Is your WordPress site underperforming? Dropping traffic, low conversion rates, poor mobile experience, or slow loading times are clear signs it’s time for a redesign. But tackling a redesign can be daunting, as you might worry about losing SEO rankings.

At WPBeginner, we’ve redesigned our site multiple times, learning what works and what doesn’t through trial and error. Along the way, we’ve developed strategies to make the process smoother and more effective.

In this guide, we will walk you through every step of redesigning your WordPress site, from determining if you really need a redesign to choosing the best redesign method.

When Should You Redesign Your WordPress Website?

You might be tempted to redesign your WordPress website simply because you’re feeling bored with its current look. However, a redesign can be time-consuming, so it’s important to consider several factors before diving in.

Mainly, you will want to be sure that redesigning your website is actually a worthwhile undertaking.

For instance, if your existing WordPress website is losing traffic, it might be time for a redesign. A drop in traffic often indicates that your site no longer meets user expectations.

Also, first impressions matter online. If your site looks old-fashioned, it may not reflect well on your brand or business.

A poor user experience, like visitors struggling to find important information, is another clear sign that a WordPress website redesign is needed. We once addressed this in a previous redesign by improving content discoverability with helpful sidebar links and mega menus.

Speed is another important factor if you are considering a redesign of your WordPress website. Maybe you’ve tried everything to optimize your site performance, but it’s still not up to par. This could be a sign that your current WordPress site design is too heavy and you need to make it more lightweight.

The same goes for mobile-friendliness. Perhaps you’ve tried various responsive design tips, but your site still doesn’t work well on mobile devices. This could be because your current theme is simply too old, and you need to switch to a more mobile-friendly theme.

If your website no longer accurately represents your brand or offerings, consider a redesign. We recently revamped the WPBeginner homepage to better reflect our expertise and authority in the WordPress space.

Last but certainly not least, if your site isn’t turning visitors into customers or subscribers as effectively as it should, then a redesign could help improve your bottom line and strengthen your online presence.

If you check some or all of these boxes, don’t worry. The next section will walk you through our go-to WordPress website redesign checklist. We’ll cover what you need to do before, during, and after the design process.

Feel free to use the quick links below to navigate through the steps:

1. Collect Website Performance Data

You might be thinking, ‘I already know I’m losing traffic and conversions, so why do I need to collect website performance data before I redesign WordPress?’

Well, it’s important to confirm these issues with hard data. Plus, when you redesign your WordPress website, you’ll want to know if your efforts are paying off.

By collecting performance data from your current website, you create benchmarks to compare against after the redesign. This way, you can measure whether your new design actually translates to better results.

To make this process easier, we recommend using the MonsterInsights plugin for Google Analytics. We have used the tool extensively to help improve the performance of our websites. We even wrote a full MonsterInsights review.

This plugin allows you to connect your WordPress site with Google Analytics, giving you access to vital performance metrics right in your WordPress dashboard.

For a WordPress website redesign, we suggest checking and using these marketing data points as benchmarks:

• Overall traffic – The total number of visitors to your site. It can help you understand your website’s reach and whether the redesign improves overall visibility.
• Bounce rate – The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page. It can tell you whether your new design better engages users and improves your site speed.
• Conversion rate – The percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (like making a purchase or signing up). You can determine if the redesign improves your site’s effectiveness in achieving its goals.
• Top performing pages – Which pages visitors view most often, helping you protect popular content during the redesign and understand what your audience likes.
• Top traffic sources – Where your visitors are coming from (search engines, social media, etc.), helping you design your new site to better cater to these channels and maintain or improve traffic flow.
• Average session duration – How long visitors typically stay on your site so that you can see if the redesign makes your content more valuable to users.
• Page views per session – How many pages a visitor typically views. It can indicate whether your new design improves navigation and encourages users to explore more content.
• Mobile vs desktop traffic split – The proportion of visitors using mobile devices versus desktop computers. You can use this information to guide your redesign efforts and cater to the most widely-used devices.

You can learn more in our article on the most important metrics you must track on your WordPress site.

With MonsterInsights, you can also use the ‘Conversations AI’ feature to get quick answers about your data.

For example, you could ask, ‘What was my conversion rate in the last month?’ This feature makes it easy to access the information you need without diving deep into complex analytics reports.

2. Run a WordPress Website Audit

Before you start to redesign WordPress, you need to understand the actions and factors that led to the performance metrics you collected in the previous step. This way, you can make informed decisions about what to change and what to keep.

To gain these insights, you need to conduct a website audit, which is a series of actions you do to understand the user experience on your existing website.

We recommend asking for your users’ opinions directly so that you can understand their needs, preferences, and pain points straight from the source.

The UserFeedback plugin is an excellent tool for this, allowing you to add surveys to your site and quickly collect visitor opinions. We use the plugin on our own websites, and you can learn more in our complete UserFeedback review.

You can check out our comprehensive guide to learn more about gathering website design feedback in WordPress. We’ve also compiled a list of user experience feedback questions to ask your website visitors.

You will also want to evaluate your user journey. Visitors typically follow predictable steps before making a purchase or submitting a form, and there may be obstacles in their journey.

If you’re using MonsterInsights, the User Journey addon can help track customer journeys on popular WordPress eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and MemberPress.

For instance, in WooCommerce, you can view a user’s entire journey, including all interactions, times, and durations.

For more details, see our guides enabling customer tracking in WooCommerce and tracking the customer journey using MemberPress.

