With our first-hand experience working across 500+ websites, we can confidently say there are benefits of WordPress that are still unmatched by other platforms. (And we’ve been making sites since 1997.) To us, it’s like the Apple of smartphones. The Microsoft of software. The Amazon of online shopping.
That said, the goal here is to help you figure out if WordPress is right for you.
So in this blog we’ll share:
The top 7 reasons so many professionals recommend it.
How it compares against other options like Wix, Squarespace, etc.
Common FAQs we hear about WordPress.
Criteria you can use to judge if it’s a good fit for you.
Why Use WordPress?
The short version of the history of WordPress is that it started as a simple tool for blogging in 2003. Since then, it’s grown into a robust tool and is one of the most well-recognized CMS platforms. WordPress is currently used by 43.7% of all websites, according to 2024 research from Web Technology Surveys. (And they update that report daily.)
Let’s look at the key reasons so many professionals recommend it as the platform of choice for websites.
1. It’s Easy To Modify
WordPress is like getting a set of Legos®. You can build whatever you want, whether that’s a simple building or a more complex city. And you can accomplish either using WordPress themes. There are both free and paid themes to choose from in various styles. It’s also easy to migrate to a different theme if you like having that flexibility available.
If you have access to a developer, WordPress offers a lot of customizations too. Within themes, you can change the underlying code or add complex functionality. This is notable because many other popular CMS tools (Squarespace, Wix, etc.) limit your ability to customize themes in this way.
2. It’s Easy To Integrate
Another one of the top reasons to use WordPress is that it plays nicely with almost everything. Because it’s such a popular platform, there are many integrations and plugins (which are software components you can add to your site to increase functionality) for almost anything you can think of.
There are lots of WordPress SEO plugins to do anything ranging from fundamentals to more complex tasks, all helping your website do better in search. (And you can do technical SEO work in the back end of your site, which is a big win with WordPress — not all CMS options support that.) There are also WordPress integrations for eCommerce to make selling online easier.
3. It’s Easy With Hosting
Unlike some of the other leading CMS tools, you’re not locked into one ecosystem when it comes to hosting. With WordPress, you have the flexibility to shop around to find hosting support that fits your needs and budget. Many hosts also offer a one-click WordPress installation option, making it simple to set up or transfer between providers.
4. It’s Easy For Developers
While developers like doing custom WordPress development work for several reasons, the primary one is that it has a well-documented codebase. It’s also built on PHP, which is a popular programming language.
Additionally, WordPress is an open-source software. This means that developers can access and modify the code to achieve advanced functionality where it’s needed. And, having so many plugin options can also save time and help them skip inefficient, complex development work.
You’ve got a vision. We’ve got the expertise. Let’s build a great site together.
The WordPress dashboard is extremely user-friendly. You get more out of this CMS when you work with a developer to set it up, but the biggest pro is that you can easily update your site without needing to code.
At Tower, we set up WordPress sites with the Gutenberg Editor so that you can drag, drop, and go. This tool gives you the ability to easily create new pages or make edits with no coding necessary.
What Gutenberg looks like when you’re making changes (left) vs. how it looks on your website (right).
6. It’s Easy For Partners
Every website is an investment that needs to serve you well. If you want a CMS that can grow alongside you, WordPress is a strong choice.
Troubleshooting functionality is a lot easier because of the open-source code and the volume of community resources. Plus, because of its popularity lots of professionals have experience working in it. This is a plus if you’re partnering with an agency or bringing on new talent to improve the website. Having a system all stakeholders are familiar with will help you avoid the costly and frustrating learning curve of niche or proprietary platforms.
7. It’s Easy To Price
WordPress cost is akin to a choose-your-own-adventure story. The software itself is free to download and use. Then from there, you’re responsible for paying for:
Hosting
Domain name
Themes/plugins (if you used paid options instead of free ones)
Compared to competing systems, WordPress gives you a lot more flexibility and control over price. Because you can shop hosting providers and other features, you can ensure you’re only paying for what you need instead of being locked into one pricing ecosystem.
Explore What’s Possible In WordPress
Pennian Bank needed a website that made it easy for users to gather valuable information. But they also needed a site that was easy for their team to update without needing to know code or require a developer…
What Are The Benefits Of WordPress Over Other Platforms?
Still wondering why use WordPress over other platforms? Here are some comparisons with other top CMS tools that can help you decide which is the best fit for you.
WordPress is free to download. You are responsible for the cost of hosting, your domain name, and any paid plugins or themes. (Although there are free plugins and themes to choose from.) And if you are looking for a convenient bundling of support, WordPress offers tiers from $4-$45+.
Yes, you can use a WordPress site without needing to know how to code. Helpful features like Gutenberg allow you to build new pages or make changes using WYSIWYG editors that offer drag-and-drop functionality.
Yes, it is secure. That said, no platform is exempt from the risk of attacks. The security of your WordPress site relies on you keeping up with proper maintenance.
That includes updating to the latest version of WordPress, routinely updating plugins and themes, choosing safe/secure plugins, and picking a secure hosting provider. Enabling SSL and HTTPS as well as doing regular security checks is also important.
The answer is anywhere you’d like. That said, if you’re new to doing this we understand picking a partner can be intimidating. At Tower we offer flexible hosting plans so you can pick what works best for you. We also take care of routine updates and site maintenance too so your site is always running securely and smoothly.
Yes, WooCommerce is one of the top plugins that many use to do so. And while WooCommerce itself is free, there may be some other paid plugins or support you need to budget for to properly build a site that supports your sales function.
Many like using WordPress though for building eCommerce sites because of the advanced customization it offers. Plus, it’s easy to scale the site’s complexity as your eCommerce business grows.
WordPress offers over 13,000+ themes to choose from, with both free and premium options. If you visit their site, you can filter your options to select the most popular themes to the newest ones.
To start, there are 59,000+ free plugins. And beyond that, there are paid options available too depending on your needs.
While it’s entirely possible to build your own proprietary system, doing so will require a lot more time and money. Aside from that, you’ll spend thousands on testing and creating proper documentation for the system. And if you don’t have great documentation or the developer moves on, you’re stuck with a CMS that only a handful of people on your team understand. Proprietary systems also tend to be more rigid and less flexible to evolve as your needs change.
Because WordPress has been around for so long, it offers almost any functionality you could need or think of. And if you do need a custom web solution, it’s easy to adapt and adjust the code to achieve that through WordPress without needing to start from scratch. Which ultimately is more efficient and cost-effective.
Should You Use WordPress?
While we are fans of the unlimited potential a WordPress site has, we also understand there are reasons it may or may not make sense for a business. Here are some helpful questions you can use to determine what’s right for you:
Do I need a site with complex functionality?
Would I like to be able to do a lot of customization to my site?
Am I planning to scale the business or the website in the future?
Do I have the budget to hire a developer/and or designer to customize the site?
Are SEO and online marketing important to me?
Do I need to integrate my website with other platforms? (Email marketing, eCommerce software, etc.)
If you’re answering yes to a lot of these, then WordPress could be a comfortable solution for your new website.
Your website is your initial point of contact with your audience. And no one wants to make a bad first impression. Using the correct content management system (CMS) can help you create the best website for your business. Let’s explore Squarespace vs WordPress.
An Overview of WordPress Features
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that lets anyone easily build and manage websites. Since it was launched in 2003, it’s become one of the most popular CMS, powering over 43.5% of all websites on the Internet.
Whether you have extensive coding knowledge or are learning how to code, WordPress has options to help you create and customize your site.
An Overview of Squarespace
Squarespace is a different website builder that, like WordPress, provides everything you need to build a website. It allows people who have little to no technical knowledge to quickly build and launch a custom site without worrying about day-to-day management.
WordPress uses the Gutenberg block editor for creating pages and posts. Each block represents a distinct element like text, images, or buttons, offering granular control over content structure. With over 60,000 plugins and countless free and premium themes, WordPress empowers you to build your website to your exact needs.
