Wix - a powerful platform that transforms your online dreams into a vibrant reality. It is like your limitless box of building blocks for the internet, enabling you to construct anything from personal blogs and online portfolios to e-commerce stores without needing a degree in computer science.
In this blog, we're going to simplify Wix for you. We'll explain every aspect of Wix and how it can help you achieve your online goals. Wix is a platform that revolutionized web development, turning web designers into dreamers and digital architects.
You can now turn your ideas into a visually stunning, functional website; we're here to guide you through every step. Let's dive in.
What is Wix
Wix is a cloud-based platform that enables users to create HTML5 websites through drag-and-drop tools. It provides customizable website templates and a wide array of features and apps, allowing users to create websites without coding.
Brief Background of Wix
In 2006, it was founded by Giora Kaplan, Avishai Abrahami, and Nadav Abrahami. The platform was built out of frustration with the complex, technical process of creating a website. The founders wanted to create a more accessible, user-friendly platform for web development.
When and Why Was It Developed
Wix was developed and launched in 2006. The primary motivation behind its development was to simplify website creation, making it accessible to anyone, regardless of their technical skills.
There was a gap in the market for a tool that could help individuals and small businesses create a professional online presence without the need for coding knowledge or large budgets.
Who Are Its Main Users
The main users of Wix are typically small to medium-sized businesses, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and artists. However, the platform is designed to be versatile and user-friendly, making it suitable for anyone looking to create a professional website.
This can range from individuals wanting to create personal blogs or portfolios to large companies needing a comprehensive e-commerce solution. Its ease of use and customizable nature have made Wix a go-to platform for millions of users worldwide.
What Does Wix Do
Wix is a tool that helps you build websites. You don't need to know how to code. It's a one-stop platform providing tools, services, and functionalities needed to establish an impressive online presence. You can make your website by simply dragging and dropping things like text and images.
At its core, Wix offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to easily place elements like text, images, and videos on their website. It gives you many designs to choose from. These designs can be changed to fit your needs.
Beyond the basic website building, Wix steps up its game with advanced features. It provides an Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) tool that can automatically build a website tailored to your needs.
For e-commerce, Wix Stores offers tools for product display, order tracking, and secure payment options. And to ensure your website ranks well on search engines, Wix provides built-in SEO tools.
There is also a Wix App Market. This is where you find more tools (free or Paid) to add to your website. For example, you can add a blog, a booking system, or a live chat tool. In essence, Wix equips you with the tools to bring your vision to life on the web.
Wix's Core Features
Wix website builder offers a variety of core features, such as drag-and-drop editing, a library of templates, and built-in SEO tools.
1. Drag-and-Drop Interface
Wix's drag-and-drop interface makes building a website easy. You can move items around on your site just like moving things around on your desk. You simply pick the item you want - a picture, a text box, a video, or a button - and you drag it to where you want it to go. This makes building a website as easy as arranging a collage.
2. Variety of Templates
Wix offers a wide range of templates. Think of these as the starting point for your website, like a pre-built house that you can redecorate. Wix has over 800+ templates that cover many topics - from business to photography, music, design, and more. You can choose the one you like, then change the colors, images, and text to make it your own.
3. Mobile Optimization Capabilities
Nearly all internet users (92.3%) access the internet through their phones. That's why it's important that your website looks good and works well on a small screen.
Wix makes this easy. Every Wix website can be made to work well on a mobile device. Make sure your site looks good on the phone, and your visitors can easily find what they're looking for, even on a small screen.
4. Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence)
The Wix ADI tool, which stands for Artificial Design Intelligence, is a smart tool that builds your website based on artificial intelligence.
Your first step is to answer a few questions about your needs and preferences, such as the type of website you want to create, the features you need, and your preferred style. It then uses your answers and knowledge from millions of website combinations to generate a unique website for you in minutes.
This website has professional text, images, and even a tailored color scheme. You can then customize this website as much or as little as you like.
Wix ADI is ideal for anyone who wants an easy and quick way to create a professional website. It's particularly beneficial for beginners who may not feel comfortable starting from scratch or business owners who need a website but don't have the time or resources to design one manually.
It's also handy for people who aren't sure what they want their website to look like, as the ADI can provide a starting point that can then be customized.
5. Wix Code for Advanced Web Applications
Wix Code is a powerful tool that lets you take your website to the next level. It allows you to create advanced web applications right within the Wix platform. It means you can build interactive sites with custom user interactions, dynamic pages, and more.
You can add your own JavaScript code, use APIs to connect to outside services, and much more. This gives you greater control and flexibility in the design and functionality of your website. Even better, you can do all this without leaving the Wix editor.
With Wix Code, you can also create and manage database collections. A database collection is like a big container where you can store data for your website. This can be anything from blog posts to product listings to user information.
You can then use this data in different parts of your website. For instance, you can create a webpage that automatically updates information from your database. This makes managing and updating your website content much easier and more efficient.
6. Wix E-commerce Capabilities and Payment Options
Wix Stores is Wix's e-commerce platform that lets you create a fully functional online store within your website. You can showcase your products on Wix Stores with beautiful layouts, provide detailed product descriptions, and organize items into categories.
The platform offers inventory management tools to help you track stock levels, manage orders, and even send out automated confirmation emails to customers. There's also an option to create discount codes and sales to promote your products.
Overall, Wix Stores offers a comprehensive suite of tools for anyone looking to sell products online, whether it's physical goods, digital downloads, or subscription services.
Wix Stores supports multiple payment options, providing flexibility to both you and your customers. Payments can be accepted in various ways online, such as credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and others.
Wix ensures that all transactions are secure by using industry-standard encryption methods. Customers' financial and personal information is protected in this way.