For websites focused on lead generation, using WPForms alongside the User Journey addon is a great solution. It shows the referral source that brought users to your site and the path they took before submitting a form.

This information helps you understand which content engages users most effectively. Learn more in our complete guide on tracking user journey on WordPress lead forms.

Heatmap tools are another essential part of your website development audit. They visually represent how visitors navigate your pages, providing insights that raw data alone can’t offer.

We personally recommend Microsoft Clarity, which we use across many of our brand websites. It’s a free tool that offers heatmaps, scroll tracking, and click tracking.

To get started with Clarity, check out our guide on installing Microsoft Clarity analytics in WordPress.

3. Decide to Keep Your Site Live or Put It in Maintenance Mode

One of the most important decisions to make when you redesign WordPress is whether to work on your live website or put it in maintenance mode. This choice can significantly impact your user experience and search engine rankings during the redesign process.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you make the right decision:

• How extensive is your redesign? For example, are you just changing the homepage or redoing the whole site?
• How long will the redesign take? Is it a quick update you can do in a few days, or a big change that needs weeks?
• Can your site be offline for a while? Think about if your business can handle being down for some time.
• How many visitors does your site get? A high-traffic site will suffer more from downtime than a smaller, personal blog.
• Will you change how your site is set up? Are you just updating how it looks, or are you moving things around and changing web addresses?
• Does your site run important parts of your business? For instance, do you have an online store that needs to stay open, or is your site mainly for information?

In general, we recommend keeping your site live during the redesign, especially if the process will take a while and/or if your business operations will be significantly impacted by downtime. It’s also a good option if you don’t want your site’s SEO to get impacted.

In this case, you’ll need to set up a staging site or local development environment. This allows you to experiment with your redesign without affecting your live site.

A staging site is essentially a copy of your live website where you can safely make changes. These days, many hosting providers offer one-click staging features, including SiteGround (where we host WPBeginner).

For more information, check out our guide on how to create a staging environment for WordPress.

Alternatively, you might consider a local development site. This option involves creating a copy of your website on your personal computer, offering even more privacy and faster development times.

We recommend using the Local WP tool for this purpose, which many of our team members use to test new features. You can learn more about this in our article on how to install WordPress locally on Windows and Mac.

If your redesign is relatively quick and won’t disrupt critical business functions, putting your site in maintenance mode for a short period might be acceptable. That being said, you should be aware of the risks.

Putting your site in maintenance mode can impact your SEO and may require you to set up some redirects. This isn’t a big problem for small, personal websites, but it can be tricky for bigger sites with lots of visitors.

Our preferred method is to use the SeedProd page builder. Besides turning on maintenance mode for your WordPress site, it lets you make a nice-looking page to tell visitors about your upcoming changes and even generate leads by creating a waitlist landing page.

What’s more, it can tell search engines your site is just temporarily down by sending a special signal called the 503 status, which is what Google suggests doing.

If you are interested in this option, you may want to check out our full SeedProd review.

4. Choose a WordPress Redesign Method

When it comes to redesigning your WordPress website, you have 3 main options: customizing your existing theme, choosing a new theme and customizing it, or hiring a professional WordPress design service.

Let’s explore each method’s pros and cons to help you decide which is best for your redesign process.

Option 1: Customize Existing Theme

Best for: Site owners who are generally happy with their current design but want to refresh its look or add new features.

Pros of customizing your existing WordPress theme:

• Familiar with the current setup
• Potentially quicker, easier, and more affordable
• Maintains consistency for regular visitors

Cons of customizing your existing WordPress theme:

•  Limited by existing theme structure

If you want to stick with your current theme but want to get more customization options, then we recommend using plugins like CSS Hero and WPCode.

CSS Hero is a visual CSS editor plugin that lets you customize your WordPress theme’s CSS visually. That means you don’t need to touch any code to modify the theme, but any changes you make will affect its CSS.

You can learn more about the plugin in our CSS Hero review.

On the other hand, WPCode is a code snippet plugin that lets you add custom code snippets to your theme without dealing with the theme files directly. Whenever there’s an error in the code, the plugin will disable it, and your theme won’t get affected.

The best part is it can preserve your code changes even when your theme gets an update, so you won’t lose your customizations.

You can read our WPCode review for more details.

If you need some inspiration on what you can do to customize your current website, here are some articles you can check out:

Option 2: Choose a New Theme and Customize It

Best for: Those looking for a significant design change without the cost of a fully custom solution. Or people who want to take advantage of new theme features.

Pros of using a new WordPress theme:

• Fresh start with modern design options
• Access to new features and layouts
• Potential for improved website performance

Cons of using a new WordPress theme:

• Potential learning curve with a new theme
• Careful setup is required to avoid compatibility issues

When selecting a new theme, make sure to pick one that is fast, responsive, compatible with your current plugins, and regularly supported. You should also think about its value for money and customization options so that you can edit your WordPress site exactly how you want it.

If you’re considering a premium theme, you can read our guide on free vs premium WordPress themes to help you make your decision. Also, make sure to follow our guide on properly changing a WordPress theme to avoid common errors.

For a more flexible solution, we recommend SeedProd, a drag-and-drop page builder with dozens of theme kits and templates. This is also what we use to design custom landing pages for ourselves and our brands.

In fact, our friends at OptinMonster used SeedProd to redesign their landing page and increased their conversions by 340%.

With this drag-and-drop page builder, you will get a theme and a flexible tool to customize it, so you can make a unique design without any technical skills. Plus, you’ll get access to AI tools to generate content and custom images for your pages.