Easy to use once you learn
No coding required
Highly customizable
There is a learning curve at the beginning so need to invest time in playing with the tools
The dashboard can be cluttered and hard to navigate
Hard to navigate the menu and settings
Ease of Use: Squarespace
If you aren’t familiar with designing or building a website, it can seem like an intimidating process. However, Squarespace prides itself on being user-friendly and can help anyone build a website.
Uses a visual editor like WordPress
User-friendly interface and drag-and-drop editor
Great for beginners
There’s no autosave when editing so need to remember to save your work
Has a learning curve like any program
Winner: Both
WordPress is a great tool if you have some web development and coding skills. If you’re still working on those skills, or trying to find them, Squarespace has everything you need to help you easily build your new site.
Customization: WordPress
Your website needs to work for you. WordPress gives you total control over the design and functionality of your site with thousands of themes and plugins. You don’t have any limits with coding, which allows you to create customizations like lists, video insets, and tables that will set your business apart from its competition. For example, if you’re selling a product with a specific feature, you can create a video inset showing off that feature so the customer can get a full view of your product.
Doesn’t limit any major media types so you can use any combination of text, images, and videos
Coding opportunities to create custom elements like tables, block quotes, or specific designs for your business
Access to a large plugin library to add different functions to the site
Can be overwhelming for beginners
Need coding knowledge
Using too many plugins can slow your site down and potentially cause issues
Customization: Squarespace
You don’t want your website to look like everyone else’s. You want to stand out from the rest. Squarespace offers many different layouts, templates, and themes to help you create a custom look.
Have access to dozens of features, including gallery boxes, podcast support, and newsletter signup forms
Customization is limited compared to WordPress since you can’t develop your own themes or plugins
Only have access to what Squarespace offer
Winner: WordPress
Squarespace offers basic customization, but WordPress takes it to another level. From plugins to coding, you have the ability to create the exact website that works best for you.
Pricing: WordPress
WordPress is generally more affordable than Squarespace, with lower upfront costs and flexible monthly plans starting from $4. While the core platform is free, you’ll need to pay for website hosting and a domain name. Additional features like custom domains, extra storage, and e-commerce capabilities can be added through premium plans.
Has a free tier plan in addition to paid plans
Can pay for what you need
Can use most themes and plugins with any plan
Have e-commerce plans
Need to pay for domain name and hosting
Not all themes and plugins are free
Pricing: Squarespace
With Squarespace, your plan’s price is what you pay for everything, including hosting, templates (site themes), integrations, extensions, and a content delivery network (CDN) for swift page-loading times.
Price reflects all costs—from hosting to domain name to content delivery network
Get a discount when purchasing an annual plan
Have several different e-commerce plans
No free plan
Price increases when paying month-to-month
To become an e-commerce site, you need to purchase a premium plan
Winner: WordPress
Squarespace is one of the more expensive CMS systems on the market. While having one price for everything is convenient, WordPress gives you more cost-saving options.
SEO and Internet Marketing: WordPress
WordPress excels in SEO and internet marketing. Its SEO plugins like Yoast and Rank Math offer advanced features for optimizing your site. For e-commerce, WordPress integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce and CRMs like HubSpot, enhancing marketing efforts.
Can download or purchase WordPress plugins to support your digital marketing
Can also optimize your site through the backend with technical SEO
Can edit any part of your site’s underlying code to remove any unnecessary HTML, CSS, or Javascript slowing down your site or preventing it from being indexed
Downloading, purchasing, and updating these tools will require time and money
Relies on plugins for SEO, which as we mentioned earlier can slow down your site
SEO and Internet Marketing: Squarespace
Unlike WordPress, Squarespace has the basics covered but that’s it. You’ll be able to do a few foundational tasks to support your site in search and other digital marketing initiatives. But you won’t be able to do more technical internet marketing work.
Can customize the title, meta description, image alt text, and URL of your posts and pages
Create 301 redirects to avoid broken links and 404 error pages
Can choose from over 60 mobile-optimized templates
No SEO plugins or add-ons are available
You’re limited to the marketing features Squarespace provides
Can’t do some of the more technical SEO work
Winner: WordPress
Squarespace is one of the more expensive CMS systems on the market. While having one price for everything is convenient, WordPress’s open-source nature and vast plugin ecosystem provide unparalleled flexibility and advanced features, surpassing Squarespace’s internet marketing capabilities.
Security and Maintenance: WordPress
If you choose WordPress, it’s up to you to keep your security updated. The positive is this gives you more control over your website.
Has features like logging out idle users and adding two-factor authentication
Has a community of developers to help support
Can do automated backups on some plugins
Requires more attention to security
You need to keep the core software, themes, and plugins updated yourself
Security and Maintenance: Squarespace
Squarespace reverses the process by handling many of the security updates itself meaning you can be more hands off.
Handles security updates and maintenance for you, making it a more secure option for beginners
Has a dedicated 24/7 email support team
Offer limited customized security options
Security settings are hidden in menus
Winner: Depends on Your Needs
Both sites have many of the same security features. If you’re someone who isn’t afraid of getting into your site and keeping things updated then WordPress will work for you. However, if you would rather let someone else assume that responsibility, then Squarespace has you covered.
So Which is Better?
Squarespace is a great option for creating your website. It’s a user-friendly platform that offers basic SEO features and strong security.
However, for a more flexible and powerful solution, we recommend WordPress. It provides greater customization options, advanced SEO capabilities, and a wider range of e-commerce features to cater to your business needs.
Your website should help grow your business—not cause problems.
Still unsure about Squarespace vs WordPress? No worries—our team is here to help answer your questions and find the perfect solution for your business.
Choosing a platform for your website is difficult — especially if you’re not sure what factors should be considered. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Continue reading to see what it looks like to compare Shopify vs WordPress for your business’s website.
WordPress Features At A Glance
Before we dive into the details of Shopify vs WordPress, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the basic WordPress features and functions. As an open-source platform, WordPress makes creating, customizing, and managing content easy. It does this by offering various internet marketing tools and resources including, but not limited to:
An online platform designed for selling products, Shopify has become increasingly popular for building and managing eCommerce websites. Similarly to WordPress, you can find an assortment of Shopify features to support your business and create an accessible online storefront for users. Some of these features include:
When comparing Shopify vs WordPress, the first thing to consider is the ease of use. In some cases, WordPress user experience depends on your background knowledge of web design and coding.
It may take more time to learn the ins and outs of WordPress, but once you do, you’ll find it’s easy to use and provides opportunities for you to improve your website’s design, search visibility, and overall performance.
Several available plugins simplify site management and extend functionality
Highly adaptable to changing needs with numerous WordPress themes and customization options
User-friendly admin dashboard with advanced features and tools
More technical and may require basic web design and coding skills
A vast platform can be overwhelming with so many tools and options
You are responsible for finding your own WordPress hosting platform
Ease of Everyday Use: Shopify
The Shopify interface is simple and clean, making it easy to use whether you have web design experience or not. Its comprehensive guides provide you with the tools and direction you need to create and launch your site quickly and effortlessly.
The set-up guide helps beginners get their site running quickly
Intuitive navigation with no coding or web design skills required
Shopify hosting is automatically managed for you
Not as flexible with fewer customization options available
Less control over server environment and configurations
Fewer Shopify marketing integrations limit you in what you can do with your site
Winner: Both*
Since both platforms provide user-friendly features and tools, it’s hard to choose a clear winner.
It may take beginners a bit longer to learn the ins and outs of WordPress, but once you familiarize yourself, it’s straightforward and allows you to do more with your site. Shopify is ideal for beginners because of its setup guide, and you don’t need any background knowledge in coding or web design.
Customization: WordPress
When comparing Shopify vs. WordPress, a key element is each platform’s ability to adapt to your needs. As we mentioned in the section above, WordPress is highly customizable.
