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o, you’re thinking about embarking upon a new or redesigned website and are considering Webflow, but you’re not too sure whether it’s the right platform for you? Then read on because we have developed the ultimate guide to Webflow so that you know exactly whether it’s right for your business or not!
Top Features of Webflow
Let’s start with the top features that Webflow offers that are key considerations when choosing the right platform for your next website.
Design Capabilities
Simply put, Webflow is unrivalled when it comes to its design capabilities and customisation. Every site is a custom build – including templates – which means that you have complete flexibility when it comes to creating beautiful, bespoke designs and animations, and interactions.
While it’s a no-code product, it comes packed with pre-built components while also offering custom code capabilities for next-level designs. It also offers native interactions so you can animate elements and create custom actions (like change the state of something on hover for example).
Performance
Webflow is a Software-as-a-Services (SaaS) product which means that it is managed – including software updates, backups, and security requirements. Webflow is lightning fast and runs on world-class infrastructure. Included in your Webflow license, your site will be hosted on AWS (unless you choose to host elsewhere at an additional cost) with content delivered within milliseconds via Fastly.
User Interface
Webflow is feature and functionality-rich which means that it does take time to learn the user interface if you are brand new to it or don’t know much about website development – but once you’re familiar with it it’s intuitive.
It’s akin to Adobe Design vs Canva – while Canva is very easy to use, it doesn’t have the same capabilities as Adobe and therefore Adobe has a steeper learning curve initially, but you can do a lot more with it.
Maintenance
As a SaaS product, there is no ongoing maintenance other than the changes you want to make to the content like adding a blog or an event. You don’t need to update plugins or manage licenses for hosting and security separately – it’s all included in your monthly fee!
Security
Webflow maintains a high level of security including to industry standards such as ISO 27001 and the CIS Critical Security Controls.
In addition to those provided by AWS, Webflow has built insecurity features including:
- Two-factor authentication
- SSO capabilities with G Suite
- Single Sign-On (capabilities vary based on subscription tier)
- Role based permissions
- Free SSL certificate
- Backups and versioning
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
There are a lot of variables that contribute to SEO regardless of the platform you choose to build your website on. But with Webflow, you’ll start with the right foundations including enhanced performance. The key to great SEO depends on whether you choose the right Webflow development agency, that understands the breadth of SEO including component hierarchy keyword research and optimisation, and off-page SEO strategies.
Custom Collections
Collections are databases of content that are used to populate a templated page. The most common utilities of collections are for blogs, events, and team profiles.
In a collection of team members for example, there would be fields for names, titles, bios, and profile images. When a new collection item is created (by inputting data into the collection fields), a new page is automatically created within a template. This makes it fast and easy to add and remove team members, blogs, and events without having to create, edit or remove pages or sections within a page – it’s done automatically!
Webflow allows for custom collections including referencing fields from other collections which means you can create really advanced functionality in your site like displaying dynamic dashboards or pulling live market data into your site.
Logic & Memberships (Beta)
In early 2022 Webflow announced the release of logic and memberships. While still in beta (at the time of writing this), these two features will soon offer customers a powerful, in-built alternative to using integrations from third-party applications.
We are lucky enough to have early access to the features so reach out to have a chat if you’re curious to find out more.
Alternatives to Webflow
Webflow certainly isn’t the first no-code website development platform however it does fill a lot of gaps left in the wake of many alternatives that came before it.
Wordpress
Wordpress is the most widely used platform for websites because it offers more features, functionality, and customisation than other no-code platforms but is easier to use (generally) than more complex,enterprise-grade platforms. That is until Webflow came along.
Wordpress is an open-source platform which means that developers can contribute to the ecosystem of functionality through the development of free or paid plugins. They are a bit like apps on your mobile phone – they’re downloaded or purchased on to your phone, but you still need to update them when there is a new version, or they’ll stop working. In Wordpress, this is problematic because you rely on the developers of those plugins to maintain the plugins and their compatibility with Wordpress (which also needs to be updated when new versions become available).
Plugins, when overused or not maintained, slow a website down and provide a risk to security. So, while Wordpress still has utility in certain circumstances, there is growing frustration among users regarding performance, security, and its user interface design which is unintuitive and often limited depending on the theme it’s been built on.
We ourselves moved our website from Wordpress to Webflow back in 2020 - before we became a Webflow Enterprise Partner Agency – due to the same frustrations that so many other businesses face. Best decision we ever made!
Wix
Wix is a great platform for small businesses with simple to moderate design and functionality requirements, especially those who want to build and maintain their sites in-house. Wix’s Editor X provides drag-and-drop capabilities as well as customisation for different breakpoints (tablet, phone, etc.). Wix also offers numerous native apps – although with limited features and customisation compared to others on the market - for things like bookings, social media publishing and integration and SEO. You can read more about Webflow vs Wix in one of our previous articles.
Squarespace
Squarespace doesn’t really compete with Webflow but it’s worth mentioning as it’s a popular choice for small organisations, especially those with limited experience with websites who have very basic requirements. Squarespace is easy to use because it has so many limitations – but for businesses that don’t need/want to invest in a great website, it’s a good solution. It comes with pre-built components and collections and offers a variety of templates that can be easily modified (in design, not functionality).
Shopify
Shopify is – hands down – one of the very best solutions for businesses with complex and high-volume eCommerce requirements. It has limited design functionality, but it does offer well-crafted, pre-built templates (free and paid options) that can be modified to suit your branding. Businesses that need the eCommerce capabilities of Shopify but want the design capabilities of Webflow can design in Webflow and convert into Shopify using tools like Udesly. It’s an expensive activity but worth it for premium eCommerce websites that want a WOW factor.
