While learning the basics of the code, such as Learning how HTML and CSS work, for example, will help you understand how to design for the web. Those skills are no longer necessary if you want to become a web designer. We cover 4 solutions on how to create your own websites without code. Some options are better than others, we’ll share the pros and cons of each. We also provide recommendations and next steps if you are considering a career in web design.
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Reading: How to create a website without coding knowledge
First you need a domain
No matter how you ultimately create a website, you need a domain. Your domain is the URL you type into a browser to visit a website. Some of the methods mentioned in this article offer you a free domain when you sign up with their service, but it’s usually better to purchase your domain separately. That way, if you ever decide to change the way you host your website, it’s not difficult to transfer your domain and point it to the new service. Some examples of popular domain name registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Google.
1. Hire a Developer
Depending on the size of your website project, the fastest way to design a website without writing any code is to outsource it. Partnering with a web developer allows you to focus solely on the strategy, planning, wireframe layout solutions, visual design elements, and final UI mockup for the website. Then all you need is a good handover and a good working relationship with the developer to bring the site to life on the web.
If you decide to go this route, you should look for a developer you can work with on a permanent basis. The better your relationship with a developer, the smoother the whole process will go. If you work with a new developer every time you design a website for a new client, you’ll likely spend a lot of time communicating about processes to update each other. On the other hand, if you have already worked together on projects, you will complete websites faster. The more websites you can edit, the more freelance projects and money you’ll make.
Benefits of hiring a developer
That’s done solution. You can focus solely on the design since you have a partner that focuses on development.
Disadvantages of hiring a developer
Developers are expensive. If you’re working on a large website project, perhaps a complete redesign for a large company, then hiring a developer can make sense. But if you’re just getting started with freelance design, then you might not be charging enough to hire a developer.
Eventually, if you want to expand and build a full team instead of being a solo freelancer, then do it is helpful to hire developers. You always want to have other designers and developers to turn to should you need additional help with your client projects.
2. Use WordPress and change a theme
Another way to create your own websites is to choose a hosting platform, buy a template and use WordPress as a CMS (Content Management System ) to add and edit content.
WordPress has been around since 2003 and powers over 35% of all websites on the internet. It is one of the most famous content management systems available on the internet today. The WordPress platform itself is free to use. Just sign up for an account and you can start using them today. However, you need to purchase hosting and a domain to turn into a working website.
Here is an example of what the WordPress CMS dashboard looks like when you are logged in. From the backend you can create new web pages, new blog posts, add photos and media and much more.
WordPress offers some free templates, but there are many available to buy on third-party marketplaces . You never want to use an out-of-the-box template unless you don’t mind your website looking like everyone else’s. Instead, you should adapt the design to match your client’s branding and message.
Elegant Themes is an example of a company that sells WordPress themes. Divi is their flagship theme and visual page builder. It is a website building framework that makes it easy to build a website without touching a single line of code or installing multiple plugins.
Advantages of using a WordPress theme
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Apart from hosting, it is a cheap solution to quickly create a website. Hosting is pretty cheap these days. So if cost is your primary concern, you might want to take the time to really master the WordPress platform.
The CMS is easy to use when you want to quickly add or update information. This ensures a smooth transition for customers if they wish to keep website maintenance in-house.
Disadvantages of using a WordPress theme
Using WordPress used to be considered taboo as it is open source, websites were prone to hacking and then easily broke A new version of WordPress has been released. In recent years this has been less of an issue, but remember, if something happens to your site, you’ll need to become your own IT department or hire a WordPress developer to help.
A major downside when using WordPress and changing a theme will result in creating bloated code in the backend which can cause your site to run slower, generate errors or crash completely.
WordPress started out as a blogging platform. However, in most cases you want to design e-commerce websites for customers. Although there are plugins like WooCommerce that you can use to turn a WordPress website into an ecommerce platform, they can be difficult to customize and use, especially without a developer.
Probably the most important The disadvantage of WordPress is the lack of flexibility in the design. If you really want to design a custom website, you just can’t do it on WordPress without learning how to code. You can change a theme to whatever you want, but there are still limitations.
3. Use a WYSIWYG editor
WYSIWYG stands for “what you see is what you get”. A WYSIWYG editor lets you edit the content of your website and see how it looks in real time. Also known as website builders, they offer an easy-to-use way for anyone to start building a website on their own without any prior knowledge. WYSIWYGs have grown in popularity over the years as companies like Squarespace and Wix have dominated the field.