With countless WordPress themes and plugins available, you can customize even the smallest details of your website. This makes it an ideal choice if you want more control over its look and functionality.
More than 11,000 free WordPress themes with options to use paid themes as well
Flexible templates allow you to customize anything in your site’s design
WordPress themes can be used on a variety of websites including eCommerce stores
For beginners who are building a site for the first time and prioritize scalability over customization, Shopify may be the right choice for you because of its user-friendly tools and ready-to-use templates for eCommerce businesses of all sizes.
While it doesn’t have as many design options available as WordPress, Shopify still provides an assortment of themes, layouts, and editing features that will ensure your site looks professional and runs smoothly on any device.
More than 140 themes to choose from
Themes are professionally designed and ready to go right after installation
Only 12 themes are free while the rest vary in cost
Templates don’t allow as many editable features
Winner For Customization: WordPress
Pricing: WordPress
Pricing is another crucial factor to consider when comparing Shopify vs WordPress. Your budget and business goals will have an impact on your site’s design and functionality. At first glance, WordPress is the more cost-effective option because it’s free to use. The pricing comes into play once you decide what your needs are and which WordPress features you’ll want to use to help you meet them.
Free to use with the option to choose from a variety of pricing plans
Plans vary based on your needs and include personal, premium, business, commerce, and enterprise
Discounts are available on two-year or three-year plans
Pricing can escalate when paying for WordPress themes, hosting, plugins, and tutorials
Pricing: Shopify
You cannot use Shopify without signing up for a subscription. However, Shopify’s pricing plans vary depending on your website’s needs. The basic plan starts at $29 per month on a month-to-month subscription.
Provides a variety of pricing plans
Plans include everything you need to run a website including Shopify hosting, security, and support
Doesn’t offer a free plan
Must purchase a domain through Shopify for $14.95 per year
Winner For Pricing: WordPress
SEO And Internet Marketing: WordPress
From technical SEO to on-page optimization, the vast WordPress plugin ecosystem offers plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math, which give you more control over SEO and help you improve your site’s visibility in search results.
WordPress internet marketing tools also make it an ideal choice for businesses that want to adopt more content-driven marketing strategies. With advanced blogging capabilities and extensive formatting options, you can craft blog posts, product descriptions, and other content.
Available plugins to manage SEO activities
Can add/edit URLs, meta titles, descriptions, and meta tags with target keywords
Customizable blog designs and templates
Can embed multiple media types like images, videos, and audio
Site optimization requires basic SEO knowledge and skills
SEO set-up and management is time-consuming
WordPress internet marketing features are reliant on plugins
SEO And Internet Marketing: Shopify
While Shopify’s internet marketing capabilities aren’t as advanced as WordPress, they still provide basic SEO and blogging services to help you optimize your website. Shopify also specializes in eCommerce, so its focus is to provide everything you need to start and manage an online store or eCommerce shop.
Basic blogging functionality and user-friendly blog editor
Built-in Shopify SEO tools and features for website optimization
Proper WordPress security and site maintenance help you protect your site from being hacked. While some WordPress site maintenance needs can be handled automatically, you need to stay on top of software and plugin updates to ensure your site isn’t vulnerable. Since you are responsible for your hosting provider, most of the responsibilities will fall on you.
Gives you full control over your content, data, and site changes
WordPress software is built with secure code and regularly releases updates to address new vulnerabilities
Plugins can provide automated WordPress backups
You are responsible for all WordPress site maintenance and security measures
May require greater technical knowledge and resources
Customer support depends on the WordPress hosting provider
Security And Site Maintenance: Shopify
Unlike WordPress, when you use Shopify, they are responsible for ensuring your site doesn’t contain serious security vulnerabilities. From software updates to server configuration, Shopify site maintenance takes care of all the technical details that go into running a website.
Shopify software engineers address all technical issues
The bulk of responsibility for security falls on Shopify
Shopify backups won’t always restore content for individual sites
Shopify can remove content (or an entire site) if it conflicts with their acceptable use policies
Less control over content and product data
Winner For Security: Both*
WordPress and Shopify both provide users with the tools they need to keep their sites secure and up-to-date. When it comes down to it, choosing the best platform for security and site maintenance is about personal preference.
If you want more control over your site and responsibility for maintenance and security, WordPress is the best choice. However, if you’re new to running a website and would rather take a backseat to the technical details security, and maintenance required, Shopify may be a better fit.
Who Wins The Fight Of Shopify vs WordPress?
When it comes down to choosing between Shopify vs WordPress, the answer is clear. While Shopify may be the easy choice for beginners, we recommend using a platform that allows you and your site to grow.
WordPress offers the opportunity to create a website that’s uniquely yours. By leveraging the advanced WordPress features, you can ensure your brand’s name is not only being seen by your target audience, but when they visit your site, they have a positive experience.
Don’t settle for a site that blends in when you can build a site that stands out — let us help you navigate the complexities of WordPress. Talk to one of our developers to see what we’re capable of today.
So you want to build a website, but your one online course in HTML isn’t going to cut it. What do you do? The answer is Gutenberg blocks. Today we’re going to cover everything you need to know about the WordPress block editor—what it is, how to use it, and our top design tips (from people who’ve actually done it before).
Skip To The Good Stuff
If you’re short on time, you can jump ahead to download our free cheat sheet.
Gutenberg blocks are pieces of content that you can use to build a webpage. WordPress comes with default block options that are the foundation for all the pages of your site. They include elements like:
Heading
Paragraph
Image
Video
List
Column
Gallery
File
And more
By mixing and matching these blocks, you can build custom pages for your website without any developer or coding experience. And for even more specialization, you can install plugins with advanced block options.
Gutenberg Block Benefits
These Gutenberg block benefits make this editor a top choice for designing your website.
No design or development experience needed. This editor makes creating professional websites accessible to everyone, regardless of your skill level.
Saves time in content creation. The easy-to-use interface allows you to quickly drop elements onto a page, saving you time in design.
You can see the design as you go. Because it’s a visual editor, you can see what the page looks like as you build it and adjust accordingly.
Access to reusable block templates. Have a layout you like? You can create a template and reuse those blocks over and over.
Looks good on any screen size. The Gutenberg block editor can adjust to any device, whether you’re on desktop, mobile, or tablet.
Less dependent on plugins and HTML. With Gutenberg blocks, you don’t need to rely as heavily on WordPress plugins or custom code.
Flexibility in design. The drag-and-drop elements make it simple to customize every page for flexible design options.
Developer-friendly choice. Developers can create custom Gutenberg blocks for your website’s specific needs.
Are you ready to upgrade your website to the Gutenberg block editor? Reach out to our team for a little help.
We recommend WordPress for all of our clients, and since Gutenberg is the default editor, knowing how to use it is essential.
Gutenberg’s drag-and-drop interface makes it perfect for someone with limited technical experience. And it’s easy to use because its “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) editors look similar to the final product, so you don’t have to guess what the page looks like as you’re building.
You can also choose pre-made patterns from WordPress that help you organize the blocks in a visually appealing way, so all you have to do is customize them to your brand. Lastly, you can install plugins to get access to more advanced blocks like pop-up windows, testimonials, and more.
New to WordPress blocks? Here’s our quick and simple Gutenberg editor tutorial.
Step 1: Add Your Blocks
When you’re creating a page using the Gutenberg editor, always start by giving it a title. Then you can begin by clicking on the + button on the right-hand side. This will open a menu where you can choose from over 50 different elements. The paragraph block is the default option, since that makes up the majority of copy on every page.
Tower tip: want a shortcut for adding blocks? Just type “/” followed by the block name and press return. For example, you can add a heading by writing “/heading” and hitting enter.
As the most foundational content, text blocks include options like Headings, Paragraphs, Lists, Quotes, and more. They help you format your copy into easy-to-read sections and make it visually interesting.