You can learn more about SeedProd in these guides:

Alternatively, you can browse our list of the most popular WordPress themes.

Option 3: Hire a Custom WordPress Website Design Service

Best for: Business owners or bloggers who want a unique, professional design tailored to their specific needs and don’t have the time or skills to create it themselves.

Pros of hiring a professional WordPress design service:

• Unique, professional WordPress theme design
• WordPress theme that’s tailored to your specific needs
• No need for personal design or coding skills

Cons of hiring a professional WordPress design service:

If you’re tired of cookie-cutter designs, then this is an excellent option for you. Of course, the challenge is finding the right WordPress designers to work with. We have a list of top WordPress agencies if you want some hand-picked recommendations.

That being said, you may want to check out our WPBeginner Pro Services.

For designing a custom WordPress site, we offer:

• A dedicated project manager to oversee the redesign process
• Multiple WordPress website design revisions
• Training for you to learn how to manage your new site
• Full WooCommerce setup for online stores
• Search engine and performance optimization

Rebuilding an existing site starts at $599, which will get you a responsive website design of up to 5 pages, 2 rounds of revisions, and analytics setup.

Think of it as an investment for your online presence that can lead to improved user experience, better search engine rankings, and, ultimately, increased conversions and revenue for your business.

If you’re not sure, you can book a free consultation with our team today.

5. Back Up Your WordPress Website

Let’s say you’re already redesigning your site. Before you make it live, you need to do one step that you should not skip: back up your current WordPress website.

Here’s why backing up is so important:

• Protection against errors – If something goes wrong during the transition, you can easily restore your site.
• Protection against backlash – If users react negatively to the new design, you can quickly revert to the old one.
• Preserving important data – It ensures you don’t lose any valuable content or settings during the redesign.
• Peace of mind – Knowing you have a backup allows you to launch your site with confidence.

We recommend using a backup plugin like Duplicator for this task. Duplicator makes it easy to create and manage backups directly on your website.

Once created, you can store the backup file on your computer. Or, for added security, upload it to cloud storage services like Dropbox.

Restoring your site with Duplicator is also straightforward – you can simply drag and drop the backup file. The plugin also allows you to set a recovery point, enabling you to quickly restore your site to a prior date if needed.

6. Launch Your Site and Run Another Audit

At this stage, you’re ready to publish your newly redesigned site and show it to your audience.

If you’re putting your website on maintenance mode with SeedProd, then you can just deactivate that mode so that everyone can access your site. You can refer to our guide on WordPress maintenance mode for more details.

If you’ve been developing your site locally, then you can read our guide on how to move WordPress from a local server to a live site.

Meanwhile, if you have been using a staging site in your WordPress hosting, then you can simply use its deploy feature to make your site live. For example, with Bluehost, you can use the Bluehost WordPress plugin to deploy all your changes in a few clicks.

You can learn more about it in our guide on WordPress staging environments.

Once your site is live, you can’t relax just yet. You need to make sure everything works right.

One thing you need to pay attention to is your SEO settings. If you decide to restructure your web pages, then you will need to set up redirects and update your internal links to reflect any URL changes. Otherwise, search engines won’t be able to crawl your site properly.

This process can take a long time, so we recommend using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin for this. It’s also what we use for WPBeginner to make sure our site is always optimized for search engines. For more details, check out our complete All in One SEO review.

You can use AIOSEO to easily find broken links on your entire website content. If it does, you can quickly replace the existing URL with a new one so that users don’t end up seeing an error page.

AIOSEO also lets you set up 301 redirections easily. This will be handy if your redesign involves restructuring your website hierarchy.

You can read our beginner’s guide to creating 301 redirects in WordPress for more information.

Other than that, we also recommend doing an SEO audit to check for missing SEO titles, meta descriptions, canonical link tags, SSL certificates, speed issues, and more. These are important elements that can make or break your visibility on search engines.

Check out our WordPress SEO audit checklist for a step-by-step guide.

Lastly, do the same checks we talked about in step 2 when we said to run a website audit. Use heatmaps and look at your Google Analytics data to make sure no one is having trouble with your new site.

7. Continuously Maintain Your WordPress Site

The job of a website owner is never ending. Even after you launch your site, you still need to do some routine maintenance tasks to make sure that your site doesn’t become slow, vulnerable to attacks, or start showing errors.

Don’t be intimidated, though. We have a guide that breaks down the most important WordPress maintenance tasks you should do, from changing your passwords and updating your plugins to reviewing your security logs.

But if you find all this too hard and you have some budget to spare, then we recommend hiring our WordPress maintenance experts at WPBeginner Pro Services. You’ll get:

• 24/7 WordPress maintenance and support
• Around-the-clock uptime monitoring
• Consistent WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates
• Routine cloud backups and malware removal
• On-demand emergency support

Our maintenance services start from $57.50 per month. While this costs some money, you can think of it as similar to getting a WordPress security plugin, but this one is a real person maintaining your site.

We can spot and solve complex issues that automated tools might miss and make decisions based on your specific needs and website goals. If you want to learn more, feel free to book a free consultation with us today.

Remember, regular maintenance is key to keeping your newly redesigned WordPress site running smoothly and securely. Whether you choose to do it yourself or hire experts, make sure you have a plan in place to keep your site in top shape.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to redesign your WordPress website. You may also want to check out our article on things you must do before starting a WordPress design business and our expert picks of the best WordPress theme builder plugins.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Bluehost Review 2024: Honest Look at Web Hosting Giant

I’ve always searched for top-notch hosting services, and Bluehost caught my eye. It’s a web hosting giant trusted by over 2 million websites worldwide, and the positive reviews from customers made me curious about Bluehost’s strengths.

