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With Webflow, you don't need to be a coder to create stunning websites. While WordPress requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, and PHP to customise themes and templates, the drag-and-drop interface of Webflow eliminates the need for coding altogether. Its pre-built components enable you to create complex designs without writing a single line of code. This accessibility empowers designers and developers to bring their creative visions to life more efficiently, focussing on design. The result for you? You don't have to pay both a web designer AND developer, giving you an amazing website at an affordable price.
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One of the standout features of Webflow is its intuitive visual editor. Unlike WordPress, which uses a clunky editor, Webflow allows end-users to maintain and update their website in a What You See Is What You Get manner.
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On the surface, plugins market themselves as making your life easier. You need to add a subscription form? There’s a plugin for that. You need to optimize for on-page SEO? There’s a plugin for that. You need to create a custom page with a drag and drop builder? There’s a plugin for that. But, the hard truth is that more plugins = more problems. Some plugins can add extra bloated JavaScript code to your website, and create some dangers that you should be aware of.
Plugins constantly need to be updated. Meaning, you have to be on top of maintenance for WordPress sites. The more plugins you have, the more time you spend on updates. And if you don’t stay up to date on maintenance, the more likely you are to have a spammer attack your website. Unfortunately, there are people out there that constantly scan WordPress websites looking for specific plugins in a website's code. If one of your plugins is out of date, or has a data breach, hackers can use that plugin as a gateway into your website. Webflow takes a plugin-less approach. You need to optimize on-page SEO? There are settings in Webflow to do that. Want to create a fully custom landing page? If you can design it on paper, you can natively build it in Webflow. ‍
Some plugins are designed to be “lightweight.” By this I mean the code is optimised to run fast on a WordPress website. But some plugins are built with a bunch of bloated JavaScript that increases the time it takes for your web pages to load. Having multiple plugins like these will slow down your website even more. Webflow’s engineering team constantly thinks about speed, that’s why everything you design in Webflow is written with clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — making sure every feature is lightweight. Website speed and performance are crucial factors in user experience and search engine rankings.
Sometimes, when a plugin needs to be updated it can interfere with other aspects of your website. One update could cause you tons of time and energy in debugging another part of your website. This is especially true if you have a fully customised WordPress site.
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If speed and security are important for you, you may spend a lot of time vetting which hosting provider you should go with. Because there are so many hosting providers for WordPress sites, every 3rd-party hosting service wants a piece of the pie. Some will sacrifice speed and reliability to give you a cheaper price. Some will claim they’re extremely fast and charge a fortune. And some will throttle your hosting speeds based on how many people are visiting your website at a given time. None of these are ideal.
Webflow's hosting infrastructure, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), ensures fast loading times and robust performance. Webflow offers reliable and scalable hosting out of the box. This advantage is especially valuable for businesses that rely on their websites to attract and retain customers.
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Webflow Hosting is one of the main things that sold me on switching over. Co-founder and CTO of Webflow, Bryant Chou, designed Webflow’s hosting to be serverless and extremely fast. Webflow has a 99.99% uptime and there’s never any need to update anything on the server side of your website. Yeah, no more messing around with server control panels. You’ll be confident in knowing you have secure enterprise-grade hosting, that scales, on every single Webflow site you build.
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Webflow provides unparalleled design flexibility and customization options. While WordPress offers a wide range of themes and templates, Webflow allows for complete creative control. With its extensive styling options, custom animations, and interactions, you can get a unique and visually stunning website tailored to your specific needs. This flexibility ensures that your website stands out from the crowd and aligns perfectly with your brand identity.
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Webflow excels in this area by providing a seamless responsive design experience. Sites can be previewed and optimised for various screen sizes, ensuring an optimal user experience on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This feature is especially valuable as mobile usage continues to rise, and search engines prioritize mobile-friendly websites. Custom breakpoints for extra large screens can be added too, giving an extra layer of control and customisation.
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Content management is a critical aspect of any website, and Webflow's CMS (Content Management System) offers a streamlined solution. Compared to WordPress, which requires additional plugins and a steeper learning curve, Webflow's CMS is built directly into the platform. It allows you to create and manage dynamic content with ease, making updates and publishing new pages a seamless process. This integrated CMS feature simplifies website maintenance and empowers clients to manage their content independently.
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For businesses looking to sell products or services online, Webflow offers seamless e-commerce integration. Its dedicated e-commerce functionality allows you to create and manage an online store without relying on third-party plugins or additional platforms. From product listings and inventory management to secure payment gateways, Webflow provides all the essential tools for a successful e-commerce website. This integrated approach simplifies the setup process, reduces maintenance overhead, and ensures a smooth shopping experience for your customers.
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Since 13% of your audience (including more than 25% of adults) live with some form of disability, it is highly recommended you integrate with a Webflow accessibility solution to ensure your site accommodates all potential customers.
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Webflow offers a host of advantages over WordPress, making it an excellent choice for your website. Its intuitive visual editor, no-coding-required approach, responsive design capabilities, integrated CMS, exceptional speed and performance, design flexibility, and seamless e-commerce integration set it apart from other platforms. As a web developer, I highly recommend Webflow for its user-friendly interface, robust features, and ability to create stunning websites that meet your business goals. Embrace the power of Webflow, and take your web development projects to new heights.