Media blocks use elements such as Images, Videos, Audio, Files, and more. This lets you split up your text with visuals to create a more engaging user experience.
Design blocks help make your content pop. They have formatting options like Columns, Rows, Buttons, Page Break, Spacer, and many more.
These blocks let you add widgets and interactive elements to the editor. This includes features such as Custom HTML, RSS, Shortcode, Social Icons, and more.
Embed blocks let you insert content from other sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Instagram, and other popular platforms. Whether you want to embed a video directly or want to highlight a social media post, embed blocks are the way to go.
The last category is theme blocks. These are dynamic elements that relate to the website and theme. Some even pull in content from blog posts. You can add blocks like Navigation, Site Logo, Read More, Next/Previous Post, and beyond.
Step 2: Customize Your Blocks
Every block has its own unique editing options, and any changes you make will appear on the left-hand side instantly. That’s WYSIWYG in action.
Let’s start with the most common block—text. You can adjust the style using the options that float above your text or the sidebar on the right. Just like in a Word or Google doc, you can make your text bold, italic, underlined, or hyperlinked. In the sidebar, you can adjust the text and background color, or add an HTML anchor to create jump links.
Now, let’s add an image.
You can upload a photo from your computer, or choose one from the media library. It will automatically insert at full size, but you can adjust how big you want it to display. From there, you can also crop the image, apply filters, write alt text, change the alignment, and even add a caption.
But what if you want to add two different photos next to each other? That’s where columns come in. Just pick your column layout, add image blocks to each section, and voilà!
But that’s not all. There are some advanced Gutenberg blocks that would be helpful to know. Let’s add a call-to-action button at the bottom of your page. To start, just type “/button” and hit enter. From there, you can fill in the button text, add your link, and adjust the size, alignment, and style.
With text, image, column, and button blocks under your belt, you have all the tools necessary to create engaging web pages. And with the countless customization options available, you can easily craft content that’s cutting-edge and on-brand.
Tower tip: Copy and paste entire blocks into a post, so you don’t have to insert and customize them every time.
Step 3: Adjust The Layout
The last step in our Gutenberg editor tutorial is finalizing the details. You can easily change the order of your blocks by dragging them with the six dots, or utilizing the up and down arrows. You can also remove blocks by clicking on the three dots and selecting “delete” at the bottom of the list. Or just hit the delete key!
There are so many ways to get creative with the Gutenberg blocks layout. Use Stack to arrange items on top of each other, and use Row to align them side-by-side. For a little more white space, just add Spacer anywhere on the page and let your content breathe. You can also use the Quote block to make text stand out.
Tower tip: Test out all the available blocks before you start laying out your first page. This way, you know all the options available to you.
When you’re ready to publish, look to the right-hand sidebar. There you’ll see details for the page itself. Update items like:
Author
Featured image
Category
Tags
And before you hit publish, always preview your work to make sure everything looks good to go.
Gutenberg Design Tips
Now that you have a feel for the available blocks and how to add them, it’s time to dive into our top Gutenberg design tips to make building your site a breeze.
Lock blocks. For sections that you are done editing, you can lock them in place so they cannot be changed.
Create reusable block patterns. If there’s a layout you want to use throughout your site to maintain consistency, you can add it as a synced pattern. For example, you can design a call to action banner and add it to any page with the click of a button. Here’s how to do it:
Select all blocks you want to include
Click the three dots
Select “Create Pattern”
Give it a name and add it to your site
Reuse it on other pages*
*NOTE: any edits you make to the pattern will show up on all pages where it’s present.
Utilize the “Outline” tab. In the top left corner, you will see three stacked lines. This opens a small tab that shows you the layout of your entire page. Click on each section to jump to that block in the editor.
Group blocks together. Sometimes it’s easier to move and edit items as a unit. Select all relevant blocks, hit the three dots, and choose “group.”
Install plugins for advanced block options. If there’s a specific block your website needs, there are dozens of plugins out there to fill the gap.
Rely on the WordPress community to solve common problems. If you’re facing an issue with the Gutenberg block editor, you’re not alone. There is a whole community of developers that share their insights to provide solutions to users like you.
Struggling to keep all these tips straight? Download our free Gutenberg blocks cheat sheet to use as a reference in your next web project.
Exploring your options for a content management system (CMS) and stuck between Wix vs WordPress? Here’s everything you need to know to pick which is the best fit for your business.
WordPress Features At A Glance
WordPress is an open-source content management system that’s used by 43% of businesses and individuals on the web. It’s a popular choice as it allows people to create and manage their websites without needing extensive coding knowledge.
That said, if you have coding experience or access to a developer, it’s also a powerful tool as there is a lot of customization you can do with it. (More on that to come.) WordPress features include:
Themes to choose from with a variety of artistic styles
Security features like DDoS, WAF, 2FA, and more
Flexible hosting options
Simple-to-use interfaces for publishing content and creating new pages
Custom content types
Access to a huge WordPress plugin ecosystem to support a variety of tasks (eCommerce, SEO, security, spam filtering, etc.)
An active developer community with lots of rich resources
Wix is another content management system that’s become popular over the years. Its original founders were frustrated with how difficult building a site was in the mid-2000s. So they had the idea to create a platform that’d make it easy to create a website without coding or design skills.
Wix features include:
Access to 800+ designed templates for various subject matters
A simple drag-and-drop editor for content
Starter SEO tools to optimize your site
eCommerce functionality
Code development platform
An app market for third-party integrations
Options for automation, custom forms, and a built-in CRM
Wix vs WordPress: Which Is Better?
Ease Of Everyday Use: WordPress
The WordPress user experience is top-quality, if you have access to developer support to set up your site. However, if built with the Gutenberg editor, it’s easy for anyone to make site changes without requiring code. There are also 60K+ plugins to choose from to boost the functionality of your website. Plus, you’ve got endless options of free and paid themes to pick from.
User-friendly themes and plugins
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) visual editors make content changes easy
Robust dashboards of settings
Offers responsive themes and plugins for mobile display
Advanced functioning will require coding
Too many plugins lead to slower performance
Dashboard has a lot of settings that can be overwhelming for beginners
Need a business account or above to add plugins
Ease Of Everyday Use: Wix
When it comes to the WIX user experience, it’s designed with a beginner in mind. The drag-and-drop interface lets you customize elements intuitively. It also offers plenty of pre-designed templates to choose from.
Intuitive visual site editor
Offers responsive design without extra work
Easy access to customer support
Provides additional features like support designing a logo
Can’t change your template once your site is designed
Your website isn’t transferable if you decide to use a different CMS in the future
Can have site speed issues if you have a lot of photos or videos
Winner: Both*
Wix is the perfect solution if you’re a small business or just need to have a presence online. It doesn’t require extensive coding knowledge, and it’s easy to get started on. But if you’ve got plans to scale your business over time, it’s not a long-term solution.
WordPress is ideal if you want a CMS that can grow and evolve alongside your business. It offers a lot more customization, better performance for digital marketing, and robust eCommerce capabilities. And if your developer sets it up using Gutenberg in the back end, editing your site can be as easy as using Wix.
Customization: WordPress
With this CMS, what you want is what you can get. WordPress, with the help of a knowledgeable dev team, can deliver a site that’s unique to you. Plus, you can shop around your hosting and work with a partner that best fits your needs and budget.
Huge library of plugins with lots of different functionalities
Can use HTML, CSS, and PHP for advanced customization
Capable of doing complex, unique layouts
Hosting flexibility so you can choose your provider
Takes more time to create a custom site
Requires extensive coding knowledge
Risk of slow site performance if you’re using too many plugins
Customization: Wix
Wix offers some opportunities to tailor a site to fit your brand. Once you pick your theme, you will be able to make some key design adjustments to it. However, there are a lot more limitations in place, so you won’t be able to modify it as much as a WordPress site.