Bluehost’s speed is impressive, with an average load time of 1.1 seconds and a response time of 140 ms. This shows their commitment to performance. Since 2006, they’ve been a recommended host by WordPress, showing their reliability. They offer a free domain for a year, free SSL certificates, and easy WordPress installs.

Bluehost Review 2024

Dive into my Bluehost Review 2024 for an unfiltered look at their hosting performance, features, pricing, and customer feedback.

Key Takeaways

• Bluehost is an esteemed leader in web hosting, and WordPress has recommended it since 2006.
• High-speed performance is guaranteed with Bluehost, showcasing an average load time of 1.1 s.
• User experiences are enhanced with Bluehost’s ultra-fast response time, which has averted to 140 ms.
• Bluehost plans are not only comprehensive but also come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• Their customer-first approach is visible through 24/7 customer support and user-friendly features.
• With competitive pricing, Bluehost stands out for its value for money in various hosting types.
• Security and reliability are core, with free SSL, CDN, and an uptime guarantee of 99.98%.

Introducing Bluehost: Web Hosting Powerhouse

Since 2003, Bluehost has been a big name in web hosting. It’s known for its innovative features and strong infrastructure, which make it a top choice for website owners worldwide.

The Origin Story: From 1996 to 2024

Many think Bluehost started in 1996, but it actually began in 2003. It has grown a lot, supporting millions of users. This growth shows their dedication to reliable service and customer needs.

What Makes Bluehost Stand Out: Features at a Glance

Bluehost’s success comes from its wide range of features. It promises 99.99% uptime and 24/7 customer support. Plans start at just $2.95 monthly, making quality hosting affordable for everyone.

Choosing Bluehost: WordPress Endorsement and User Base

Getting WordPress’s official recommendation is a big deal. It shows Bluehost is great for WordPress users. They offer easy installations, free SSL certificates, and top security.

In short, Bluehost is a top choice for hosting. Its reliable support and wide range of features make it a favorite for millions.

Understanding Bluehost’s Hosting Packages

Bluehost Review 2024: Honest Look at Web Hosting Giant

Choosing the right hosting package is key to your website’s success. Bluehost has plans for all types of websites, from small blogs to big enterprise sites. Let’s look at shared hosting, VPS, and dedicated server options.

Shared Hosting: Budget-Friendly Solutions

Bluehost’s shared hosting is great for beginners or small sites. The best Bluehost plans in this category are affordable yet powerful. The Basic plan costs $1.99 monthly and offers 10 GB of storage and space for one site.

VPS Hosting: The Middle Ground

VPS hosting is perfect when your site needs more power. Bluehost’s VPS plans start at $46.99 a month. They offer more resources, which is ideal for sites with high traffic and complex operations.

Dedicated Hosting: Supreme Control and Performance

Dedicated server hosting at Bluehost starts at $141.19 a month. It gives you full control and high performance, perfect for high-traffic sites or those needing top security. It’s a big investment but offers great benefits.

Each hosting type has benefits. They’re designed for different stages of a website’s life. Whether starting a blog or running a big online business, knowing these options helps you choose the right plan.

Bluehost Review: Digging Deep into Features

Bluehost offers a range of features that support site management and e-commerce hosting. It ensures security with SSL certificates and data backups. Its hosting solutions are designed for beginners and advanced users, making website management easy.

One-Click Installs and Site Management

Bluehost’s one-click install feature makes setting up a website easy. This is great for deploying WordPress. It’s a key part of site management, making it simple to install important software.

For more help, Bluehost tutorials are available. They provide detailed instructions on managing a website.

E-Commerce and WooCommerce Integration

Bluehost’s e-commerce hosting solutions are strong and work well with WooCommerce. They make it easy to start an online store and come with tools to handle transactions securely and efficiently.

Starting at just $7.45 per month, it’s affordable for many, making online selling more accessible.

Security Protocols: SSL and Backups

Bluehost focuses on security with free SSL certificates for all sites. This ensures data transfers are encrypted. They also do regular data backups to protect site data.

These features give website owners peace of mind. They know their site and customer data are safe.

Evaluating Bluehost Performance Metrics

When evaluating web hosting providers, Bluehost’s performance metrics are key. They focus on load time, server response time, and uptime guarantee. Faster websites mean happier users and more sales. A one-second delay can cut conversion rates by 7%.

I looked closely at Bluehost’s performance in these areas because fast websites are essential for online success.

Bluehost promises an uptime guarantee of 99.99%, ensuring your site is always up and running. Their platforms are also fast, even when lots of people are visiting. This is great for businesses that can’t afford to be offline.

Tests showed that Bluehost is fast in the US, making it a good choice for American businesses. However, there might be some delays for sites worldwide.

Every second counts in the internet world. Bluehost’s fast load times and reliable uptime guarantee give it an edge. They also keep working to make their server response times even better. Choosing Bluehost means you’re likely to meet and exceed your performance goals.

User Experience: Navigating Bluehost’s Interface

Starting your online journey is easy with Bluehost’s account setup. It’s designed for beginners to feel at ease. Let’s dive into the user experience and what the Bluehost dashboard offers.

Getting Started: Account Setup Simplified

Bluehost’s setup is a breeze. It includes a free domain name for a year, which is a great start. You also get unlimited bandwidth and a free SSL certificate. This means your site is secure and can grow.