While Webflow does have an eCommerce feature, it’s only very basic (as is the case with Wix and Squarespace). Wordpress would also be a good option for eCommerce businesses although maintenance, performance and security are key consideration when choosing between the two platforms.
Is Webflow Right for my Business?
If you want a custom designed, high performing website upon which to build a solid SEO strategy and don’t have complex eCommerce requirements then yes, Webflow is right for your business!
If you have an eCommerce store with many products and a complex supply chain including inventory tracking across multiple distribution points, then Shopify or Wordpress + WooCommerce are more suitable solutions.
If you only need a very basic website design and you want to be able to easily manage it yourself then Wix and Squarespace are great options.
Website Project Checklist
Before choosing a development agency and embarking on your website design or redesign, familiarise yourself with the checklist below so you are prepared for what’s to come. The most common issues arise when there is ambiguity around the scope of a website project (i.e., what you get for your investment).
1) Timeframe
A five-to-ten-page website typically takes between six to ten weeks depending on the complexity of the design. A redesign and migration of an existing website into a new platform can take much longer depending on how significant the redesign (both graphically and structurally) and how much content needs to be migrated (for example if you have 100 blogs, that can a big chunk of take time to reformat).
A fifty-page website can take upwards of six months to redesign and develop – essentially, the more work, the longer it will take. As a general rule though, make sure that you start the project at least three months in advance and confirm with your agency whether they can meet your ideal launch date.
2) Budget
Budgets vary considerably when it comes to web design. They can range from as little as $500 up to $100,000+ depending on the quality and scope. The key factors that influence the cost include:
- Quality of the design and development
- Number of pages
- Animations or motion design
- Integrations
- Agency expertise, experience and location
- Accessibility
- Additional scope (SEO, support, training, etc.)
If your budget is limited, then consider being upfront about how much you can afford or are willing to pay so that the agencies you approach can create a reasonable scope of work within that budget or recommend a cheaper alterative (with limited scope) if they can’t meet the budget.
3) User Experience (UX) Design
UX design is a critical, yet often overlooked, step in creating a high performing website. UX designers offer a niche skill that requires training and experience and therefore low-cost web developers will almost certainly not have the expertise to deliver upon this activity which will affect the long-term performance of your site.
If you want your website to look good, delight users, and convert them, you need to ensure that UX design is part of the scope of the project.
4) Design Prototype
One of the most common ways to reduce cost and turnaround times is to design directly in development. However, one of the most common reasons why costs blow out, deadlines are missed, and clients are unhappy with the design of their websites is when corners are cut by designing directly in development.
A critical step to a successful website is to make sure that designs are prototyped and approved before moving into development.
5) Animation & Interactions
Animations and interactions will increase the cost of your website as they require specialist skills and a lot of time to create, but they will also make your site more appealing to users and will help to differentiate your brand and convert traffic. If animations and interactions are not included in the price of the project, they will be out of scope. If you want a truly impressive website, make sure you have a reasonable expectation of the cost and a budget to suit.
6) Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO is a complex area in marketing. While it’s a strategic and long-term commitment, making sure your website is structured for search engines is a critical first step to ranking in organic search results. Make sure that on-page SEO is included in the scope of the project. While this will increase your initial investment, it will save you in the long-term.
If you’re new to or still learning SEO, take these two free SEO courses.
7) Content Development
There are numerous considerations when it comes to writing content. SEO plays a part as does design and device responsiveness. Say for example you decide you want to reduce the cost of your website build by writing the content, make sure that you are willing and able to provide the content to your developer quickly and within the prescribed word count of each section if there are limitations. Too much content in a section for example can throw the balance of the visual design out and can negatively impact on its responsiveness across devices which will require additional work (and additional costs).
8) Tracking Tools & Integrations
Websites are assets that can deliver a lot of value to your business, whether you sell online or not. They can tell you who is coming to your site, where they are coming from, what your audience are interested in, and what they aren’t. If used correctly, a website is a window to user and market behaviour.
There are countless tools that offer insights such as visitor recording, heatmapping (click and scroll tracking), traffic sources (including what company network they have come from for B2B marketers), lead capture and scoring, sales attribution, and retargeting. Marketing technology is a complex landscape so make sure you choose an agency that understands this landscape and how to get the most out it for your organisation. Check out three of the best digital tools for B2B marketers.
9) Training
If you plan on making changes to your website internally, such as adding blogs or events or updating team profiles, then make sure that training is included in the scope of the project. You’ll also want to set as idea budget for ongoing support when you need a new landing page for a promotion for example.
10) Promotion
There is a misconception with websites that “if you build it, they will come”. There are currently nearly 2 billion websites on the internet so unless you invest in getting targeted traffic to your site, it’s unlikely to get much visibility unless you’re in a very small niche. Websites require ongoing effort and investment so make sure you have a promotional strategy to ensure its success.
Choosing the Right Agency
You will never be short of options when it comes to website development service providers. Finding the right one therefore can be hard.
Ultimately, the right agency for you will depend on the platform selection, functionality requirements, the scope of work, and your budget – everything we have covered in this article so far. Above all, make sure the agency you choose has the skills and experience to deliver upon your project and can provide a trusted source of advice for your business.
If you’re ready to talk about your website, contact our team at LimeHub. We are a Webflow Enterprise Partner with offices in Brisbane and MelbourneOur team of UX designers, graphic designs, developers, and marketing experts can help bring your website and brand to life and grow your business.
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