Large template library gives you options to choose from
Limitations on how much you can customize underlying code of themes
Not able to easily switch between themes
Site must be hosted through Wix
Winner For Customization: WordPress
Like the idea of a custom site where you’re in control? Our developers can build the site you want and make it easy for you to manage, no coding needed.
WordPress has fewer upfront costs and ongoing hosting and domain fees to consider. If you need advanced functionality like custom domains, extra space, or eCommerce capabilities, you can choose from plans ranging from $4 to $45+ a month.
Open source and free to install
Flexible hosting so you can price shop
Lots of free themes and plugins for use
Pay only for functionality you need
Some themes and plugins will be an additional cost
SEO and ongoing content generation are key in helping increase your site’s visibility online. WordPress has all the tools you need now and tomorrow to be successful and keep up with internet marketing trends.
Have full control over meta, tags, sitemaps, and more
Lots of SEO-focused plugins in the WordPress ecosystem
Wix offers some tools to help you cover some SEO basics that will help your site’s performance in search. But you won’t be able to implement more critical technical SEO tactics, which could ultimately hinder your potential online.
Includes built-in SEO tools
Can run a blog and add landing pages
Platform SEO tools are limited
Fewer SEO apps to choose from compared to WordPress
Blog templates are less customizable
Fewer ways to troubleshoot and control site speed
Winner For SEO: WordPress
Security And Site Maintenance: WordPress
With WordPress, you’re ultimately accountable to keep up with security. However, you have more control in doing so, which is a benefit if you have the right resources in place to manage your site.
WordPress and core plugins are regularly updated to fix vulnerabilities
Supportive community of developers that provide resources and tips
Plugins let you do automated backups
Security plugins are available to help you enhance security with firewalls, malware scanners, or brute force attack prevention
Site can have new vulnerabilities if you’re not regularly installing updates
Poorly crafted plugins or themes can be targeted by hackers
Ultimately, you’re responsible for managing your site’s security
Security And Site Maintenance: Wix
Wix assumes a lot of the responsibility in keeping your site safe. They automatically make updates and changes, but the tradeoff is that it’s out of your hands. You’re relying on them keeping everything up to date and patching vulnerabilities.
Wix takes care of security on its server, so you don’t need to worry about it
The platform is automatically updated to keep it secure
You have less control of Wix’s underlying security infrastructure compared to WordPress
You’re relying on Wix to responsibly handle security risks
Winner For Security: Both*
Both approach security differently, so there isn’t a clear winner. It’s all about which approach better serves you and the resources you have in house.
If you have the know-how to manage your site, WordPress will give you better control. But if you don’t have the resources in-house, then Wix will ensure you stay safe without requiring more work from your team.
Final Verdict: Is Wix or WordPress Better for Your Business?
The main difference between Wix and WordPress for businesses lies in their ease of use, customization, pricing, and SEO capabilities.
Ease of Use: Wix is user-friendly with drag-and-drop functionality, ideal for beginners. WordPress, especially with the Gutenberg editor, allows more customization but may require developer support for setup.
Customization: WordPress offers extensive customization options with over 60,000 plugins and flexible hosting. Wix limits template customization and requires hosting within its ecosystem.
Pricing: WordPress has flexible pricing, allowing users to choose hosting options, while Wix has all-inclusive plans with less flexibility.
SEO and Marketing: WordPress provides powerful SEO tools and control over technical SEO, suitable for long-term growth. Wix has basic SEO tools but limits technical SEO features.
Overall Verdict: WordPress is the better long-term choice for scalability, customization, and SEO, while Wix is a quick, accessible option for small business needs and beginners
Still on the fence about Wix vs WordPress? We’re here to help you learn more and find the CMS that’s right for you.
We all know that a bad website leaves a bad impression. In this day and age, the quality of your site is a reflection of your brand, and the last thing you want to do is drive people away. So let’s take it back to the beginning and answer the question: which content management system is best for your business? Today we’re going to analyze Duda vs WordPress.
Basic WordPress Features
Back in the day, WordPress was known for blogging, but it can do so much more. Used by over 40% of websites, WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS), meaning that anyone can access and edit the source code. It gets regular updates and is constantly improving as developers collaborate to customize the experience.
WordPress can support any type of website, from eCommerce to portfolios. However, you are responsible for finding a hosting provider. One of the biggest perks is the WordPress plugin ecosystem. Because it’s open source, there are thousands of plugins made by outside developers that can integrate with WordPress and add new functionality to your site.
Basic Duda Features
Duda is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows you to build a website in your own browser. It uses basic drag-and-drop content and design techniques to create each page, with no coding required. This may be a good option if you have zero experience in web development.
Unlike WordPress, Duda is not open source, meaning the source code is not publicly available. Some of the most useful Duda features include basic SEO tools, blogging capabilities, a widget builder, and designed templates. Any Duda site also includes hosting with Amazon Web Services.
One of the biggest ways Duda and WordPress differ is their editors. While neither requires coding, they each have a unique user experience.
Modern WordPress sites use the Gutenberg block editor to create pages and posts. Each block represents a different element, such as text, images, galleries, buttons, or even custom HTML.
This gives you complete control over how your content is structured. WordPress also integrates with page builders like Elementor, and its editor can be expanded with thousands of plugins to add new functionality.
Intuitive to use once you learn WordPress
No coding required
Access to thousands of plugins to expand functionality
Highly customizable
Advanced features like reusable blocks and saved templates to streamline content creation
Steeper learning curve
Can be overwhelming for beginners
Advanced customization requires plugins or an experienced web developer
No visual editor without using a plugin
Must have a business-level account or above to install plugins
Ease Of Use: Duda
Designed for ease of use, the Duda interface allows you to create a website by simply dragging pre-designed elements—such as text, images, and buttons—onto a page. It uses a visual editor, so no coding is required. Customizable templates and a user-friendly interface help you quickly build a site with limited experience, balancing flexibility and simplicity.
Good for beginners
Convenient and easy to use
Not much of a learning curve
Quick setup
Good for small projects
No coding required
Limited customization for personalized site features, design changes, or functionality tweaks
Less flexibility for complex sites
Simple editor can feel limiting as you try to grow
Winner: Duda
Customization: WordPress
A good website needs to be fully customized to your brand and that is where WordPress shines. You have complete control over the functionality and design of your site. Plus there are thousands of WordPress themes and plugins. These allow you to adjust the basics like layout and typography, along with more advanced features like eCommerce or membership portals.
WordPress also lets you add custom code. Overall, this CMS can adapt to any vision, making it a top choice for personalized websites.
Every aspect of your site is fully customizable
Custom coding opportunities
Hosting flexibility
Access to WordPress themes and page builders
Can personalize your theme to match your branding
Time-consuming to create fully customized sites
Complex for beginners
Potential for over-reliance on plugins
Customization: Duda
With Duda’s streamlined approach to web design, it’s clear they prioritize ease of use over customization. You can edit pre-designed templates by arranging and resizing elements. You can also adjust key design features like fonts, colors, and layouts, but that’s where the flexibility ends. Overall, Duda offers basic customization options, but it’s not as adaptable as WordPress.
Can customize templates, design features, and widgets
Can implement global design changes across the whole site, making it easy to manage style updates for multiple pages
Confined to Duda’s available templates and themes
Fewer extensions and plugins
Limited custom coding opportunities
Not ideal for complex sites
Only advanced plans allow for site export
Winner: WordPress
Web Design Is Our Specialty. Let Us Help You Customize A Site That Perfectly Matches Your Brand.
When deciding between Duda vs WordPress, price is a significant factor. WordPress itself is free, but the total cost of using it varies depending on your specific needs.
First, you need to purchase hosting from a provider such as WP Engine or InMotion. WordPress hosting fees typically range from $5-$30 a month. Additional costs can include premium themes and plugins. For advanced features like custom domains, more storage, and eCommerce support, you can opt into monthly price plans that range from $4 to $45 a month.