Managing Your Website: Bluehost Dashboard Insights

The Bluehost dashboard is made for ease of use. It lets you monitor your site and improve its performance with just a few clicks. For those who like to dig deeper, cPanel offers more advanced site management.

Here’s a comparative table highlighting Bluehost’s offerings:

Bluehost focuses on reliability and user experience. It aims to keep users happy and engaged, and the positive Bluehost customer reviews show it’s doing a great job.

Bluehost Review: In-Depth Look at Reliability

When we talk about Bluehost reliability, uptime is key. Bluehost promises a 99.99% uptime guarantee, making it a strong contender in web hosting. My checks show uptime monitoring tools confirm this, with very little downtime.

Uptime is crucial for any online business. Bluehost’s reliability is more than just numbers. It shows their commitment to keeping customers happy and services running smoothly. For e-commerce sites, this means more time to sell and interact with customers.

The table below shows how Bluehost stands out in reliability among different hosting plans:

This detailed look shows why picking a hosting company with high uptime is crucial. Bluehost meets the needs of all, from small blogs to big business sites. They all get the same uptime promise.

In conclusion, Bluehost’s reliability is clear. Their ongoing effort to keep uptimes high is impressive. With strict uptime monitoring, Bluehost is a top pick for hosting with little downtime.

Bluehost Pricing: Investment vs. Return

When investing in Bluehost, consider the cost and what you get in return. Bluehost has plans for everyone, from simple shared hosting to powerful dedicated servers. Each plan is made to offer great value, helping both new and experienced webmasters.

Comparing Plan Rates: What’s Worth It for You

Bluehost has something for almost everyone. Shared hosting starts at just $1.99 a month for one year. For those needing more, VPS and dedicated hosting, which offer more power and control, start at $65.99 and $188.99, respectively.

Value for Money: Analyzing Cost-Efficiency

When you invest in Bluehost, you get a lot of your money. You get a free domain for a year, SSL certificates, and easy WordPress installs. These extras make Bluehost a smart choice for hosting in the long run.

Bluehost Review: Customer Support

Good customer service is key when it comes to web hosting. Bluehost shines with its Bluehost customer support, as seen in many positive reviews. They offer 24/7 support to solve all sorts of problems quickly.

Bluehost’s 24/7 hosting support is easy to reach through live chat, emails, and phone calls. They help directly and also have a huge online knowledge base. This helps users solve common issues on their own.

1. Live Chat Support
2. Email Assistance
3. Phone Support
4. Comprehensive Knowledge Base

Users have great things to say about Bluehost’s support:

From Trustpilot Aaron Schoenberg also says about Bluehost Support:

These positive comments help Bluehost get lots of 5-star reviews:

Even with rare problems, 24/7 hosting support works fast to fix them. For example, Tom Wehrle had email issues, but Bluehost kept trying to help him.

Bluehost is known for its great customer support. They help new and experienced users anytime, showing their commitment to making hosting easy and stress-free.

Cons of Bluehost

• Upselling and Add-ons: Bluehost tends to push various upsells during the signup process, such as additional security and backup options. While these can be beneficial, it may feel overwhelming for beginners trying to keep costs down.
• Average Speed and Performance: While Bluehost performs decently for small to medium websites, its loading speeds and server performance may lag compared to some premium hosting services. High-traffic websites may experience slower load times, especially on shared hosting plans.
• Higher Renewal Rates: Bluehost offers affordable introductory pricing, but renewal rates can be significantly higher after the first term. This can catch users off-guard when it’s time to renew their plans.
• Basic Backup Options: Bluehost offers backups, but its solution isn’t as robust as some competitors. Automated backups are included in certain higher-tier plans but require manual setup or additional purchases for users on basic plans.
• Limited Customization for Basic Plans: On lower-tier hosting packages, users may find certain limitations regarding server resources and features, such as fewer databases and storage limits, which might restrict more complex websites.

Bluehost vs Competitors

Bluehost stands out in the web hosting world. It offers a great deal at just $1.99/month, beating HostGator’s $2.75/month. Bluehost also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, while HostGator offers 45 days.

Uptime is key for website reliability. Bluehost has 99.98% uptime, close to HostGator’s 99.99%. This shows how Bluehost and HostGator compare in terms of cost and reliability.

Finding the Best Deal: Features and Benefits

Bluehost shines with its user-friendly features. It offers one-click CMS installs for WordPress and integrated SEO tools. It also has guided site launch checklists.

On the other hand, HostGator offers premium support and a website builder called Gator. Bluehost’s Softaculous, free SSLs, and dedicated IPs are great for growing businesses. HostGator’s App Store, unlimited bandwidth, and support are also attractive.

Market Position: Bluehost’s Standing Among Rivals

Bluehost is not just compared to HostGator. It’s known for its WordPress integration and quick customer support. DreamHost focuses on server performance, privacy, and scalability.

Hostinger offers lots of storage and a free domain name. Bluehost’s WordPress setup and WooCommerce hosting plans are cost-effective. Its AI-powered website builder and WonderSuite appeal to many users. Official WordPress.org recommendations also highlight Bluehost and DreamHost as top choices.

FAQs about Bluehost

Bluehost Review 2024: Honest Look at Web Hosting Giant

You’ll discover some frequently asked questions about Bluehost below.

How has Bluehost maintained its position as a web hosting powerhouse over the years?

Bluehost has maintained its top spot by offering 24/7 support and advanced hosting. It has also been committed to free and open-source software like WordPress since 1996.

What makes Bluehost a standout option for WordPress users?