In addition, Wix allows you to set up different tax and shipping rules depending on where your customers are located, making the checkout process smooth and compliant with local regulations.
7. Wix SEO Wiz
When people are searching for products, services, or information, they typically turn to search engines like Google. Your website is more likely to gain visitors or followers if your website ranks higher in search engine results. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plays a crucial role in this regard.
Wix SEO Wiz is an intuitive tool designed to help improve your website's visibility on search engines. Upon answering a few questions about your site, keywords, and location, SEO Wiz generates a personalized SEO plan for you.
This step-by-step plan provides specific recommendations on how to optimize each page of your website for search engines. It guides you on where to place your keywords, how to improve your site's description and headings, and even suggests ways to enhance your site's social media profile.
Following these suggestions can help improve, your site's ranking on search engine results pages. By optimizing your website using tools like Wix SEO Wiz, you can increase your visibility online, attract more visitors, and ultimately increase conversions, whether that means sales, sign-ups, or another desired user action.
8. Wix App Market
The Wix App Market is a treasure trove of features that can be added to your website. It offers over 300 third-party apps covering a wide range of functions.
You can find apps for everything from email marketing, social media feeds, and online booking to form builders, live chat, and visitor analytics. These apps come in both free and paid versions, allowing you to choose the ones that best suit your needs and budget.
How These Apps Can Enhance a Website
These apps can greatly enhance the functionality of your website. For instance, you can use the Wix Bookings app on your site to let customers book appointments or use Wix Restaurants to take food orders online.
Social media apps can display your social feeds directly on your website, helping to increase your followers. If you run an e-commerce site, there are apps to help you manage your inventory, track shipments, and create promotional coupons.
Analytical apps can provide valuable insights into your website's traffic and help optimize your marketing strategy. Essentially, these apps offer numerous ways to customize your site, engage with your audience, and grow your online presence.
Benefits of Using Wix
Wix offers several benefits. Some of them are as follows.
1. No Coding Skills Required
One of the biggest advantages of Wix is that it requires no coding skills. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, even novices can create professional-looking websites. This makes Wix an excellent platform for establishing an online presence without hiring a web designer.
2. Flexibility and Customization
Wix offers high flexibility and customization options. With over 500 templates, countless design features, and a wide array of apps in the Wix App Market, you can tailor your website to match your unique style and needs. Whether you want to add a blog, an online store, or a booking system to your site, Wix has got you covered.
3. Scalability for Growing Businesses
Wix websites can grow as your business grows. Create a simple website and add features and functionalities as you need them. You can also upgrade to more advanced plans for additional storage, better customer support, and more business solutions. As a result, Wix is an online partner that can assist you from startup to scale-up.
4. Reliable Hosting and Technical Maintenance
With Wix, you don't have to worry about hosting and technical maintenance. Wix takes care of it all. This includes secure hosting to ensure your website is always up and running, regular software updates for optimum performance, and 24/7 customer support to help you resolve any issues. It allows you to focus more on your content and less on the technical aspects of running a website.
5. Competitive Pricing Models
Wix offers competitive pricing models to suit a range of budgets. It provides a free plan for those wanting to try out the platform or create a simple website.
It also offers various premium plans with more features, making it a viable option for both individuals and businesses of different sizes. With Wix, you get a comprehensive web-building solution without breaking the bank.
Wix Vs. Other Website Builders
When compared to other popular website builders like Squarespace, Weebly, and WordPress, Wix holds its own for several reasons.
- Wix vs. Squarespace: While both offer a variety of templates and a drag-and-drop interface, Wix offers a more extensive app market and greater customization options than Squarespace. Wix's free plan is another advantage over Squarespace, which only offers paid plans.
- Wix vs. Weebly: Weebly is a great choice for ease of use, but Wix offers a larger selection of templates and apps. Wix's ADI is also a unique feature that Weebly does not offer.
- Wix vs. WordPress: WordPress offers more advanced features and flexibility, especially for blogging. However, its steep learning curve can make it intimidating for beginners. In contrast, Wix's intuitive interface and ADI make it much more user-friendly.
Key Differentiators That Make Wix Stand Out
Several key differentiators make Wix a compelling choice among website builders.
- Intuitive User Interface: Wix's drag-and-drop interface is incredibly user-friendly, making website creation simple even for those with no design or coding experience.
- Wide Range of Templates: Wix offers a vast selection of professionally designed templates catering to a wide range of industries and website types.
- Advanced Features: Wix offers advanced features like Wix ADI and Wix Code, which allow for easy customization and functionality.
- Wix App Market: The extensive Wix App Market allows users to add a multitude of functions to their site, from e-commerce capabilities to SEO tools.
- Free Plan Option: Unlike some competitors, Wix offers a free plan, making it an affordable choice for individuals or small businesses starting out.
Overall, while other platforms have their strengths, Wix's combination of ease of use, extensive customization options, and advanced features makes it a great choice for many users.
Wrapping Up
Wix is a comprehensive website builder designed to make creating a website accessible and straightforward for everyone. It offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, a broad range of customizable templates, and a host of advanced features like Wix ADI and Wix Code.
Its extensive App Market allows users to enhance their website with various apps, while Wix Stores provides a powerful platform for creating an online store. Additionally, the Wix SEO Wiz tool helps to improve your website's visibility online.
Wix is suitable for anyone, from individuals looking to create a personal blog or portfolio to small businesses wanting an online presence or e-commerce capabilities.
Its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options make it an excellent choice for beginners, while advanced features cater to more tech-savvy users or those with more specific requirements.
In addition to providing a robust and cost-effective solution, it can grow with your needs, whether you're starting out or expanding your online presence.
So, If you're looking for a platform that is intuitive, flexible, and scalable, with the ability to create a professional, fully functional website without requiring any coding skills, Wix may be the ideal choice for you.