Has a free plan
Offers monthly price tiers
Cheaper than Duda
Requires additional fees for hosting, themes, and plugins
Lowest tier offers limited features compared to Duda
Pricing: Duda
Similar to WordPress, Duda offers a tiered pricing structure based on your website needs. The basic plan starts at $25 a month and includes their drag-and-drop editor, hosting SSL certificates, and responsive website templates. If you’re looking for advanced features like team collaboration, client management tools, and custom widget building, pricing can go up to $39, $69, or $199 a month.
Offers monthly price tiers
More features are available in the lowest tier than WordPress
No cost to host
More expensive than WordPress
No free plan
Winner: WordPress
SEO And Internet Marketing: WordPress
The internet marketing capabilities of Duda vs WordPress differ greatly. With the vast array of WordPress SEO plugins like Yoast and Rank Math, you can access advanced sitemaps, keyword tracking, and in-depth optimization.
For an eCommerce site, WordPress integrates with WooCommerce and CRM platforms like HubSpot to help advance your marketing efforts. Its open-source nature and the WordPress plugin ecosystem make it a powerhouse for internet marketing, offering more flexibility and advanced features than Duda.
Advanced blogging features
WordPress SEO plugins for comprehensive optimization
Vast marketing integrations
Supports advanced eCommerce marketing
Customizable content and analytics
Marketing features rely on plugins
Less-beginner friendly
Time-consuming to set up SEO plugins and analytics
SEO And Internet Marketing: Duda
Unlike WordPress, Duda marketing integrations are limited. Any Duda site will include built-in SEO tools like customizable meta tags, alt text, and automatic Google Page Speed optimization. It can integrate with Google Analytics and most social media platforms. However, the lack of plugins makes Duda eCommerce marketing more limited.
Built-in SEO tools for beginners
Simple blogging capabilities
Integration with GA4 and relevant social media platforms
Limited SEO customization that lacks advanced capabilities
Less extensive blogging features
Fewer marketing integrations
Only supports basic eCommerce marketing
Lack of advanced tools makes it harder to manage and expand marketing efforts
Winner: WordPress
Scalability: WordPress
When it comes to scalability between Duda vs WordPress, it’s obvious who takes the cake. The WordPress plugin ecosystem gives it a significant advantage. As your business grows, WordPress can easily accommodate complex websites, high traffic, and custom features. You have virtually unlimited options with a WordPress site, making it a strategic choice for someone looking to expand their online presence.
Plugins can optimize site performance without needing to change the core application
Can handle high-traffic volumes
Flexible hosting options
Easy migration to another host if needed
Offers multi-site management
Lower-tiered plans have limited storage
Costs increase as you install more advanced themes and plugins
Possible performance issues (such as slower load times) if you’re using a lot of plugins
Scalability: Duda
As we’ve mentioned previously, Duda’s growth potential is limited. While it supports multi-site management and basic eCommerce features, it lacks the extensive customization and third-party integrations needed for serious growth. In our opinion, Duda is well-suited for smaller businesses managing simple sites, but not for someone looking for long-term growth.
No storage limits
Automatically optimized for mobile
Includes client management tools
Limited eCommerce functionality
Lacks third-party integrations that are needed for growth
Doesn’t support complex coding features
Fewer hosting options
Migration challenges
Winner: WordPress
Security And Maintenance: WordPress
Looking for robust security and maintenance control? WordPress has you covered. However, it will require more active involvement on your end. You can install various security plugins which allows you to implement measures like firewalls, malware scanning, and login protection. Regular updates to the core WordPress software are crucial to maintaining security and functionality.
Greater control over site security
Strong community of developers that provide support and resources
Plugins allow for automated backups
Regular updates to the software, themes, and plugins help improve functionality
You’re responsible for managing maintenance tasks
Falling behind could make your site vulnerable
Customer support varies depending on the hosting provider
There’s a learning curve to WordPress site maintenance
Security And Maintenance: Duda
Because they provide a fully managed hosting environment, Duda site maintenance is quite simple. You benefit from automatic backups, security updates, and protection against common vulnerabilities without needing to worry about managing the server.
Duda’s system includes SSL certification for secure data transmission and built-in security measures to safeguard user information. While Duda simplifies maintenance for you, it also limits control over specific security configurations, which isn’t ideal for everyone.
Simple maintenance
Automatic backups
Fully managed hosting
Built-in security features like SSL certificates and updates
Dedicated customer support if needed
Limited control over security measures
Fewer community resources
Complex process if you want to move your site from Duda
Winner: Depends On Your Goals*
*If you have the resources and skills to stay up to date with maintenance, then WordPress offers much more control and security over your site. If you’re looking for something easy and simple, Duda is a good place to start.
Who Wins The Fight Of Duda vs WordPress?
The answer is simple: WordPress.
There is certainly a time and place for Duda. If you’re a beginner with a small site, Duda will feel less overwhelming. However, it will be harder to customize and scale your business with their reduced capabilities.
For most clients, we would recommend WordPress. You can’t beat its customization options, internet marketing features, advanced security controls, and the ability for unlimited growth.
Your website should help you expand, not restrict you. If you’re looking for maximum flexibility and scalability (especially for larger and more complex websites) it’s a no-brainer—WordPress is the way to go.
WordPress can be overwhelming—we get it. That’s why you have us. Reach out to our developers for a website that keeps your customers coming back for more.
Planning a website redesign and launch can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t had the experience of planning one in the past. In this blog, we’ll provide a website launch checklist you can use to get a better understanding of what the journey ahead will look like.
How Long Does A Website Redesign Take?
Every website redesign project is unique and involves many moving parts from start to finish. There’s no telling what obstacles or unforeseen circumstances will emerge during the process. However, typically a website launch timeline will consist of 6 main stages:
Planning and discovery (2-10 weeks)
Content and SEO (5-15 weeks)
UI/UX design (4-12 weeks)
Developing and coding (6-15 weeks)
Testing and review (2-7 weeks)
Official launch (1 day-3 weeks)
Remember, the timing of these stages will vary depending on your goals for the project and the scale of work required to reach them. Another component that will influence your website launch timeline is the number of stakeholders involved in the redesign process. For example, if every service team’s lead needs to review each piece of the project, it will take longer to finalize.
Pre-Website Launch Checklist
A lot of hard work goes into a website before it can be pushed live, and it can’t all be completed by one person. A successful website launch depends on the work of skilled individuals who all have a different role to play.
In the following sections, we’ll break down some of the main steps and roles that should be included in your pre-website launch checklist.
Website Relaunch Developers & Web Designers Checklist
The first part of a website relaunch checklist is dedicated to developers and web designers. These individuals will work to ensure the site functions smoothly on the back end as well as the front.
1. Check site speed.
Not only does a faster page load speed provide users with a better experience, but it also is an important Google ranking factor. Faster loading times mean higher rankings for your site in search engine result pages. Therefore, it’s important to check your site’s speed before launching to make sure it’s loading at a quick rate.
2. Create a custom 404 page.
404 error warnings are shown when a server can’t find what was requested by the user. This could be from typing the wrong URL into the search bar or clicking on a dead link. Setting up custom 404 pages for your site ensures visitors are made aware of the error, but don’t have to see the generic warning message.
3. Check your site’s compatibility on different devices and web browsers.
Before launching your site, take the time to see what each page looks like on different devices and when searched in different browsers. Doing this will help you identify and fix areas that could negatively impact user experience like text and buttons being too small or content falling off the page.
4. Validate code and CSS.
Validating code and CSS ensures each page on your site looks and functions the way it should. Before launching, developers can check for things like syntax errors, typos, missing tags, and other issues to confirm the site is compatible with all browsers, accessible for all devices, and complies with web standards.
5. Check that your site serves HTTPS.
Hypertext transfer protocol secure (or HTTPS), is used to keep information sent from a device to a website private. Once it’s set up visitors will know their sensitive information like IP addresses or credit card numbers won’t be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
Before launching, review all your third-party tools and remove any integrations that aren’t necessary or fix any that aren’t working properly. Doing this will improve UX, boost site speed, and lead to better search engine rankings.