Bluehost is great for WordPress users. They offer one-click installs and 24/7 support. You also get a free domain name, free SSL certificates, and a hosting environment tailored for WordPress.

What type of hosting packages does Bluehost offer?

Bluehost has various hosting packages. You can choose from shared hosting for small sites, VPS hosting for more resources or dedicated hosting for top performance. Each plan is designed for different website sizes, making it easy to grow.

How easy is it to manage a website on Bluehost?

Managing a website on Bluehost is easy. They offer one-click installs, especially for WordPress. Beginners will find the custom hosting dashboard intuitive, while advanced users can use cPanel for more control.

What security measures does Bluehost take to protect websites?

Bluehost takes security seriously. They offer free SSL certificates, automatic malware scans, and Cloudflare CDN services to keep sites safe. They also support SiteLock security add-ons and regular backups.

How does Bluehost perform under high traffic?

Bluehost handles high traffic well. In tests, it shows stability and quick load times. Its server response times are under a second, and it guarantees a 99.99% uptime.

How simple is the account setup process with Bluehost?

The account setup with Bluehost is easy for all users. Beginners get a step-by-step wizard for WordPress installation. The custom hosting dashboard makes site management straightforward.

Can I trust the reliability of Bluehost for my website?

Yes, you can trust Bluehost. They have a 99.99% uptime promise. This means your website is usually available without interruption.

How does Bluehost pricing compare with the value it provides?

Bluehost pricing is competitive, starting at $1.99 per month. You get reliable hosting and a range of features, making it a good value for the price.

What avenues of support does Bluehost offer?

Bluehost offers 24/7 live chat, phone support, and ticket help. It also has a detailed knowledge base with articles, guides, and video tutorials, which help users solve common problems independently.

How does Bluehost compare to its competitors?

Bluehost stands out with its versatile hosting plans and excellent WordPress integration. Its focus on reliability and uptime makes it a good value compared to other platforms.

Is Bluehost the right choice for e-commerce hosting?

Yes, Bluehost is a solid choice for e-commerce hosting. They offer WooCommerce hosting plans, which provide the necessary features for launching and managing an online store efficiently.

How does Bluehost ensure its uptime and reliability?

Bluehost ensures uptime and reliability through server monitoring and advanced infrastructure. They have a 99.99% uptime guarantee. This is backed by ongoing performance checks to keep websites accessible.

Are there any hidden costs or fees when investing in Bluehost plans?

No, Bluehost has a transparent pricing model with no hidden charges. They offer clear costs upfront, making it easy for users to understand what they’re paying for.

Does Bluehost provide resources for learning and troubleshooting?

Yes, Bluehost offers a wide range of learning resources and troubleshooting guides. Their online knowledge base has articles and video tutorials. This helps users manage their hosting and get expert help when needed.

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Bluehost Review 2024: Honest Look at Web Hosting Giant

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Bluehost Review Summary

Bluehost Review 2024: Honest Look at Web Hosting Giant

Overall, Bluehost is a reliable and beginner-friendly web hosting provider. It offers solid performance, various hosting options, and excellent customer support. Its integration with WordPress, free domain, and intuitive control panel make it a popular choice for new users. Bluehost provides a competitive and well-rounded hosting solution at a reasonable price point for anyone looking to start a website, especially small businesses and personal blogs.

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For over 15 years, we have built and managed our websites using WordPress.org, and it has been an amazing platform for our needs. That’s why we thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking to start a small business website.

However, we recognize that every company has unique needs, which is why we have explored other small business website builders, including Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress.com.

We reviewed and tested the most popular website builders by downloading and making real websites with them. This helped us gain firsthand experience with their features, user interfaces, and overall performance.

It also allowed us to identify each builder’s strengths and weaknesses, ensuring we can offer accurate recommendations tailored to your specific needs.

In this article, we will share our list of the best small business website builders, along with their pros and cons.

If you are in a hurry, then take a quick look at our expert picks to make a decision.

How We Tested and Reviewed Small Business Website Builders

If you want to launch a small business website without having to write any code, then using a website builder is the quickest and most cost-effective option. That being said, there are a lot of website builders to pick from.

We have downloaded and built real websites with the most popular website builders to help you choose the right one for your business. When doing that, we paid special attention to the following criteria.

• Ease of use: We have prioritized website builders that have a beginner-friendly interface, an easy onboarding process, a huge community, and extensive documentation.
• Features: An ideal builder for a small business site will have features like a drag-and-drop interface, premade templates, scalability, and affordable pricing.
• Reliability: We have only included the small business website builders that we have tested ourselves. We also paid attention to customer reviews and support to look for common issues.

Having said that, let’s take a look at the best small business website builders on the market.

1. WordPress.org

WordPress.org is the best website builder for small businesses because it is free, open source, and scalable.

For over 15 years, we have built and managed successful websites like WPBeginner and WPForms using this website builder. WordPress.org has been instrumental in our growth because it’s easy to use and hasn’t slowed us down as our websites have become more popular.

For more details, see our complete WordPress review.

The platform is super flexible and allows you to add any kind of functionality to your site using its library of 59,000+ free WordPress plugins. Plus, you can use popular themes to customize your site and make it visually appealing for visitors.

For this reason, it is highly popular and used by over 43% of the sites on the internet.

WordPress.org gives you complete control over your site, and it can also integrate with popular page builders like SeedProd to launch your small business in just a few minutes.

Other than that, opting for WordPress.org allows you to own your website and its content. This means that you are free from limitations and intrusive ads often found in free website builder plans.