Squarespace is known for its minimalist design themes and 24/7 customer support. The main difference between using a WordPress theme and a Squarespace theme is that an entire customer support team is available to answer any questions you may have while setting up your website. They also have an engineering and design team dedicated to creating new themes and improving existing ones so you know they’ll be responsive on any device, no matter what.
Wix is ​​another competitor that offers pretty much the same features as Squarespace. You can create a blog, an online store, optimize for SEO and much more within its editing platform.
Benefits of using a WYSIWYG editor
These are best for non-technical people. It may take a while to learn how to use the editor, but for the most part anyone can figure out how to use it and create a basic website in a couple of hours.
These editors will do it easy for someone doing a simple copy or image update. You can even quickly update the typography or color scheme in the theme editor, all changes are updated globally across the site.
Disadvantages of using a WYSIWYG editor
They can be expensive. Squarespace starts at $16 per month for a basic personal website, but if you want to add ecommerce capabilities, the price quickly increases to $26, $30, $46, etc., depending what features you need. Since you’re paying for a service, it can add up, so make sure it’s worth what you’re paying for.
The same goes for WordPress, another major disadvantage of WYSIWYG editors is the lack of theme customization. Yes, you can update type, color, and layout with different themes, but you’ll have to get smart and chop things together if you want to create a more customized experience.
4. Try Webflow
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Our best solution for designing websites without coding is Webflow. The Webflow Editor allows designers to create professional, custom websites in a fully visual way. Essentially, you get the best of both worlds. You get the benefits of using a WYSIWG editor with the added flexibility of building a fully custom website from scratch.
Check out this video for an explanation from Ran on why Webflow is a better solution compared to WordPress.
Advantages of Webflow
You can create a completely custom theme without any code. The limitations of most of the tools and software mentioned at the top of this article are the lack of design customization. Templates are a good place to start, but if you want to charge more for your web design services, you need to design a truly unique website experience for your clients. Webflow gives you the tools you need to build a custom website, exactly as you designed it.
Webflow creates clean code for your websites. No bloated code like WordPress or Squarespace. Why is clean code important? It helps your website load faster. You have the power of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript at your fingertips in one visual canvas, without actually having to know how to code.
The Webflow tool allows you to create website interactions and animations visually. For example, check out our website with interactions entirely based on Webflow. Adding little interactive touches like these to your websites will keep you ahead of design trends.
Webflow also has a CMS. Build the content structures you need, add content (by hand, from a CSV file, or via their API), then style it visually. It’s a content management system that works for editors, designers, and developers.
Webflow also offers e-commerce capabilities. Build an end-to-end customer experience, customizing your shopping cart and checkout experience, transactional emails, and custom interactions and animations all along the way.
Another feature, the Webflow offers is its own hosting. Enjoy the fastest and most scalable hosting technology for your website without all the hassles of domain setup, FTP and cPanel. IDEO, Gusto, Khan Academy, Dropbox, Zendesk, and Lattice (to name a few) are all companies that use Webflow’s hosting.
Webflow offers a “free to launch” plan. You can start using Webflow today for free to build your first website. When you’re ready to add more sites or connect a domain, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
Cons of Webflow
The only downside to There can be a learning curve when using Webflow the first time you use the tool. But if you want to learn how to master Webflow to design and build your own websites, we have a solution. Check out the Webflow masterclass. You can also search Webflow University for articles and videos on how to use the platform.
Start designing websites without code
We’ve got about that spoken, the best ways to do web design without learning to code. But what’s next if you want to become a successful freelance web designer? Here are our suggestions for next steps.
Learn Webflow at your leisure
Join Webflow for free, play around with the platform yourself, and create your first website. With time and consistent practice, you’ll become a pro in no time.
Check out the Flux YouTube channel
We have hundreds of designs -Tutorial videos and we release new videos weekly. We have a playlist just for webflow tutorials.
Want to save time and become a pro faster?
Consider joining our Freelance Web Designer Bundle. In Course 1 you will learn everything you need to know to design a website, from creative strategy to layouts and wireframes to visuals and interactions and more. In Course 2, you will learn how to create a website using Webflow. We’ll show you exactly how to use the tool even if you’ve never used it before. The package course option is perfect if you want to learn how to design and develop websites. By adding development to your design services, you can charge more because you offer more value to your customers by providing an all-in-one web design solution.
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