Website Relaunch SEO Checklist
Next in our website launch checklist, we’ll introduce SEO specialists. These individuals work to keep your site relevant and showing up in search results for users to see.
1. Check for possible indexation and crawling issues.
Search engines collect data by crawling your site and then store it through a process called indexing. This affects what results appear when a user searches for something online. SEO specialists can identify indexing issues and manage crawler traffic before a site is launched, making it easier for search engines to identify and display your content.
2. Make sure URLs & redirects are search engine friendly.
We talked about 404 errors earlier, and one of the ways these can occur is if a link is broken. Before launching, all old site pages should be redirected to the new ones. Creating permanent redirects (known as 301s) will automatically send users to the new pages if they accidentally visit the old URL.
3. Install Google Analytics.
Analytics software, like Google Analytics, allows you to retrieve valuable insight into what your users are doing on your site. It’s important to set up analytic tools before your site goes live because you’ll want to begin gathering data from the moment you launch. If your old site had analytics set up, verify that they are still working properly with the new site.
4. Use keyword mapping.
Keywords will play an essential role in the performance of your site. Keyword mapping is an SEO strategy that helps assign target keywords to specific pages on your site. With the help of an SEO specialist, these keywords can assist in performing goals, driving traffic, and improving search rankings.
5. Optimize meta tags, titles, descriptions, and content.
As we mentioned above, your site needs keywords to gain visibility. Optimizing meta tags, titles, descriptions, and site content will help search engines index your page efficiently. Each page on your site should have a unique title and description in addition to the keywords SEO specialists provide.
6. Use schema to mark up content.
Schema is what tells search engines what your data means and helps represent it in a more user-friendly way. Using special microdata language, SEO specialists can tell search engines more about the content on your site and control how it appears in search results.
7. Check UX.
User experience (UX) is how a visitor interacts with your site. Having a good UX depends on a variety of factors. You want to make sure your site is easy to navigate and accessible to everyone, regardless of possible impairments or technological limitations. Adding alt text to images, captions to videos, and choosing the typography and font size are only a few of the ways you can improve your site’s UX.
Website Relaunch Content Checklist
The last few steps of our website launch checklist belong to content marketing specialists. These individuals take care of all the content that will be seen by users when they visit your site.
1. Make sure content adds value.
The content on your site should be valuable to any user who visits. This means not focusing purely on self-promotion, but also including expert advice, actionable takeaways, and resourceful information. There are many distractions online and offering valuable content is one of the best ways to keep users engaged and coming back to your site.
2. Proofread content.
It may seem obvious, but grammar errors happen more often than we realize, and while everyone makes mistakes, there’s no doubt that these errors will hurt a brand’s credibility. Proofreading content is a way to show visitors that you care about your brand’s image and their user experience.
3. Use proper formatting.
Proper formatting is an essential part of any content specialist’s writing and publishing process. Using SEO content writing techniques like headlines, lists, and high-quality images improves readability and makes your site more visually appealing.
4. Ensure content is factual.
As we mentioned before, your content needs to be valuable to your readers. In the same respect, it needs to be factual. If search engines find your content to be fake or misleading they won’t display it on result pages. Additionally, if a user notices misinformation on your site, they are less likely to return.
5. Keep content style concise.
Your content style will speak to who your brand is and how you should be perceived by others. Keeping the tone and voice in your writing consistent will make you stand out among competitors. Every piece of content, from blogs to videos to downloadable files, should reflect your brand’s message and personality.
Remember, this website launch checklist is only the beginning, many more pieces contribute to a successful site launch, fortunately, you can get help from digital marketing experts to ensure your site turns out exactly how you envisioned.
Interested in a website redesign for your company? Take a look at some of our website projects and see what we can do.
If you manage a business, then you’re familiar with the phrase “Cash is King”—the notion that liquid funds are the most important asset of a healthy company. But we also live in an attention economy, where people’s time and focus are their own form of currency.
When we’re all vying for visibility, it can be tempting to view rebranding as a quick and easy way to recapture the awareness we’ve lost to our competitors.
Before you start sketching logos and picking Pantone colors, however, it’s vital to ensure you’re not making changes on a whim that will harm your business in the long run.
Once you’ve established that you are in the right position to rebrand, you can use our comprehensive rebranding checklists to make sure you don’t miss any key steps.
How to Determine if a Rebrand is Right for Your Organization
A new identity has plenty of benefits, but only if you’re doing so for the right reasons.
Necessary Reasons to Rebrand
There has been a significant upheaval to your company’s structure, like an acquisition, merger, or division.
There have been major changes to your products or service offerings.
The market or industry has altered drastically in a way that puts your current brand at a disadvantage in comparison to your competition.
Your company is fighting for digital real estate due to another company with a similar name or identity.
Unnecessary Reasons to Rebrand
New leadership or management is pushing to rebrand your business.
Other players in your industry are rebranding.
Your company wants to generate buzz amongst your target audience.
Your organization is trying to divert attention from a larger issue like internal turmoil, a public relations crisis, bad positioning, or an outdated product.
Attempting to rebrand during one of these scenarios may hurt your reputation, and many of these issues can be resolved through improved communication, investing in product development, or creating a new targeted campaign.
Types of Rebranding Strategies
After you’ve determined a rebrand is right for your business, the next step is to decide how many aspects of your branding need to change. There are numerous ways to implement a rebrand, from a simple logo tweak to a fresh visual identity and brand standards.
After answering these questions, you can better gauge whether a full or partial rebrand will best suit your goals:
Does your situation require a new moniker or just a logo?
Do you need a revised visual identity, or can a new logo work with your existing colors and fonts?
Are there elements that absolutely must stay, like trademarked messaging or a font you’ve bought the license to?
Are you and your stakeholders open to starting from scratch?
Full Rebrand
Are you ready to start fresh with a new name, logo, and tone of voice? It may be time for your company to completely reinvent itself and drop any association with its prior identity.
Corporations often go through a full rebrand early in their existence—so early that the majority of their current customer base wouldn’t know their original name. You’ve probably never heard of Blue Ribbon Sports or BackRub, but you’ve surely heard of Nike and Google.
Full rebrands may also be necessary later in an organization’s life when its business objectives change. When ABC Family was no longer a fitting name for the content the cable company was producing, they opted for the more modern name Freeform.
Brand Refresh
A visual refresh is a less intensive way to rebrand and can be done more gradually rather than all at once. It involves updating individual aspects of the brand such as colors, fonts, and/or the logo. It works well when your visual identity still fits the company but feels a bit outdated.
MailChimp had a strong brand refresh in 2018, trading its script wordmark for a chunky lowercase name that more prominently features their mascot, Freddie. They also made a splash by choosing bright yellow as their primary color.
In 2019, Dunkin’ kept its rounded font but dropped half its name and the coffee cup icon. They also opted for a more vibrant orange.
Burger King took a step back in time with their most recent logo (2021), referencing the round, bubbly, vintage-style design they used from 1969 to 1994.
Use this Rebranding Checklist to Plan Your Strategy
The final step in the process is to establish a rebranding launch strategy. Executing your plan with precision and attention to detail is what will set your new identity apart from your competition. That’s where having a reliable, proven rebranding checklist comes in!
To ensure your rebrand goes smoothly, it’s crucial to:
Set a timeline.
Identify branded pieces that will need to be updated.
Assign responsibilities to everyone involved in the project.
We’ve laid out all the steps your company should take in our series of rebranding checklists below.
Logistical & Legal Rebranding Checklist
The logistical aspect of the process can be so intimidating that companies put off rebranding, for years. Or, some companies get befuddled and stall while deciding what should be in their rebranding checklist. Fear not, with proper planning, you can space items out over time to make them less overwhelming.