Plus, as your business thrives, your website can scale alongside it, as WordPress.org can easily handle high traffic volumes, allowing you to build a website that grows with your ambition.

Pros

• We love WordPress.org’s huge community of users and developers because it makes it easier to find help and tutorials online if you run into any issues while building your website.
• This platform is used by many popular brands like Sony Music, Disney Books, Taylor Swift, and more.
• The website builder is translated into over 75 languages, meaning you can create a multilingual site with it.
• It can be used to create any kind of website like a blog, membership site, online store, travel business, selling furniture, and more. We have used WordPress.org to build online stores and blogs and have had a great experience.

Cons

• From years of using WordPress, we know how frustrating and time-consuming it can be to maintain all the WordPress core, plugins, and theme updates yourself. This means you may need to pay for WordPress maintenance.
• Even though WordPress.org itself is free, you will still need to purchase a domain name and hosting.

Why we recommend WordPress.org: Overall, WordPress.org is the best small business website builder because it is free and allows you to customize your site however you want. You won’t have to use a single line of code to launch your small business with this option.

For more details, see our beginner’s guide on how to make a WordPress website.

2. Wix

Wix is another great option for small businesses. It is a powerful website builder with a drag-and-drop editing interface and a vast library of pre-made templates for all kinds of industries and niches.

We evaluated Wix by creating a test website and found it to be a user-friendly platform particularly well-suited for people new to website building. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to create websites without requiring technical knowledge.

The platform is fully hosted, so you won’t have to purchase a hosting plan, and it offers a free SSL certificate to all its users. It also has hundreds of free and paid apps, which are like plugins, and will add different functionalities to your small business site.

Additionally, Wix offers basic SEO tools that suggest relevant keywords, generate sitemaps, optimize images, and customize meta tags.

We were highly impressed by Wix’s SEO Wizard, which simplifies the process of optimizing websites for search engines. Its step-by-step instructions make it an excellent choice for beginners who want to improve their website’s SEO.

For more information, you can see our comparison of Wix vs. WordPress.

Pros

• When we were testing Wix, we were impressed by its built-in artificial design intelligence (Wix ADI) that can design a website for you.
• It offers security tools to help protect your site from hackers and malicious viruses.
• Wix is optimized for mobile phones and offers an analytics feature to track your business site performance.
• It has a Wix booking feature that lets you manage appointments and bookings online.

Cons

• The platform shows Wix-branded ads on your website, which can annoy users and hurt your branding. You will need to upgrade to the paid plan to remove these ads.
• When building a website with the platform, we realized it can be difficult to move your website from Wix to any other builder.

Why we recommend Wix: We recommend this platform if you have a hotel and want to open a website to manage bookings online. This is because it has a built-in Wix Bookings feature, which can really help you.

It is also a good option for an online store because it offers features like product listings, secure payments, and shipping management.

3. Squarespace

Squarespace is a great website builder known for its collection of modern templates. When creating a site with it, we found that the platform’s flexibility allows for easy switching between these layouts.

This enables users to explore different options and find the ideal design for their business.

You can create stunning websites in minutes thanks to the builder’s drag-and-drop interface and mobile-responsive design. Squarespace’s powerful features let you showcase your work using portfolios and galleries, making it ideal for creatives and businesses.

The platform even comes with a huge app market with thousands of apps that you can add to your website to extend its functionality, like contact forms, social media integration, popups, and more.

Other than that, Squarespace has a special eCommerce plan to create an online store, manage inventory, accept payments, and more.

Pros

• You can also sell subscription-based services and products with the platform.
• Upon testing, we found out that Squarespace lets you upload and edit images efficiently right in its builder.
• It is a self-hosted platform, so you won’t have to worry about hosting plans.
• Squarespace has some basic SEO and analytics features.

Cons

• The website builder offers limited integrations with third-party tools, which can restrict your growing site.
• We didn’t like that it offers limited customization options for its premade templates. This can be a con for those looking for a more flexible builder.
• Squarespace can be a bit expensive if you are on a shoestring budget.

Why we recommend Squarespace: If your small business is related to photography, art, or design, then Squarespace is a good choice due to its huge library of visually appealing templates.

It is also a good choice for selling subscription-based services. For more details, see our comparison of Squarespace vs. WordPress.

4. HubSpot Website Builder

HubSpot Website Builder is an amazing choice for building a small business website. Our experience in building a demo site with it showed us its potential to streamline website creation and boost your online presence.

For more information on our experience with HubSpot, you can see our complete HubSpot review.

HubSpot has a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, comes with a bunch of pre-built themes, and integrates with the HubSpot CRM, where you can store all your customer data.

The builder also provides special SEO tools to optimize pages for search engines and offers built-in security to protect your website from malware and other attacks.

Additionally, we love that the website builder is free and comes with free hosting, making it a great choice if you are just starting your small business.

Pros

• HubSpot has an AI-powered tool to help create a simple website by answering a few questions about your business.
• We particularly liked the adaptive testing feature where you can choose up to five variations of a page, and HubSpot will monitor and serve the best-performing option.
• You can create WordPress forms, landing pages, live chat, and chatbots on your website.
• You can also track your website traffic and see how visitors are interacting with your website.

Cons

• When evaluating the tool, we realized that HubSpot itself doesn’t have built-in eCommerce functionality. That is why we don’t recommend it if you plan on starting an online store.
• As your site grows, the pricing can be expensive.

Why we recommend HubSpot Website Builder: If you have a small business and are planning to just have a small website, then this is an ideal solution.

