if they are concerned about the ability to update their site on their own in the future. If you don’t want to deal with updating your WordPress site yourself, Squarespace may be a good option because it has built-in automatic backups and updates, so you don’t have to worry about it as much.
Features of Squarespace
Squarespace is a hosted solution, which means you can use it without having to install anything on your website’s server. The advantage of this is that there’s no need for technical knowledge or experience, as all you have to do is sign up and then use the platform as usual. This is great if you want to get started without worrying about technicalities, but if you want more control over how your website functions and looks, then managed WordPress might be better suited to your needs.
Squarespace offers easy-to-use templates with plenty of customization options within each one so that you have many options for a unique site look. It also has a fantastic mobile app that allows users to access their content anywhere they go – perfect for those who travel frequently or work remotely.
Which One is Better?
- Squarespace is an excellent choice for those who want an easy-to-use website builder. The drag-and-drop editor lets you build a site without needing to know any coding or spend hours studying it. And, since there’s no need for coding, you don’t have to worry about updating your site’s theme or plugins—Squarespace handles all of that for you automatically.
- Managed WordPress is the better option if the person who owns your website isn’t tech-savvy but wants complete control over how it looks and operates. Unlike Squarespace, this software allows users to customize their sites in any way they see fit—including by installing extensions and themes from third-party services like WooCommerce (for eCommerce) or Jetpack (for additional functionality).
- If you’re unsure which service would be best for your needs, consider these factors: Do you want something easy? Do you want more control over how the site works? Or do security concerns weigh heavily on your mind?
Though both CMS systems come with user-friendly options, WordPress offers greater customization options for those who understand coding and WordPress development. With the help of managed WordPress hosts, eCommerce owners can work with these professionals to build a completely customized and functional website. With Nexcess hosting, website owners can also benefit from their easy-to-use site builder that rivals Squarespace’s user-friendly drag-and-drop interface while still offering more advanced customizable options.
While deciding on a website builder might not seem like a big deal, it can hugely impact your company’s success. That said, there are plenty of things to consider when choosing between Squarespace and Managed WP. The key takeaway is that you should evaluate what you want from your website and choose accordingly. Is it essential for you to have complete control over everything from design to content? If so, then perhaps WordPress would better suit your needs.