Consider timing. Your accountant will thank you for planning around tax season.
Hire a lawyer to assist and catch any loose ends with business permits and trademarks for your local and state jurisdictions. (Every rebranding checklist should consider this point.)
Decide if you should be outsourcing to a marketing agency that can handle the logistics and provide a new perspective from outside your business.
Apply to trademark your new brand name, taglines, and/or new product names.
Obtain new URLs.
Visual Rebranding Checklist
Taking into account every graphical detail is what will make your new brand resonate with your target audience. With our visual rebranding checklist, you can develop a personalized and comprehensive plan for making every necessary update.
Establish a clear review and approval process for new branded pieces. It’s imperative to understand how they will be reviewed and who has the final say. Ensure this is in your rebranding checklist and you’ll avoid introducing confusion.
Get second and third opinions. If the rebrand is occurring internally, take the time to gather opinions from your audience. Your new brand needs to resonate with them, not you.
Create a new style guide for internal review that includes usage guidelines for the logo, fonts, and colors. Once you’ve established your updated style guide, this will be your guiding light.
Create a list of every item that needs to be redesigned. Start with urgent items and pieces that truly define the brand. Then, knock out smaller items like stationery.
Send out a new style guide and asset kit externally to relevant partners who need access to your logo and identity.
Internal
This is normally the last step of a rebrand, because you have the flexibility to make internal updates at a less accelerated pace. However, it’s still important to catch and remove every instance of your previous branding.
Schedule an all-hands meeting to share the new brand and its messaging internally, and pick a date for the following items to be updated:
Bills, checks, and other printed materials.
Phone systems, voicemail messages, and email footers.
Server and file names.
Computer logins.
Interior design and outdoor signage.
Think a rebrand is right for you? From guiding your staff through the process internally to augmenting your team to gain a fresh perspective, Tower can help! Contact us today to get started.
Glaucoma, cataracts, and color blindness are just a handful of the challenges they face—the same challenges you should also be taking into account when creating an accessible color palette.
If you’ve been tasked with creating an ADA-compliant website, these five easy steps will help you create a user-centric experience for everyone.
1. Understand Compliance
Understanding ADA compliance can be tricky. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as a checklist you can reference when building your site. The law only states that you must provide “reasonable accessibility” to people with disabilities, like the ability to use a screen reader and fill out forms.
Accessibility consists of so much more than color, but for the purposes of this blog, we’re going to focus on which level your site would fall into based solely on your use of color.
WCAG Levels of Accessibility
Level AAA This is the strictest level of compliance. Level AAA is often used by government agencies, medical providers, and organizations that receive taxpayer funding.
Level AA This is the median level of compliance. For the majority of companies, level AA provides a balance between meeting legal requirements for usability and having design flexibility.
Level A This is the lowest level of compliance and is not recommended in terms of color. Color combinations that fall below levels AA or AAA will be considered a “fail” by color-checking tools.
How Compliance is Determined
Your design’s level of color compliance depends on two factors: the contrast ratio between the foreground (text) and the background, as well as the point size of your text.
A contrast ratio of 7 or higher is considered AAA compliant, while 4.5 through 7 will meet AA standards.
An example of a color contrast checker using Tower’s brand colors.
Some color combinations will be AA18 compliant, meaning they are readable at 18px (or 14px bolded) and above. If you do choose to use “borderline” complaint colors like these, however, you should take into account that text may scale down for mobile and no longer meet this size threshold.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If your client is using a font that’s unusually tall or narrow, you may need to find a contrast ratio even higher than the AA minimum.
2. Evaluate Your Accessible Color Palette Needs
Are you confined by your client’s strict brand standards, or do you have the freedom of a blank slate? We have tips for navigating both scenarios.
Working With an Existing Color Palette
With all the attention that goes into carefully crafting a brand, the idea of having to rethink a set of carefully-chosen Pantone colors can cause brands to balk at making updates for accessibility.
Luckily, there are minor tweaks (that no one except a designer would notice!) that can make a website fully accessible. Even slight alterations to a color palette can give you more viable background and text color combinations, making for a more dynamic and engaging site.
For this Tower client, minor adjustments to their existing red and black tones gave us twice the AA and AAA-compliant background and text color combinations.
The client’s original color palette (left) vs. the updated version (right).
If you’re unable to modify a brand’s existing colors, you’ll have to get creative. Find a few key color combinations that pass as accessible color palettes, and then use photography, iconography, and infographics to add more color throughout the site.
Take Apple for example. Their fully-accessible homepage is bright, dynamic, and beautiful, and it utilizes only four colors in six combinations—proving that accessibility is only a restriction if you make it one.
Building a New Accessible Color Palette
Being able to design from day one with accessibility in mind is a huge advantage—and it’s really no different from designing any other good color scheme. In fact, to make strong and accessible color palettes, you only need:
One or two base colors
A strong call-to-action color
A handful of neutral colors
Call-to-action colors are typically where designers struggle to remain compliant. If your CTA button is lighter (like yellow or light orange), try dark text instead of the more traditional white. You can also save fun, bright colors for hover states and opt for a slightly darker default tone. This can help buttons draw visual interest while still keeping them compliant.
3. Find a Color Contrast Tool That You Love
If you’re working on a new website or a website redesign, you’re going to spend a lot of time with your color contrast tool. So, take a moment and find the one that works for you. Here are a few recommendations!
Contrast Grid from EightShapes — This is our all-time favorite at Tower. It allows you to investigate not just one color, but all of your colors in context with one another. It also generates a unique link for every color palette, making it easy to share with clients, other designers, and developers.
Toolness — This is a similar tool that grays out non-accessible background and text color combinations. It can be especially helpful in visualizing and explaining compliance to those who are new to the guidelines. Since there are no non-compliant combinations shown, they won’t distract from the fully-accessible options.
Colors — We love this tool for its sheer inspiration and dozens of bright, exciting accessible color palettes. This can be a great place to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Color Safe — This is another great option for creating an accessible color palette, as it also takes into consideration the specific typeface and font weight you’re using.
WhoCanUse — Finally, we recommend that you test your accessible color palettes with this tool that shows how people with color blindness, glaucoma, cataracts, and more will perceive the tones you chose (as well as what percentage of the population has these visual impairments).
4. Adjust and Iterate
Chances are, the first accessible color palette you try won’t be quite right. There may not be enough accessible options, and even if there are, the combinations available may not be a good fit for your client.
Context is Key
Play with your colors in the context of your design program. If you’re making minor alterations to an existing palette, check your new colors alongside old collateral. Is the difference noticeable? Is that a problem?
Consider print applications as well. Colors may look great online but horrible on paper, and vice versa.
Utilize the Right Design Tools
Having a powerful tool at your disposal is the key to working accessibility into your existing design process. At Tower, we use Sketch, a design program with a nearly endless library of plugins.
Stark is a color contrast analyzer that operates right inside your design file. It also has the unique ability to mimic different types of color blindness, from the most common to the very rare.
This is especially important when designing infographics and charts where differentiating colors is crucial to understanding the content. While colors may look completely different to you, if they are too similar in brightness or hue, they may be indistinguishable to someone with partial or full-color blindness.
Sketch and Stark are two tools we use at Tower and can recommend for others.
5. Remember Why It Matters
Designing through the new lens of accessibility can be frustrating at times, especially when working within an existing brand’s color scheme. It can be easy to get excited about a bright and edgy design, but the bottom line is that websites need to be both usable and beautiful.
Viewing ADA compliance as a challenge, rather than as a roadblock, can keep things in perspective and strengthen your design skills along the way. Plus, it will make the web a friendlier and more accessible place for everyone when we use accessible color palettes.
At Tower, we work with many small businesses for whom individual customers are the prime focus, making visual accessibility, specifically accessible color palettes crucial for every site we build.
If you need to redesign or update your website to be ADA-compliant, our team of designers and developers is ready to help.