5. Gator Website Builder

Gator is a popular website builder by HostGator that is a great option for making a small business site. We thoroughly tested the tool to evaluate its user interface and overall effectiveness in creating a visually appealing website and found it pretty easy to use.

Gator offers a free domain name, SSL certificate, and hosting plan to all its users at affordable prices, making it a great choice if you are just starting your business.

Other than that, it even has a library of stock photos that you can use in your blog posts to make your content visually appealing.

Pros

• You can easily link a website created by Gator to any social media platform like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
• We like its SEO and analytics tools that can improve site rankings and track your business performance.
• Gator has eCommerce features like product listings, shopping carts, and payment processing to set up an online store.

Cons

• Gator does not have a free plan.
• When making a website with the tool, we found that it offers limited design and customization flexibility for your website.

Why we recommend Gator Website Builder: If you are looking for a tool to build a simple business site that shows your opening hours, contact information, and services, then Gator is a great choice.

It is also a good option if you are a freelancer and want to build a resume site to attract more clients.

6. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the best website builder for eCommerce sites. If you plan to sell any products on your small business site, then this is the best option for you.

Our experience with WooCommerce has been super positive. We have used the tool in the past to sell products online. It’s reliable and user-friendly, and you can learn more in our WooCommerce review.

Additionally, WooCommerce can seamlessly integrate with WordPress and has an easy onboarding process that allows you to set up a store in just a few minutes. You can efficiently manage your inventory, display products, and collect payments with 83+ payment options and many WooCommerce plugins and extensions.

WooCommerce also has a large and active community of users, which means you can find plenty of support and resources online if you run into any errors. Other than that, it is designed to be SEO-friendly and helps your store rank higher in the search results.

For more information, you can see our beginner’s guide on WooCommerce made simple.

Pros

• The platform has a lot of free and paid WooCommerce plugins that can add all kinds of functionality to your website.
• Upon testing, we realized that WooCommerce integrates with most third-party tools, such as email marketing services, help desk software, and live chat software.
• With the help of All in One SEO, which is the best SEO plugin, you can also add product schema to your WooCommerce store products. This can boost your site rankings.

Cons

• WooCommerce itself is free. However, to launch your small business site, you will need to purchase a domain name and hosting.
• We didn’t like that you have to manually update WooCommerce, create backups, and perform routine maintenance tasks. This can be time-consuming and annoying for some users.

Why we recommend WooCommerce: If you plan to sell products like clothing, pet supplies, and more on your business site, then WooCommerce is the best option for you.

7. WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a managed WordPress hosting service and user-friendly platform for creating websites without technical knowledge.

Keep in mind that WordPress.com is completely different from WordPress.org, which is a self-hosted platform. For more details, see our comparison on WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.

This platform offers pre-designed themes, core blogging features like creating and scheduling posts, and basic media management.

Plus, it handles backups and site maintenance automatically, so you won’t have to worry about anything.

However, while WordPress.com offers a free plan to get started, it displays ads and restricts plugin access, which can limit your website’s functionality and customization. The Personal and Premium plans also have these limitations.

That is why we recommend the Business plan for $25 to create a fully customizable small business website with access to plugins. On the other hand, if your goal is to sell products online, then the Commerce plan for $45 is the better option. It includes all the features of the Business plan with WooCommerce integration.

Pros

• WordPress.com has a clean interface, which makes it ideal for beginners.
• We particularly liked its mobile responsiveness because about 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices.
• WordPress.com offers great customer support to all the users who have upgraded to the paid version of the platform.

Cons

• If you opt for the Commerce plan, then you will have to pay a transaction fee of 4-8% in addition to standard processing fees.
• While WordPress.com offers a user-friendly platform to build websites, it functions more like a managed WordPress hosting service compared to self-hosted WordPress.org. This means you have less control over customization and functionality due to limitations on plugins.

Why we recommend WordPress.com: If you want to create a simple business site, then WordPress.com can be a good solution. However, if you are on a budget, then you are better off using self-hosted WordPress.org with other affordable hosting companies like Bluehost, Hostinger, or SiteGround.

Which Is the Best Small Business Website Builder?

In our expert opinion, WordPress.org is the best small business website builder because it is free, scalable, and flexible. Plus, it gives you complete control over your site by allowing you to add kinds of functions using different plugins and themes.

However, if your small business manages bookings and appointments, then Wix is also a great solution due to its Wix Bookings feature.

Similarly, Squarespace is a good choice for photographers, artists, and designers because it has modern template designs.

But if you just plan to create an online store, then we recommend WooCommerce.

Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business Website Builders

Here are some questions that are frequently asked by our readers about website builders for small businesses.

How much do website builders typically cost?

An average website builder can cost you about $3-$30/month. However, most builders also offer a free plan or a trial period where you can try out the builder before purchasing it.

You can also opt for WordPress.org, which is self-hosted and completely free. Just remember that you will still need to purchase a domain name and hosting plan and that can increase overall costs.

Can I switch website builders later on?

Yes, you can switch your website builder later on. However, the process can be difficult depending on the website builder you used previously and the complexity of your site.

That is why we recommend choosing the builder that meets all your needs right from the start. To get an idea of how to switch builders, see our tutorial on how to move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.

Do website builders offer SEO tools?

Some website builders like Gator offer basic SEO tools like keyword optimization, meta description editing, and sitemap creation.

However, to completely optimize your site for SEO, we recommend using a plugin like All in One SEO and following all the best practices. For more information, see our ultimate SEO guide.

Related Guides for Small Business Websites

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